"Random Things About Me" Suitcase Tin & Mini Tag Book Tutorial...Plus A Giveaway!!!

NOTE: This is a "sticky post" and will remain at the top of my blog page until the end date of the giveaway detailed below. Please scroll down to read newer blog posts - thanks!

Are you getting tired of seeing altered tins?!?!? I hope not, because I never seem to tire at how I can transform something that would usually be tossed out into a craft project! But, just in case you are tiring of altered tins, this will be the last one that I post for a little while!

As I promised a couple of weeks ago, here are close-up photos and the instructions to create a really fun little suitecase-style tin which houses a mini tag book in which you journal random facts about yourself. I've also included a printable journaling prompt sheet so you can easily make your very own mini-tag book!

Here's a photo of the set:

To begin you'll need a mint tin, (mine measures 3 3/4" x 2 3/8" x 3/4"). You can recycle an Altoids mint tin if you like, or you can order plain, unused mint tins from Joann.com, Creativexpress.com or Orientaltrading.com.

The first step is to cut your paper for the outside of the tin slightly larger than the tin itself. (I used paper from the CTMH "Splendor" paper pack). Coat the top of the lid with Zig Two-Way Glue and ahere the paper you've prepared to the lid. Repeat steps on the bottom of the tin and set aside to dry.

Once glue is dry, use a sanding block and gently sand the edges of the paper so that it is flush with the edges of the tin. This gives a nice, finished look to your little "suitcase".

Cut two, 9" pieces of 3/8" grosgrain ribbon for the handles. Fold a 1/2" under on each end, to prevent fraying. Using a paper-piercing tool, pierce a hole through the folded ends and secure with a brad.

Using Terrifically Tacky Tape apply the ribbon to the outside of the tin, aligning the ribbon evenly on each side of the tin, as shown here:

Measure the outside rims of the tin and cut two strips of coordinating paper to adhere to the rims. (I ran these narrow strips through my Xyron machine, using repositionable adhesive, to make it easy to apply).

Next, cut coordinating paper to fit the inside of the lid and base of the tin. Using more Two-Way Glue, apply the paper to the inside of the tin and set aside to dry:

Now you're ready to make the mini tag book! Begin by cutting 11 pieces of white cardstock into rectangles that measure 3 1/4" x 1 3/4". This will give you 22 front/back pages to work with. Cut 12 pieces of coordinating paper 3 1/4" x 1 3/4" and set aside. Cut 10 pieces of double-sided coordinating paper 5" x 1 3/4".

Adhere all of the patterned papers to the cardstock bases to form the individual pages of the mini tag book. Fold the bottoms of the 5" long pieces of paper up by 1 3/4" to form pockets. Place a thin line of adhesive only on the sides of the folded parts of the pockets to secure, as shown in the next photo:

A photo, stamped image or favorite quote/Bible verse may be placed on the front of each of the pockets as embellishments. Journaling tags slide inside each of the pockets for additional random information about yourself! Here is a printable sheet of the journaling prompts that I created and used in my mini tag book...just click on the image to print a full-sized version:

If desired, the edges of the tag book and journaling prompts may be inked to give a distressed/aged look.

Cut coordinating ribbon to tie on a binder ring, which is what will hold your mini tag book together:

Using a Crop-A-Dile, punch holes in the upper left corner of the pages of the mini tag book. Place binder ring through the holes and tie coordinating ribbon to the binder ring. Now your mini-tag book is complete and ready to be neatly housed in the cute litte suitcase tin!

Now, just for fun, I'm giving away one of the workshop kits that I put together to create one of these cuties! The kit includes everything that you'll need to make this project, except the adhesive!

Here's all you have to do to enter to win this fun little kit:

1.) Post a link to my giveaway in an entry on your blog; then directly link up your post with the linky tool below. (It's my first time to use a linky tool, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works!)

2.) Sign up to be a follower, if you haven't already done so.

3.) If you enjoy reading my blog, please grab my "Scrappin' Becky B." button, which is located under my profile in the sidebar on the right, and add it to your blog.

4.) Leave a comment on this post, with the direct link address to your blog where you've posted about my giveaway.

That's it, folks! A winner will be randomly selected on November 12th and the winner's name will be posted on my blog on November 13th. Be sure to check back to see if you've won! 

Happy Scrappin'!!