Halloween Treat Box by Linda Hess

Fall is upon us: the leaves outside are changing, the air is getting a bit cooler, sweaters have come out of hiding, and YES Halloween is only a month away!  With 2 children in college, I still send Halloween treats (yes, I am THAT kind of mom).  I am also the kind of mom spinning in my tracks, so to get treats out on time I need to think ahead :-)

With that in mind, I looked through my cabinets for something that could easily be sent through the mail without destruction.  I found a metal Hershey box and decided that it would be perfect to recycle. 

First thing was to create some Halloween orange paper using my Arnold Grummer's Papermill Pro kit.  I mixed a handful of shredded paper with a few squirts of Pinata Ink (Calabaza Orange #JFC1005) and some Creatology Orange glitter (can be found at Michaels's stores) plus 2 cups of water...WHIRRRRRRRR.  Following the directions I poured the mixture into the frame and pressed out most of the water.  I wanted a little more orange in the paper so I dripped some Clearsnap Ink Refill across the page.  As I pressed the water out, the ink dispersed a bit throughout the page.

Once I had a nice thick piece of wet paper to work with I stopped (NOTE: Normally I would press the paper with multiple couch sheets to get out a lot more moisture, but this time I wanted the paper sheet to be damp).

I removed the lid from the box and pressed the paper over the top and around the edges.  Excess paper was torn away and pressed onto areas that were a bit thin or did not quite cover the edges.  Since the paper sheet was still damp, pressing the pulp onto new areas was easy to accomplish.  Once completely covered I put the lid with paper in the oven to quick dry.  I had a few areas where the paper hung over.  I left those to be trimmed away rather than torn off.

While the lid was baking I got to work on an owl.  I used this same resin mold in August for the back to school banner.

I pressed some of the leftover paper pulp firmly into the mold and then removed it.  Odd edges and areas are easily fixed using the end of a paintbrush and your fingers.  Once "cleaned up" I popped the owl into the oven to quick bake (NOTE: I bake at 275 degrees for about 15-20 minutes).

Now for the inside of the box.  I have a stash of leftover handmade papers.  I grabbed a piece of blue sparkly paper and cut it to size.  Tacky glue (I use The Ultimate Glue) attaches the paper to the inside of the box. 

I found a lazercut design at Michael's in the Halloween section and thought it would be a nice addition to the box.  A bit of acrylic paint and some embossing powders make the design POP.  Glued in place it still leaves a bit of room for treats :-)

Now to finish the top.  The owl is detailed with PrismaColor markers.  A stick from the backyard makes the perfect perch.  I created a "Trick or Treat" label on textured paper.  Tearing the edges towards me revealed the solid pumpkin orange underneath, framing the words.  All components are glued down to the top. 

Now all I need are some sweet treats to fill it and I can send it off to college.
Thank you for looking.  I hope you enjoyed this "recycle" project.  Have a Happy Halloween!