Mint Tin Treasure Box

Mimi Diehl embellishes an everyday mint tin with marbled polymer clay to make a tiny treasure box.

Materials:

mint or gum tin with a hinged lid
2 colors of polymer clay, purple and white
small amount of contrasting polymer clay color
pink mica powder
white glue
polymer clay dedicated pasta machine
polymer clay dedicated toaster oven
cutting blade
black acrylic paint
paintbrush

Steps:

1. Condition the purple and white polymer clay in a clay-dedicated pasta machine.

2. Roll two coils, one of each color.

3. Twist the coils together, fold in half and roll into a single coil.

5. Run the marbled clay through the pasta machine on the thickest setting.

6. Use the body of the tin itself like a cookie cutter and cut a piece of clay to fit the top of the tin.

7. Apply a thin layer of white glue to the tin's lid and adhere the cut piece of clay to the tin (figure B).

8. Cut a length of rolled clay to cover the rest of the exposed lid. Adhere with white glue (figure C).

9. Condition a small amount of a contrasting color of clay (black) and roll into a thin coil. Embellish the clay-covered top of the tin with the black coil (figure D).

10. Spread mica powder over the black clay with your finger (figure E).

11. Bake to cure according to the clay manufacturer's directions.

12. Paint the bottom of the tin to cover up any printing on the metal with black acrylic paint (figure F).

E-mail: mimi@mimidiehl.com

Website: www.mimidiehl.com