Recycle Cigar Boxes

*This post, as with all of our posts, may contain affiliate links.

Empty wood cigar boxes have such possibilities! When I was a girl, I occasionally got them from my Grandfather and kept various childhood treasures in them. Lately, I’ve tried to recycle cigar boxes into pretty little containers for gifts, jewelry, and grown-up treasures of all kinds!

I do love to paint and even the most basic designs are stunning painted on a black background. You can make these as basic or complex as you like. If you aren’t a confident artist, you could paint a simple design, such as some different colored hearts or even glue on pretty pictures and finish with a coat of varnish. 

Whatever design you decide on, the first order of business is to tape off the sides of the cigar box lid with a nice strong masking tape. Paint the lid with black gesso using a sponge brush. Put on several coats, allowing it to dry in between and painting in different directions for each coat.

Next, use a white charcoal pencil to draw your design. A kneaded eraser works great for removing lines you don’t like. 

Finally, paint!!! I use oil paints, but if you aren’t an oil painter, you won’t want to buy all the solvent and things necessary to use it. Instead, try water based acrylic paint. You can squeeze them out on a paper plate, and clean up with water. Easy. Don’t forget to sign your design! I use a rubber pottery tool while the paint is still wet.

You can often find empty cigar boxes for sale at smoke shops. Once your creative energy is spent, and the boxes are complete,  fill them with candy for your special Valentines!