Tool Time Tuesday...Take Out

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Take Out...Woo Hoo that means food!

space
Do you remember this post...the framed magnetic board? If you haven't seen this one yet, it's a good one. Don't forget...don't buy "sheet metal", it's very expensive. Go to the roofing chimney section in the hardware store for this. It about $5.00 - $7.00 a sheet vs $40.00 and up.


space
In that post, I had to cut the 24" x 36" sheet to fit the frame...
space

space
and the piece I am cutting off on the left side below is what I had remaining. It is 4" x 24", so that's what I'm using in this week's TTT. You can definitely use any size piece of metal to fit your needs.


Well, here's where the title of "Take Out" comes in. I save way too much crap...because I am now a Tool Time Tuesday addict, lol. Nothing is out of bounds for a post and it doesn't even have to be from a hardware store. These little puppies below are take out cups from restaurants.
space
Yes, I washed them and saved them. I know...I need to be medicated, but look at the potential in them and they are free. Well, you paid for them when you bought the food, but they are free, because normal people throw them away and I (and now you) keep them.
space
The large size had duck sauce and the medium had hot mustard, both from Chinese take out. The tiny ones are from McDonald's for the ketchup...don't forget the covers!!



For this project you will also need little magnets found in any craft store.



Here are a few close ups of the sizes of the containers.

The first and only step for the cups is to hot glue the magnet dots onto the bottom of each take out cup. Done!

The next part is to get the magnetic board ready. If you have already made the larger framed piece, you can use the cups with that. You can also cut the metal into different sizes to fit an 8" x 10" frame or an 11" x 14" frame if you want to keep it by your craft area or desk.

space

These next few steps are if you are using the scrap pieces or if you are not using it in a frame. The metal can be flimsy and curls up on the ends, so it needs a backing.

Well, how about these little freebies from the paint section. These are paint sticks. Remember this post when I used them in another TTT.

Mark one of them for a hole where the nail will go into if you are hanging it on the wall.

Here's the drilled hole.

You will need to glue the wooden sticks to the back of the metal...hot glue doesn't work on metal, it pops off. I used this and boy does it work. It just takes a while to dry. Any glue for metal will work, just follow the directions on the box.

This is the back after the glue had dried. That stuff spreads out, so if you want the back to look neat, don't put too much.

That's what it looks like dried. Looks gross, but who's going to see it.

It takes a lot of pictures just to say...glue magnets to the back of the cups and glue sticks to the back of the metal, but that's a tutorial for ya!!
space

Now the fun part. You can fill those little cups up with anything. How about all your embellishments...beads, buttons and yes those are eye balls. You'll see those in tomorrow's post.

Just hang your metal on the wall and stick the little magnetic cups on. That edge of the metal looks rough from where I cut it, but I sanded it down.

You can also fill it with office supplies...

and use it over your desk.

See it under the frame?

Too cute!!

Easy to grab and find things. The covers are clear so you can see what's inside.

Because I mounted this horizontally and I forgot to put 2 holes in the sticks for the nails, I used my favorite mounting stickers from the 3M Command hooks.

Other places and things to put in the cups:

• inside a kitchen cabinet to hold spices
• use a cookie sheet for the metal and it can sit on your counter on a plate stand and the cups can hold cake decorating sprinkles and colored sugars or spices again
• they can hold all the different sizes of safety pins
• all the different presser feet for your sewing machine
• scrap booking doo dads (this one is for you Sarah B.)
• earrings, rings
• how about stick them to your refrigerator...great for spices again or great for your child's lunch money for school or a little snack cup of M&M's as a reward for a good deed. Just keep them on the refrigerator and they are ready to grab.
• stick them to your file cabinets at work
• how about in your husband's work shop to hold screws and nails
• and the list could go on and on to fit your own needs

Just remember to think outside the box.

One more tip...if you are putting in something heavy, remember to purchase stronger magnets or the weight in the cup will just pull it off the metal.

Have a great Tuesday and stop back tomorrow...I have a couple TTT updates from some previous posts.

~Karen~