travel train box

Like many three-year-olds, our son is obsessed, dare I say, addicted, to trains. He actually gets a bit cranky if he doesn't get a hour or so of train time every day. We have a few trips coming up, and I know it will be best of everyone involved in a few of his trains and tracks come along for the ride. So, good mommy that I am, I made a travel train box. 

I got the idea when I saw this sliding wooden box from my days in the music business. 

 

Since D's favorite color is yellow, I picked up this can of yellow spray point.

I untied the rope handle because I would certainly get it full of paint.

Next I taped paper around the edge so the inside would stay natural.

It's definitely a bright, cheerful yellow. It took two coats. (I didn't use any primer).

I decided to use this blue chalkboard paint for the lid.

The logos were embossed so it took three coats to cover them.

Progress after the paint dried.

I used masking tape to tighten the frayed ends so I could reattach the handle.

Making sure the lid still works. (Whew! It did!).

Testing out the chalkboard. This was my first time using it!

I remembered these fun star stickers from another project (to be posted later) and thought they would be a fun addition.

The next morning, I showed the project to D. Think he liked it?

Update:
I found another little box and made a second box for D's cars.

From this:

Add a little paint:

And get this: 

Linked to:
The Hankful House * I Heart Naptime * Milk and Cuddles * Miss Information * Mums Make Lists * Naptime Creations