Hunting Theme Treasure Chest Tutorial DIY Gift

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Christmas is getting so close I can feel it! It’s in the air! The scents, the weather; it’s all around us! So that means its time to start thinking of Christmas gift giving! And what is the top of the list for Cool Christmas Gifts that boys for eons have always wanted? A Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun! It seems as though it’s been tradition; that as boys reach a certain age, they get a Red Ryder almost as sort of a right of passage.

In my family, it was no different. All my brothers had a BB Gun. The husband’s family all had BB guns. It’s just natural. And what better time to Gift a Daisy than for Christmas?

Cool Christmas Gifts for kids & kids at heart

Now we are all for responsible parenting, so we always are concerned that our kids know about gun safety and have respect for guns; not fear them. And a great way to introduce them to guns in a safe method is with a Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun. We have discussed the idea of getting the boys BB guns for quite a while; and they now seem to be of the age that they are ready for the experience. Plus it is a great opportunity for family bonding.

So the husband had a weekend home between his business trips and we knew we wanted to get in some shooting and gun safety before the weather turns too cold and the snow comes. So off to Walmart I went to pick up a Daisy Red Ryder and the 880 rifle. Plus safety shooting goggles and BB gun ammunition. Remember you ALWAYS wear safety goggles when handling and shooting guns. And BB Guns are no exception. I found all I needed in the sporting gear section.

Meanwhile the husband set up the shooting range. We had a lot of big boxes left over from our move and of course ordering Christmas gifts, and these were perfect for our shooting range. The husband set up the shooting line, where no one is to pass when shooting is taking place (to ensure safety). And of course we have the target itself.

The husband taped his favorite targets onto a large cardboard box,. And yes, there is a reason why the target is angled. He angled it slightly downward when attaching it to the fence to ensure there wouldn’t be any stray BB gun ammo flying anywhere. The angle ensures the BB gun ammo from bouncing off and having stray fire.

With the range set up and the BB guns and fun all ready its time for the Gun Safety course. Always have a gun safety course! Even if your kids have already had gun safety and shot BB guns in Boy Scouts like our boys have. We still ensured they remembered the gun safety rules. You can never have too many refresher safety courses.

With the Husband’s extensive Military background, Police Training and weapons training he was the perfect candidate to instruct the kids on gun safety.

He discussed the rules of the range. Where to stand. How to stand. No one goes beyond the shooting line while someone is touching the BB Guns. Never point the gun at any person. Always keep the gun pointed towards the target, etc.

He went over proper handling techniques, pointed out different parts of the gun and how to use the gun.

If you need help devising your gun safety, Daisy educates roughly one million of America’s youth a year through their Ten Lesson Shooting Curriculum about BB gun use and safety (found here). You can get ideas and instructions from Daisy to help with your education plan.

Once the instruction was set, we then all took turns shooting. The husband started off with a demonstration shot on each gun to make sure all was in working order.

Then each child had individualized instruction as they took a shot.

We took turns so no one person was shooting without direct supervision.

And finally after everyone took a turn shooting, the guns were all laid down. We checked to ensure downrange was clear, and then set off to check out the target. It was so fun to see where everyone ended up shooting.

We then returned and repeated the process. Over and over. Shooting, clearing the range and checking the target. The boys had a blast! They thought it was amazing to have such an experience with their dad. And learn how to shoot at the same time. When they finally got tired, it was time to clean up the range. We made sure everything was put away, the guns were emptied and stored properly (away from easy access from little kids).

We quickly realized it would be a lot easier if we had a carrying case or box of some kind to keep all the goggles and BB gun ammo stored in for easy transportation from storage to the gun range each time. So that’s what I did. I pulled out the crafts and created a fun BB Gun Ammo Treasure Chest!

Supplies:

• 1 Wooden Box (1 with handle and clasp to lock advisable)
• Chalk paint (I used Spanish Moss Color)
• Paint Brush
• Small wooden Letters
• Woodland decor of choice (I used Pine Trees from the scrap-booking section and a Deer Clothing patch)
• Wood Glue
• Mod Podge
• Scrap newspaper

I always use scrap newspapers when I paint. It protects my counters, or tables from paint. Usually I just keep the random sales fliers in a pile in my garage and pull from it as I need for crafting. Begin by painting the box with the chalk paint! Remember how much I love Chalk paint from my last DIY furniture makeover post? Yeah, I still love it! No sanding or prepping the wood. Just paint!

Plus it dries rather quickly. So after about an hour its ready for a 2nd coat if you want. But I loved how it looked after just one coat. Make sure you get the bottom, and sides. And even the inside edges. You can paint the entire inside if you want, or leave it. I decided I liked the contrast of leaving the inside unpainted.

Next take your decorations and lay them out on the box how you want them to look. I wanted my letters to say Treasure Chest, because I wanted it to be a fun box we could all use as a family. But you could easily personalize it with your child’s name. And then make sure the other decorations look good and how you want them.

Once you have everything where you want it, you will glue down the letters with the wood glue. Be careful, you don’t need very much glue at all. And then make note as to where the other decorations sat on the box. You can measure it or take a picture to reference later. I took a picture for later use. After the wood glue has dried for 24 hours then we can apply the antique layer.

I used an antiquing wax. It basically smooths out the chalk paint, seals the wood and paint and leaves a nice smooth antiqued finish to the box. And just know a little goes a VERY long way. So barely dip your brush into the wax and then make a few brushes and dabs on an old lid or any plastic you have around. I used an old food wrapper I had laying around. Just brush and dab the brush off until just a little is left on.

Then lightly brush across the surface where you want an antique look. The more you brush on the darker it will be. Watch closely around the edges and corners as it loves to get darker. You will be doing this to the entire surface of the box. Including the letters and the inside.

Take special care around the metal of the box. If you get paint or antiquing wax on it, you can quickly wipe it off with a damp paper towel and you’ll be just fine.

Now again, it is time to set the box aside while it dries. You could probably get away with proceeding after about 2 hrs, but to be safe maybe wait until the next day to finish off the box.

The next step is using the Mod Podge to apply the decorations and finish sealing the box.

Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the back of the item you’re putting on, then smooth it out onto the box.

Watch for wrinkles or bubbles as it dries, it needs to be smooth.

Repeat for every item you are using to decorate the box.

DO NOT apply a top coat yet! You need to allow the Mod Podge to dry for about 15-20 minutes before you apply any to the top of the decor or else it will bubble. After 15-20 minutes you seal the whole box with a topcoat of Mod Podge. And I do mean the entire box. I applied first a top coat to the top and sides of the box. When that dried, then I opened it up and applied a layer to the inside (as Mod Podge is a great sealer). When that dried then I added a layer to the bottom of the box.

Wait for it to dry completely and then you are done! Fill it up with the Daisy shooting goggles, BB gun ammo and you are good to go!

It will make the perfect addition to the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun for a Christmas present this year! Can you image that little boy or girl’s face when they open this up and see not just a cool BB gun but also the fun Treasure Chest to go with it?

Learn more about gun safety by visiting Daisy online. Also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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