Drum Something Up

Made from a clean candy or nut tin, this toy drum is great for keeping the lid on a special surprise--the latest Beanie Baby, for instance, or a bag of shiny new marbles--slated for a sibling or best friend.

Cover the tin with plain paper and glue the overlapping edges in place. (The height of the paper should be the same as the height of the tin. To figure the width, wrap ribbon or string around the can, measure its length and then add an inch.) Glue on pieces of ribbon or stick on pieces of colored tape to create a zigzag design around the can and borders around the top and bottom. Or you can draw on a design with colored markers. To finish it off with a bang, top the lid with painted chopsticks or colored pencils for drumsticks.