Car Wash Toy From Altoids Tin

What little one wouldn't like their own mini car scene complete with car wash?

This instructable shows you how to make a tiny world for tiny cars out of an Altoid tin, paper and a few props.

Step 1: What You'll Need

Clean Altoids Tin

Black Paper

Yellow Paper

Scrapbook Paper - Assorted

Green Felt

Tiny Christmas Trees (You can find in the model train section at craft stores)

Micro - matchbox Cars or Car Buttons

Hot glue

Glue Stick

White paint pen

Scissors

Straight Edge

Step 2: Cut Out Edging

Cut out the edging to line the inner box. Trace the width of the tin and then draw straight lines at that width with a straight edge. Cut out and hot glue inside the tin.

Step 3: Scenery

Trace out two black squares and cut out. Fit them inside the tin to see how they fit. You may have to trim a little off the edges.

Once the black pieces fit perfectly, remove them and begin adding on.

Cut green felt so that the middle image looks like a winding highway. Cut out curved strips from yellow paper and make your road lines.

Cut straight strips from yellow paper to make lines for a parking lot. Cut out a little shape out of green felt for a bush in the parking lot.

To make the car wash:

Cut out a little rectangle from orange cardstock. Make 4 folds so that it will stand like a little box. Write "CAR WASH" on the top with a white paint pen.

Cut out a little puddle out of blue or water droplet scrapbook paper and glue down where your car wash will be.

On the underside of your little orange box you will have two narrow flaps, apply hot glue to these and place on top of your puddle.

For added fun, apply two curved strips of hot glue coming out of the car wash to look like wet tire tracks.

Step 4: For the Front

Trace out a piece for the front on blue scrapbook paper.

Draw and cut out a little puddle in a lighter blue or on water droplet scrapbook paper.

Draw a car shape and cut out. Then two circles and two trapezoids from black paper to serve as the wheels and the windows.

Glue down the puddle on the blue background paper, then the puddle then the car, then the black wheels and windows.

Add a little sparkle with a white starburst cut out of white paper or drawn with a white paint pen.

Apply the whole paper layout to the front of the tin with hot glue. Draw around the edge with hot glue and let dry.

Step 5: All In

Arrange all the little pieces that you will have in your tin to make sure the lid closes.

Now present your tiny gift to a friend.