Cigar Box Makeovers - DIY Spooky Gifts #trashtotreasure


My friend Sam gave me a box full of old wooden cigar boxes that had been destined for the dumpster at one of her house clean out jobs.

To most people they looked like trash. Stains on the outer wood. Hinges broken. Some of the wood was split and broken on the lids...but these were easy fixes.












I see the potential they held and went to work on them.

I glued all the broken pieces. Thankfully nothing was missing. The wood had just split in a few spots. Wood glue and clamps fixed them right up.

I had a baggie of small hinges on hand, they were a perfect fit so I replaced hinges on a couple of the boxes.

I cleaned all the cigar boxes with Dixie Belle White Lightning. This removed all the grime and gunk and got the boxes ready to paint.



On the first box I blended Dixie Belle Black Caviar and Dixie Belle Barn Red.

Then I used Texture Paste and my skull stencil to add the skull.

Once the paste dried I used Dixie Belle black glaze over the entire box.

I painted the skull white to brighten it then make it stand out.

Then clear coated the entire box with Dixie Belle Gator Hide.





The second box I painted red, then used a crackle product and painted over it with black. It didn't crackle exactly how I wanted but it still turned out good.

On the two red and black boxes I used Silver Rub N Buff on the hinges and front clasp.



The other two boxes I painted black then added gold Rub N Buff. I used the gold to make the hinges and clasp match.


I painted the skulls white on all of them and sealed everything with clear coat.

















I left the insides of the boxes as they were. The graphics from the cigar company were still brightly colored and in good shape so I left them alone. The humodor seal was still intact in each box so I didn't want to mess them up.  

4 people received these boxes as Christmas gifts. My oldest son, my bestie, my bestie's son, and my future son-in-law.

I hope they love them. I loved making them. 

I get so excited when I can rescue something from the trash and turn it into something amazing.

2 comments:

  1. Wow they turned out great - the recipients of these homemade beauties were lucky indeed. I just love up cycling.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I love upcycling, too. I am a garage sale junkie...and I've been known to pick up things people leave on the side of the road on garbage day. If it's wood 95% of the time it can be fixed and given new life.

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