I have two little boys- Luca almost 4, and Maxwell that just turned 2. I was surfing through a local Goodwill store and spotted some of those old cases that look like small suitcases and were made to hold cassette tapes back in the '70's and '80's. (I, of course being a child of the '80's immediately recognized their original purpose.) :) I thought that they might be cute used as a real suitcase for my little guys!
Step one: Rip out the guts, the plastic grids where the cassette tapes were stored. Underneath these I found glue tracks that I peeled away from the cardboard pretty easily.
Step two: We took a trip to the local Hobby Lobby, and my boys picked out their favorite basic cotton fabric that they liked. Dinosaurs for Luca, and footballs and helmets for Max. You also could use felt, or some kind of vevlveteen variation, whatever you like best!
Step three: Since it isn't an exact science and each case you find may have different dimensions (even from one side to the other in the same case, as I discovered with the lighter brown one), you will just have to rough cut your fabric to fit the base and sides of each case.
Step four: I wanted a tried and true non-toxic adhesive so I went with good old elmer's glue. I put a big pile onto a paper plate, and used a small foam brush to spread it into the case evenly. This avoids globs and bumps that would be created by just squeezing the glue into the case. Make sure to coat all the area you want covered thoroughly, or you could have some loose fabric.
Step five: Carefully place the fabric into the case and smooth out over the glue. Trim any overhanging pieces with sharp scissors or an exacto knife. Allow to dry for 24 hours, and Ta-Daaa! you have a new suitcase for the kiddos! (My boys have used them twice already for grandma's house and love them.) They look like little men carrying them along.
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