CRESTVIEW — For Terry Maloney, a cigar box is a work of art waiting to happen.
Maloney, owner of Altered Cigar Boxes on South Ferdon Boulevard, collects the containers from area stores and online vendors. After about a week with her, they will house mementos, jewelry, knitting supplies and anything else that fits.
Maloney enjoys the medium.
“I like the integrity of the cigar box; they are nice, they are strong and they are great to work with.”
And after she's finished with them, they store things in style.
All it takes is some sanding, painting and adding embellishments based on the customer's interests.
Altered Cigar Boxes continues Maloney's lifelong love of crafting that began while watching her grandmother sew, according to her Facebook page.
A "huge repertoire of needlecrafts, jewelry making, flower arranging and photography" followed, the page states.
She works on the cigar boxes while helping to operate Derl’s Lock & Safe within the same location.
But the cigar box art isn't just for North Okaloosa customers. She's sold creations to customers in Kansas City, Washington and Maine through the Facebook page.
There, she also shares crafting tips and offers crafting challenges using household items.
And she's enjoying every minute of it, she said.
“I was a hair dresser before … I always had to be creative in some sort of way,” she said. “With this, I am having a lot more fun.”
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Altered Cigar Boxes
WHEN: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays
WHERE: 1095 S. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview resident turns cigar boxes into tailored masterpieces