Do More with Less - Guest Design - Altered Mouse Trap Tutorial and Challenge

Hello Everyone,

I am guest designer for ‘Do More With Less’ this month. Thank you Yvonne for inviting me.  

Today, I want to share with you a quick, and easy tutorial on how to create a note or photo holder fridge magnet, using a mouse trap. Now, I do not think I need to stress how important it is to use new mouse-traps (LOL).  Recycling is wonderful, but perhaps not with mouse-traps!  These little note holders would be perfect little gifts with Christmas around the corner, and are something unique and certainly an entertaining, conversation piece. 

Altered Mouse Trap

Materials: Mouse Trap, Pliers, Paint, Misc. Paper Scraps, Quick Dry Adhesive, Lace Remnants, Silk Ribbon, Small Roses, Buds and Leaves, Distress Ink, Magnetic Strip, and Wording.

1. Remove wire catch with pliers.

2. Paint trap white as in Photograph 1.  I find it best to use spray paint, as this adheres to the metal elements of the trap perfectly, and gets into all grooves and crevices.

Photograph 1

3. Insert a small paper piece as shown in Photograph 2. This eliminates a gap of white in the centre when completed. I find it best to use a quick dry adhesive rather than tape, as glue allows for manipulation to get the paper into the correct position.

Photograph 2

4. Measure and cut 2 pieces of pattern paper to fit both the top and bottom portion of the trap, as shown in Photograph 3. Ink paper edges, and adhere into place on the trap.

Photograph 3

5. Affix wording of some sort across the top part of the trap - part without latch across it.
 6. Arrange flowers, buds and leaves and adhere into place, around wording.  Use Photograph 4  as a guide for placement.

Photograph 4

7. Create a bow from ribbon, and adhere to middle trap mechanism.

8. To complete, affix lace to outer edge, on back of trap, and adhere magnetic strip.  

See Photograph 5.

Photograph 5

I do hope that my tutorial has been inspiring and an appealing idea to some of you to make simple, adorable gifts for Christmas.  My challenge for you, is to get creative with something unusual laying around the house.  Examples:  Coffee jars, boxes, containers, old tins, plant pot, paper towel cylinder, paint brush (all the rage at the moment), chipped tea cup, anything that you can revamp, that would normally end up in the bin.  Bring new life to the piece you have picked, create up a storm and give the item a new place in your home..... I cannot wait to see what you come up with!

Upload your project to the correct post at the Do More With Less Blog to be in the running to win a RAK of a Shadow Box from Imaginarium Designs.