Because I teach on the road all the time, I tend to re-use the boxes that my purchases come in to ship out the class kits and supplies.  Some boxes make two or three trips and get colored on and climbed into by all three kids before they finally get delegated to the recycle bin.

Packaging in all forms can have many uses too, way beyond its original display and protect purposes.  Often I have my students using the packaging for a chipboard alphabet as a faux craft sheet or misting mat, for example.  Clear 'backings' can be used for windows and wherever you would want a transparency.  There are lots of ways to use packaging rather than throwing it away.

Prima has so many clever packages.  Who doesn't have 'milk bottles', round tins and other packaging now used to organize miscellaneous supplies?

So today's project is a re-use of the packaging (I think it's called clamshell?) that came with my Juliette Flowers.  Not only is it durable, but it has a tree limb and birdies on the package.  A fun place to start!

The first thing I did was to take the packaging and spray the surface lightly with Glimmer Mist in Cinder.  This dries in 3-5 minutes on a non-porous surface, depending on how heavilly it is applied.

Second, I did the same with a 4" x 4" piece of Artful Cardboard.  This is my base for the inside design. 

I stamped the pumpkin with green ink and colored it with my Copic markers.  I punched a few holes for arms and leg charms, which were colored with Copics and attached with waxed linen thread.  I then attached it to the base with dimensional adhesive.  I punched a couple holes in the packaging to poke the legs through so they would dangle.

I adhered the owl to the outside of the packaging with Fabritac (works so great for non-porous surfaces!), as well as the chipboard letters.  Finally, I was rummaging through my Halloween folder, and came across a foam stamp that I had NEVER liked.  It just doesn't leave a good impression.  I have a thing about foam stamps – and that is, 'they aren't my thing'.  So I decided rather than chuck the unfortunate foam stamp, I peeled it off the clear mount and adhered it to the package as well.  I used Fabritac to adhere, and then dripped and pulled it around, making use of the 'strings' to make a spider web.  It's so cool — hard to see here!  But it is clear and flexible, just like a web.

I then attached a brown 'devines' self-adhesive felt, placing leaves here and there under the swirls to adhere. 

I topped it off with a bow (also a reuse from a package of Big Box Blooms) a couple of smaller ribbons and a princess-cut Build a Bauble gem in this great amber color.

And so here is the final decoraton.

So please look at all manner of packaging to see if there is something you can do with it besides putting it in the trash bin.  You never know if it could come back to haunt you!