Upcycle a candy box into a Valentine scrapbook

Above is the recycled chocolate box lid with fancy "LOVE" lettering.

Brief Description: This heart shaped scrapbook comes with it's very own box container. It is a perfect place to keep love letters, photos, and Valentines, of course.

Supply List: Heart shaped chocolates box (recycled), Decorative scrap letters, Decorative wrapping paper, enough to cover the box and also cut out a front cover page for the scrapbook, Two large binding rings, A stack of solid colored paper, large enough to cut custom shaped pages for your scrapbook, White Glue, Scissors, Hole punch

Directions:

   1. Clean out the recycled chocolate box thoroughly before beginning the project.

   2. Lay out the lid of your box top on top of the wrapping paper and draw around the heart shape. If you wish to cover the edges as well, I suggest you do so with a long narrow strip of paper matching the dimensions of the sides of the box. This will make your box look cleaner and more professional. The box pictured in the photo above had velvet trim and I chose to leave this intact.

   3. You will need to repeat the same step for the back side of the box.

   4. Glue the wrapping paper on the edges only to the box. Use a very narrow line of glue. Some of you may choose to use a spray adhesive for this project, but, white glue is just fine for young children.

   5.The lettering in my sample project was purchased at a Hobby Lobby. All I had to do was peal and stick it directly onto my lid. You may wish to visit some font collections on the web instead and print some illuminated letters on your home computer instead.

   6. After decorating your recycled chocolate box, cut a stack of pages just 1/4 inch smaller than the lid so that these will fit neatly into your heart shaped container.
   7. Punch holes into the stack of pages and clip these together with a couple of red binding rings. 

Above is the heart shaped scrapbook and the 
bottom of the box it fits into. It is advisable to cut
a few additional pages that may be added later.

All photos and descriptions copyrighted by Grimm 2017

More Valentine Box Crafts:

• DIY candy filled heart box for 18" dolls - adorable clay canndies
• Craft a Welsh Corgi Valentine Mailbox by kathy grimm - template included too

make a miniature decoupage bottle

Mona Lisa smiles on this miniature
decoupaged bottle.

Brief Description: Turn miniature bottles into keepsakes.

Supply List:

• miniature bottle
• tiny metal star
• decorative string
• Mona Lisa graphic
• blue butterfly wings (below)
• Mod Podge
• soft brush
• scissors
• glitter
• white glue

Directions:

1. Thoroughly clean and dry the bottle you intend to work with.
2. Cut out the pictures that you wish to include in the project. I've included a set of blue butterfly wings for you to download below.
3. Glue the pictures and glitter in place with ordinary white glue.
4. Now layer the Mod Podge on top of your work with a soft brush and let this dry. 
5. String the star onto a twine and wrap this firmly around the bottles neck and knot. 

Additional Suggestions: These little hand-crafted vases are perfect for miniature collections.

Blue butterfly wings.
This template may be downloaded and sized in a
word document. Read the Terms of Use before
using it folks.

All instructions, template and photographs copyrighted by Grimm 2017

Watch Aggie Craft paint and decoupage a bottle.

Assemble an embroidered bouquet wrap

You may wish to hang this bouquet
by a vintage dressing table.

Brief Description: I think this is a lovely way to give a simple bouquet of flowers. Baby's breath and red roses would look delightful tucked inside of this embroidered wrap. I used tissue paper flowers for the photograph because these were what I had at hand. Make something new out of something old. 

Supply List:

• embroidered pot holder
• embroidery floss, I used red
• embroidery needle
• scissors

Directions: 

1. Turn the pot holder face down and fold together two of it's opposite points to create the cone shape. Pin down the sides if necessary.
2. Thread your embroidery needle as thickly as you wish and stitch these two side together with a firm decorative stitch. 
3. Stuff the cone shaped wrap with a posy and give it to your sweetheart or friend.

Additional Suggestions: For those of you who still celebrate May Day, this little project would be quiet charming. There are so many of these little embroidered pot holders for sale in antique malls and flee markets for mere pocket change.

The cone shape allows for a charming little
package for rose buds and baby's breath.

An old-fashioned pot holder I picked up in a local antique shop.

All patterns and photographs by Grimm copyrighted 2011.