No cost gift series: Ornament/gift box with a surprise inside
Every year I make at least one ornament for each of our grandchildren that I put at their places at the table Christmas eve as a small gift. This year’s for three of them will be made from tins that once held mints. Inside each I put a small creature, toy or piece of candy. (I’ll do something else for the other two because I don’t have enough tins!)
The tins are decorated with paper, and have a wire hanger. The “toy” is glued in, but you could just as easily do the same without the wire, to present as a gift box.
Each box takes about 15-minutes to 1/2 hour to make, depending on how complicated your box is.
Note that as with all crafts I present, I want to inspire you to make your own interpretation, not slavishly follow my directions (which aren’t always perfectly written anyway, though I do try!).
How to make ornament tins with a surprise inside
Supplies:
1 mint tin
Papers (For these I chose some with adhesive backing which cuts down on gluing)
Scissors
80-100 grit sandpaper
Small piece of stiff wire for hanger
Wire cutter
Drill to make hole in top of box to accommodate wire
Pliers
Glue for paper
1 piece of decorative tape (you also could use paper, but tape is so much easier!)
Small toy (I actually used an old holiday pin from which I removed the back for one and made the elf for the other. Directions for the elf are at the end of the post)
Small piece of ribbon
Black paint pen
How-to
1. Lay the tin on the paper you want to use for the outside, cut within 1/4″ around it.
2. Glue paper to front of tin. When dry, cut right up against the edge. (I like to leave the back side with the tin showing and write my name and date on it, but of course, you can cover the back too if you prefer.)
3. Lightly sandpaper the edges which gives a slightly worn edge and makes up for any imperfections in your cutting.
4. Using the box as a template, cut two pieces of paper for the inside. You’ll need to cut them down slightly to fit. Glue inside.
5. Using drill with a bit large enough to accommodate wire you’re using, make two holes about an inch apart through top of tin.
6. Wind decorative tape around outside “side,” covering holes. Use the end of a pen to re-open the holes through the tape.
7. Feed wire evenly through both holes from outside in. Using a pliers, bend or curl the wire to keep it from backing up through the holes.
8.Tie ribbon in bow on wire.
9. Close tin and write your name, greeting, date etc. on back with paint pen.
10. Write recipient’s name on front with paint pen.
11. Glue in “toy.”
Elf how-to
Supplies
1 unfinished wooden doll body
glue
red paint, paintbrush
black paint pen
cotton ball
small piece of green felt
How-to
1. Paint body red. Don’t worry about making it messy as beard and hat will cover.
2. Paint on “belt.”
3. Take small piece of cotton ball and glue it to “chin” above belt.
Hat how-to
1. Cut a triangle out of the felt.
2. Wrap one side of triangle around wooden doll’s head, bringing two sides of triangle toward each other and overlapping.
3. Glue down one of the overlapping sides.
4. Cut off extra felt.
5. Glue to elf’s head and glue into tin.
Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.
