The One Craft Supply That Changed How I Look At Every Container I Own

Julie Neal Wilson holding empty pokemon and shortbread cookie tins

I have a hard time throwing away a good container.

Some containers are just too cool to toss. The problem is, repurposing a Danish cookie tin or a protein powder bucket as-is makes your home look like a recycling bin exploded in it. If it's going to stay, it has to look like it was a decision, not an accident. The fix turned out to be simpler than I expected.

I've kept plenty over the years. Tins are especially hard to throw away. They come in all sizes holding Pokemon Cards, shortbread cookies, and holiday popcorn. They sport bold graphics, bright colors, and raised designs engineered to grab attention on a store shelf not to complement a carefully curated home decor.

That works if you’re collecting them. It doesn’t work if you’re trying to use them in your home.

Why paint isn't enough

The instinct is to paint over everything, but most decorative tins have raised lettering or patterns embossed into the lid. Paint covers the color, but it doesn't touch the texture underneath. No matter how many coats you add, Pikachu or that Danish butter cookie will still show through.

Here's the thing that changed everything for me: IOD Moulds.

Why moulds make the difference

Moulds take a container from "I can't throw this away, but I don't know what to do with it" to something that looks intentional and designed.

Instead of trying to paint over the original design, moulds allow you to cover it completely. You create a casting by pressing air-dry-clay into an IOD Mould, glue the casting directly over the raised design on the lid, and suddenly the thing that was the problem, that stubborn raised design, becomes the foundation for something completely new.

Supplies you’ll need

The mould is the one must-have supply. It does the heavy lifting.

  • IOD Moulds — This is the step that changes the result. Florals, symmetrical patterns, and animals work beautifully. This is where your style comes in.

  • Air dry clay — pressed into the mould to create your casting. Any good quality brand works.

  • Strong tacky glue — Aleene's All Purpose Tacky Glue holds well on metal.

  • Chalk-style paint — grips metal without much prep and covers bold graphics cleanly.

  • Decoupage Paper - I used decoupage paper around the smooth edges of the base of the tin.

  • Sealer to protect your project.

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The process

  1. Dust your mould lightly with cornstarch so the clay releases cleanly.
  2. Press clay into the mould, then remove it carefully.
  3. Glue the casting directly over the raised design on the lid.
  4. Let it dry completely.
  5. Paint the whole piece so the tin and casting read as one cohesive surface.
  6. Optional - Use decoupage paper around the base of the tin.
  7. Seal your project

One idea, more than one look

I made two versions of this project using the same basic process. A snowflake tin for holiday gifting and a bird tin that works year-round. Different moulds, completely different feel. That's the flexibility you get once you have a mould collection to pull from.

Watch the process: If you want to see this in action, here are the two versions of this project:

Snowflake tin:

Bird tin:

If you’re going to try this

The mould is what takes a piece of recycling with a handy lid and turns it into a piece of home decor that genuinely fits your home.

If you want this result, start with the moulds. → IOD Moulds. 

One more thing

This project is actually pulled from older content I’ve been reworking and using in new ways.

If you’re a business owner sitting on content you’ve already created and wondering how to use it better, I’m sharing more of that process over at JulieNealWilson.com.

How to Reuse Content Without Starting from Scratch

 

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