Written by: Krista Anderson

Introduction

Hello! My name is Krista and this is my blog –  imaginationat.work  I just wanted to introduce myself.  I am new to blogging but have been repurposing, designing, and creating for most of my life.  I love to take something old, unusable, or just out of style and make it sing, Betcha want me now!  I have an Etsy company – www.Etsy.com/shop/MeandJoeco. Where I sell vintage items that I would love to keep but sadly I must sell.  I only have so much room or so my husband likes to remind me.   I love to help others find their inner creative being by suggesting things and sometimes just listening to them work it out for themselves.  Sometimes you just got to talk even if it is to yourself!  Insert High-five! I am a junker at heart so most of my projects will be utilizing vintage finds that I have salvaged.  I think art can be made from anything if we just open our eyes and see the possibilities.  So without further ado……..

Today’s project – Repurpose old Salt and Pepper Shakers

I recently found an old set of 1950’s metal salt and pepper shakers at a yard sale .  I don’t know about you but I have plenty of these sets and don’t need anymore but I loved the color – bright red.  Anything red really grabs my attention.  So I bought them.  Now what to do with these things.  

I thought what could I keep in these cute little tins that would be useable and needed?  Then it came to while I was looking at the SVG file bundles that LoveSVG.com has on their website, how about a water-resistant match tin.  Each shaker has a lid that screws on so the only thing I really had to worry about was the holes in the lids where the salt and pepper were designed to shake out of.  In the SVG Outdoor Adventure  Bundle, there is an image of a matchstick with a flame attached .  It was perfect for the front of the tin to let people know this is now a match stick tin.  If you don’t have a set of these shakers laying around, you can also use a glass or metal  spice jar.  

So here’s what you need to make this project: 

Material List:

1.  Vintage Salt and Pepper shakers or glass spice jar 
2.  A box of matches with the strike strip (mine had 300 sticks in it)
3.  3 sheets of vinyl – 1 each of Tan or off white, green, and orange. (Vinyl remnants would work fine, if you have about a 4 inch x 6 inch piece of all three)
4.  Glue dots 
5.  Download the Outdoor Adventure Bundle from Lovesvg.com

Step by Step Instructions:

1. After downloading the Outdoor Adventure Bundle SVG file, Scroll through the files until you find the file title, “Flames”, it will have all three cut-outs, the matchstick, the lighter, and the campfire.  I think you can find the file on part 2 of the bundle.  You will have to cut all three designs out since there is no option to un-group them.  Just look at it as a bonus feature – 3 for 1 deal.  My husband loves those especially at the Fast Food joints.  
2. Now you are ready to assemble the matchstick.  I used the off-white vinyl for the stick, the green for the match head, and the orange for the flames. Weed out the excess vinyl but save some of it back (about a 1 ¾ inch X 1 inch piece), we will be using this.  I didn’t use transfer tape to apply the vinyl to the shaker since the area is pretty small that you are adhering your design to.  Apply your vinyl directly to the shaker.  Just line it up.  I started with the off-white matchstick first, then laid the green match head on top of the stick so they were aligned, and then finally, laid the orange flames to the left side of the match but you could probably place the flames on the right if you wanted to.  See, you can fly your freak flag when you want to!  Nobody judging here.  Next, you should have some of those weeded scraps left that you put to the side.  We are going to cover the holes on the inside of the lid where the salt or pepper would have been shaken out of to ensure that no water gets into the tin.  Wet matches never did anyone any good ever!  Famous last words, as my Dad would say when something went wrong!   
3. Now we are ready for the striker!  Very important if you want those matches to actually light.  They do make strike anywhere matches if you prefer but that just isn’t what I have on hand.  Cut a 1 ½  inch piece of the striker bar found on the outside of the matchbox, turn it upside down and put a glue dot on the back of the strip then adhere the strip to the inside of the lid over the scraps of vinyl you used to cover the holes of the shaker.  
4. Last but not least, in the effort of safety,  we must create a buffer against the matches jumping up on the striker strip and igniting themselves.  I know it sounds crazy but Mr. Safety, aka my husband, informed me that this could happen.  So to be on the safe side, cut a square piece of paper (3 ½ inch x 3 ½  inch), I used brown grocery bag paper so it was a little thicker of a cushion, and fold it half and then in half again. Place this buffer in the lid over the striker strip.  Make sure it’s between the matches and the striker strip and all will be good in Safety Land. 
5. Just so you know, the other shaker will not be left an orphan.  Stay-tuned for the next blog.  You never know what it will become.