Upcycling a Compact Powder Into a Pie-Inspired Storage (and a Tic-Tac-Toe Board)

I had an unused compact powder that I kept forgetting to throw away. The powder had cracked after I dropped it, so I couldn’t use it anymore. Instead of letting it go to waste, I came up with an idea to turn it into a cute storage container by decorating it into a pie shape. It can also be used as a tic-tac-toe game board, which makes it even more fun and functional. So, I decided to make this tutorial to show how I transformed it step by step.

1. Unused compact powder case
2. Air-dry clay
3. Foam tape (as a thickness guide)
4. Cutter / blade
5. Weeding tool (or any pointed sculpting tool)
6. Water (for smoothing and attaching clay)
7. Sandpaper
8. Masking tape (to cover the mirror)
9. White acrylic paint
10. Acrylic markers or acrylic paint (for coloring)
11. Varnish (clear coat)
12. Small magnets (optional)
13. UV resin (optional, for coating and reinforcing)
14. Gloves (for working with UV resin)
15. PVC plastic (for DIY clay cutter)

I cleaned the compact powder thoroughly, removing any remaining product. I also detached the metal tin underneath the powder.

I rolled the clay into a ball. Before flattening it, I prepared an object to use as a thickness guide so the clay would be evenly flat. I used foam tape because its thickness works perfectly for this project. Then I rolled the clay until it reached my desired thickness and cut it to match the size of the compact.

I placed the clay onto the compact and gently kneaded it until it fit the shape perfectly. I made sure the container could still open and close properly. When I noticed cracks on the surface, I applied a small amount of water and rubbed it gently to smooth it out.

To create the pie crust, I rolled the clay into a long cylinder, folded it in half, and carefully twisted it. Then I placed it along the edge of the container. I added a little water so it would stick well.

I used a weeding tool to deepen the twist lines for a more defined look.

Then I rolled another thin cylinder and placed it along the outer edge of the twisted crust to strengthen the structure and create a smoother finish.

I made guidelines for the lattice top, aligning them with the tic-tac-toe grid.

Optional: I added small magnets and covered them with a thin layer of clay.

I rolled out more clay and cut four strips about 0.3 cm wide. I made sure the strips were slightly longer than the compact. Then I arranged them in an over-under weaving pattern to form a lattice crust.

I let the clay dry completely, about overnight or up to 24 hours.

Once the clay was fully dry, I smoothed the surface using sandpaper. I also sanded the inside of the container to help the paint adhere better later. I didn’t forget to cover the mirror with tape.

Then I applied white acrylic paint to all surfaces, both inside and outside, and let it dry completely.

After the base coat dried, I used acrylic markers to color the piece (you can also use acrylic paint). While pies are usually cream or light brown, I chose a pink base/crust and red filling for a more playful look.

I also painted decorative flowers inside the container.

Once everything dried, I applied a layer of glossy varnish to protect the surface.

I made the game pieces in heart shapes and heart-shaped puff pastry designs.

For the heart shapes, I created a custom cutter using PVC plastic from HTV and reinforced it with UV resin. Then I rolled out the clay and cut it using the cutter.

For the puff pastry style, I rolled the clay into a thin cylinder and bent it into small heart shapes. Made five pieces of each design.

I made sure the pieces fit well within the tic-tac-toe grid.

Since I added magnets to the compact, I also attached magnets to the back of each piece, making sure they were aligned correctly.

After the clay dried, I painted them with white acrylic paint. Once dry, I colored them using acrylic markers.

For extra durability, I coated the pieces with UV resin. I made sure to wear gloves when working with UV resin.

I didn’t expect that turning something unused could be this pleasing. It turned out really pretty and decorative, and I love how functional it became. Since the compact has two compartments, I’ll probably use the upper one to store my hijab pins and the bottom part for the game pieces.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial!

As always, I will be posting some video footage on my Instagram @quinzyvarira

See you on the next ible!