A Do-It-Yourself Recipe Box

Hey guys, I'm happy you were able to stop by! This is today's crafty inspiration:

It's a recipe box made by Rifle Paper Co. and they've got other designs like this and this. Aren't they beautiful? Designer and owner Anna Bond really does a great job with her floral and botanical gouache paintings. 

I'm using this idea to turn blah to TADA!

I'm a big tea drinker and a recent acquaintance had recommended this British brand to me. 

I bought it and I liked that this special edition came in a reusable tin.  

The tin provided an air-tight seal and kept my tea fresh until I consumed every single bag. 

Now that it's empty, I would love to reuse it as storage.

Here's what I did:

I cleaned the tin inside and out with a dry cloth (moisture will cause it to rust). Then I painted the outside with acrylic paint.

I painted on several coats, allowing the paint to dry in between coats.

This is my painted tin...TADA!

Because I love flowers, I drew some, too. 

I opted for flowers that traditionally grow in an English garden: roses, peonies, Japanese anemone, hollyhocks, and bell flowers.

To make it my own, I used watercolor (instead of acrylic or gouache).

 I let the paint dry for a few minutes...

...before putting more layers, definition, and details.

Then I added this adhesive metal bookplate that I got at an office supply store many years ago. If you can't find it, a sticker label can be a good replacement.

By the way, I got to practice my hand lettering to make the label...TADA!

Here are just a few ways I can use my spruced-up tin box as storage:

As a recipe box -- though most of the recipes I use are stored on Pinterest.

To store packets of food mixes like gravy, dips and sauces...that way they stay neat inside the pantry or cupboard.

As a box to store receipts for a small business. Inside, you can add monthly/quarterly dividers made from card stock.

I hope you liked this tea tin transformation. Have a good week ahead!