Have you ever bought something that, made you feel a little bit guilty to throw out when you were finished with it? Perhaps you’re just the kind of crafting enthusiast who’s always seeing DIY potential in even the smallest things, including the trash from your snacks? Then you’ll understand what we mean when we say that mint tins are a crafting gold mine!
Check out these 15 awesome little DIY projects made out of (or inside of) the small tins that Altoids and other mints come in! These innovative little trinkets make great decor on work desks or nice gifts for friends.
1. Mini succulent garden
Are you looking for a low maintenance way to add a little bit of greenery to your office cubicle, or maybe your small residence room at college, where larger house plants probably won’t flourish? Then a tiny succulent garden is the perfect idea for you! Instead of growing just a single succulent in a little pot, Free People suggests planting a couple of them side by side in a mint tin with a rock or two for extra decor just like in a real garden.
2. Mini pool “table”
Has your dad (or someone else you love) always enjoyed novelty trinkets and miniature games for the desk at work? Then Crafts Unleashed has an awesome little idea for a simple gift that will definitely give some amusement! This miniature pool table is made using foam, felt, and beads inside a rectangular shaped mint tin.
3. Felt snuggle buddies
If you’re a sewing enthusiast looking for a simple project then you can certainly put those skills to use in the realm of little mint tin crafts as well! Peas in a Pod guides you through the process
4. Lego to go
Are you part of a travel-loving family, so you’re always on the lookout for ways to keep your kids busy in the car? Books and colouring supplies are an awesome distraction from long driving hours for little ones, but sometimes they just need something to actually play with. That’s where a compact, easily stashed away toy set like this DIY mini lego set made in and on top of a mint tin by Mommo Design saves the day!
5. Mini mint BBQ tin
Perhaps someone you know is an avid camper and loves novelty things that come in miniature but actually work practically too? Then we have a feeling they’ll get a kick out of this tiny barbecue that actually lights and grills! Whether they actually use it for heating very small things outside their tent in the summer, or whether they just light it a few times, it still makes an awesome gift. Check the full instructions out on Instructables.
6. Travel “bugs”
Do you have a friend or family member who definitely has the “travel bug” and is always saving up their money so they can jet set off to somewhere new and exciting? Then it makes sense that you’d want to make them some little trinket to make them think fondly of you while they’re gone! We absolutely adore the idea of these little “travel bugs” by MmmCrafts. Make your very own little critter to travel with your loved one in a mint tin case!
7. Miniature pinhole camera
Did you ever make a pinhole camera in high school science class, learning about light and angles in order to take your very own photos through a hole poked in the side of a coffee tin? Well, just like modern cameras have gotten smaller over time, WikiHow is here to teach you how to make a smaller pinhole camera as well. Instead of a big coffee tin, they used a company little mint tin.
8. Tiny magnetic message board
In our house, everyone is always busy and we’re always leaving each other notes between running errands and going places. Often, however, the notes get misplaced if we just set them on a counter or desktop. Magnetic message boards are an awesome solution here, but why buy one from the store when you can just make your own from things you already have? Design Sponge guides you through the process of creating a message board from a metal mint tin painted fun, bright colours.
9. Mini folding scrapbook
Perhaps you’re an avid scrapbooking enthusiast who loves to share your skills and art with the people around you but you’ve never been able to make books for your long distance loved ones? Then try making them a miniature version of a scrapbook that’s a little more mail friendly instead! Lime Citron suggests making a miniature fold-out version of a book with tiny pages that stack inside a mint tin decorated with ribbon.
10. Emergency candle
Have you always been the kind of person who likes to be prepared for any disaster? Then you, like us, have probably stacked a cupboard with flashlights and candles in case of a power outage. In case you’re looking for a more compact light source for another room, though, or perhaps a travel version that will easily fit in your car or your purse, Design Sponge teaches you how to make your own double wick candle inside a flat, compact mint tin.
11. Portable board games
Were you intrigued by the idea of compact ways to keep your kids busy in the car on road trips but they’re just a little too old now to be interested in playing with Lego sets for very long? Make them a travel game that will keep them busy for a little bit longer, like this miniature mint tin chess set from Instructables.
12. Tiny shadow box
Perhaps you’re looking for a miniature craft idea just for the sake or making something beautiful, or simply because you’ve always been enamoured with small artistry that takes a lot of attention to detail? Then we think you might enjoy making a beautiful little shadow box, just like Sweet Paul Mag did in an Altoids tin here!
13. Compliments kit
Have you been looking for a simple way to encourage your kids to practice kindness in their daily lives, but in a way that’s also a lot of fun for them? Then try making them a little “compliments” kit, just like this one featured on LDS Nest. Fill a mint tin with a travel sized Sharpie, some patterned note cards, cute washi tape, and some inspirational quotes that will encourage whoever you give the kit to to make someone else’s day brighter by handing out nice compliments!
14. Mint tin LED light
Do you find that you’re often in need of a light source at night when you’re doing things like looking in your purse for your car keys? Some people use the light on their cell phone but not every phone has the light feature quite as easily accessible as you might need. Instead, try making yourself a very simple DIY LED flashlight that can attach to your purse strap and turn on with a simple squeeze! Makezine shows you how a mint tin can (literally) light up your life.
15. Mint tin solar charger
Are you the kind of person who uses your electronic devices so much throughout the day that their batteries are drained by lunch and you need to charge them again? Well, you can definitely buy external batteries at the dollar store but they don’t tend to last very long. You can get yourself better quality chargers too, but those ones tend to be more expensive. Instead, aim for somewhere in the middle and make a charger of your own that’s solar powered! As you might have guessed, this project is also, of course, made in a little mint tin. Check it out in detail on Instructables!
