Luggage From a Ring Box

Don't toss away that old, empty ring box. Make a teddy bear suitcase. It really is a trash to-treasure and both of these can fit into a pocket. Not a dime needs to be spent.

Most everyone has glue, scissors, and scraps of material. I ended up only using the satin material. I figured I'd need a handle of some sort, so I added a braided twine. Later, I went through a bucket of old jewelry pieces and found a gold filament for the other handle. Glancing through a garage sale tool box, I came across s tiny box of Window Points, commonly used for securing a window pane. In my mind, they were suitcase latches. Fingernail polish would be the paint for any trim.

There will be clip art.

If I know how to use clip art on the computer, then I feel very confident that most of this viewing audience knows how to print off the perfect details for this simple project. I used clip art for the luggage travel stickers, the honey jar, the honey dipper, and the name tags. Oh, and the picture of Papa Bear in the mother bear's luggage.

I wanted the round piece luggage to be able to stand on it's own, so I added a piece of a thick adhesive that is usually used to keep pictures straightened on a wall. It was easy to cut and easy to apply. piece so it would stand like luggage This round ring box would be for the mother bear. .

I started with cutting construction paper approximating the height of the sides, tops, and bottoms of the ring boxes. I then cut the pieces of the old nightgown slightly larger than each of the paper pieces. One side of each piece of construction paper was covered in glue and covered with the material. As they dried, I clipped down the edges. I had some miniature clothes pins, but regular straight pins would work on a cardboard surface.

I wanted to have a matching set, so I spray painted the round one. I actually had the cranberry color since the local university has the team colors of cranberry and gold. Let this dry while the lining is drying.

After the spray paint and the material pieces had all dried, it was time to do the lining. I covered the inside of one with a thin coat of glue. I did the wall edges first for no reason other than I thought that placing the larger pieces last, it would be easier to keep all the edges touching until that glue dried. I used the little clothespins here also to keep things in place until everything dried. Then I placed in the larger pieces. The old nightgown had a stretchy part that was just right for the stretchy pockets found in most luggage. Don't worry about making it able to stretch, it will look like it does.

The fat chap stick was too thick for the luggage so I made the "jar" from a rolled up piece of a file folder. Next, I used clip art to get the look of a jar of honey. Please notice the honey dipper clip art, too. The miniature book was also too thick, but the tiny Christmas ornament teddy bear was perfect. I also used clip-art for a picture of the daddy bear. Two tiny jewelry loops were used to attach the, you're right, clip-art luggage tags. The handle for the square piece of luggage was made from a pliable piece of wire from an old earring. A golden string from a gift tag made the shoulder-strap handle for the round piece of luggage. Both were easily glued under the lining.

In years past, travelers would place souvenir stickers on their luggage. This would certainly indicate that they were members of the in-crowd. In the story for my grandchildren, Papa Bear stays home to work while Mama and Baby Bear travel often. Mama bear loves to visit and there are relatives in every corner of the world except Antarctica which is too cold and Australia. No one can convince Mama Bear that Koala bears aren't cousins. She says that Sloth bears are from the Papa Bear's branch of the family tree.

I used an exacto to scrape any glue that was visible.

Touch up any paint. I sprayed a clear gloss over the finished exteriors.

Always remember to pack the honey and Baby Bear's teddy bear. I'm already thinking of luggage for larger stuffed toys.

Have a great time if you're if you embark on this simple project. This is great fun with children. Great teaching tool, great bonding tool, too. I'm already thinking of luggage for larger stuffed toys. Watch boxes? I'm already gathering items for Papa Bear's steamer trunk.

Thanks for looking!