My Muse...an empty gum package!

Standing in Target and buying another multi-pack of gum for my teen, it occured to me that these little containers would look adorable if altered. Because of Ms. R I have access to a plethora of empty Trident and Orbit boxes!

I started by opening the gum package on a piece of Cosmo Cricket paper, tracing the shape and cutting it out. I creased the cardstock where it would fold once it was glued onto the package, then used a liberal amount of Beacon's 3 in 1 Glue, my favorite for a permanant hold.

You can paint the interior and/or cover with pretty cardstock. In this photo you can see where I cut a part of the gum package away (green section) so I could more easily attatch the stretch cord throught the bottom. I planned to use a decorative brad and looped stretch cord for a closure. I have also used velcro tabs in the past, and if you can find them, mini magnets work too! I used the Bella Muse Challenge image for April and made a charm for the front of the gum box with a Tim Holtz Fragment and Glossy Accents. (Put Glossy Accents on one side of the fragment and press the wet side onto an image of your choice. Trim excess, if any) Don't forget to insert brad BEFORE you add decorative cardstock in order to hide prongs.

Can you see the stretchy cord loop extending from the bottom? Poke a small hole and insert the ends into the box bottom. Once inside the box bottom, tie a secure knot. You can also tie a tiny bead, safety pin or Tim Holtz Game Spinner onto the ends to hold  them securely inside through the fastening and unfastening of the altered box. (won't pull out!)

Here is a shot of the gum box opened and the interior tags exposed. I made double sided tags for photos, quotes or small memorabilia. I also added 7 Gypsies stickers to the face of the box above the stretch cord.

This is the outside of the box. The Muse image is a woman sitting on the moon. In my imagination, she was daydreaming about travel, and thus pictured herself on the moon....so I made the little box with a travel theme. The 'bon voyage' is chipboard matted with mulberry paper and there is a vintage postage stamp under the fragment charm. Scraps Of Darkness is offering an RAK for the April Muse Challenge~ Come play!