Waaa-aaay back in October of 2013, I wrote an article for Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine about Spirit Boxes. This is from the intro: “Spirit Boxes take their roots from art dolls, kachinas, and other meaningful handcrafted figures. They make beautiful gifts, especially if a personal note or small object is tucked inside the box. To make your own Spirit Box, you will need just a few simple materials, and most or all of those can be recyclables.”
Six participants got together at the Studio yesterday to give it at try at our Spirit Box workshop. The results (below) are beautiful, personal, and heartfelt.
So what’s the “box” part of this construction? It’s a recycled Altoids tin (how ubiquitous – they are used from everything from mini-shrines to sewing kits). But by gluing this on to the back of a flat wall piece, you can both lift it out from the wall to “float” it, and also have a secret compartment for life’s little pleasures like Hershey’s kisses, silver dollars, and secret messages! See?
Punch holes and fashion a “handle” out of wire, then glue on with E6000
Voila! A secret compartment!
FUN LINKS for ALTOIDS TINS:
22 Manly Ways to use an Altoids tin
Top 50 Ways to Recycle Altoids tins
Ten Things You Can Build Inside of an Altoids Tin (including a lie detector)
Altered Altoids and Other Tins
My personal favorite – an Altoids tin grill that can cook two hotdogs and one marshmallow – seriously?
These Spirit boxes are just gorgeous and so inspiring!!! I just posted a picture of my first attempt at decorating one of your faces; a little sad, compared to these, but I’m not an artist so I guess it’s okay! Now I want to do even more!
Katie, I love it when other artists decorate those faces – it gives me new ideas and a fresh take on them. You really are an artist – anyone who changes and beautifies objects in particular and the world in general is definitely an artist.
Thanks so much for your encouraging words, Lyn; my mind is already working on a spirit box!!! (And my husband says I’m an artist in the garden, so you have just reinforced him as well! 🙂 )
I’ve been fascinated by spirit boxes and shrines for awhile. Thank you for the inspiration! We don’t have altoid tins here, but I’m sure I can find a substitute!
You really can use any kind of box that has a hinged opening, or you could even hinge a small gift box with tape. – I hope you;ll send me a photo of your work!
A matchbox would work, too. It is just a bit easier to access the “secret” compartment, so don’t hide your diamonds there.
Thank you for the inspiration. These look fascinating!
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you try it – it’s fun and really easy to personalize.
Love the boxes, Lyn! Such a beautiful and creative way to use collected ephemera and “stuff” that artists seem to have in abundance. Love them!
I love love your art, so wonderfully creative and unusual!
Charlene Romanos
Love this idea! What a wonderful use for the tins.
Looking for inspiration regarding boxes.