DIY: Make Personalized Custom Matchboxes for Party Favors

Whenever we have guests for dinner or lunch, I love to make something for them to take home. A party favor or some call it a parting gift. It’s the perfect way of saying thank you for coming. It could be anything from a small bag of cookies, a mini pumpkin bread, a homemade candle, or a rosemary room spray. These are all things I’ve done over the last couple of years. Just something with a personal touch in hopes of leaving a lasting impression. 

One way to do this is with custom matchbook covers. For Madeline’s 30th birthday, we ordered fun matchbooks from For Your Party. They have lots of custom matches and items for any special occasion, and a fun matchbook was the perfect keepsake for a special event. 

Ordering custom matchbooks can be pricey, so I thought I would make my own custom matchbooks or boxes to accompany a little candle from Anthropologie. This would be the perfect little gift for a birthday party or any special celebration—and a special celebration is pretty much anytime you can get a few friends together in the same room! 

The supplies you will need:

• Matchbooks or matchboxes -I found matchboxes at my local grocery store, I think they came as a 10-pack for $2.
• Painter’s tape (I used Frogtape)
• Spray paint
• Sharpie paint pen (thin)

How I made them:

1. Remove the matches and set aside.
2. Cut small pieces of green FrogTape to cover the match strike sides of each box. 
3. Find a medium box and, using twigs or chopsticks, slip the box covers through and secure them inside the box. 
4. Spray-paint both sides. They will need two thin coats to cover the original design. Allow to dry.
5. Replace the matches.
6. Using a thin-tip Sharpie paint pen, decorate each box. 

I wrapped each candle in white butcher paper and added some ribbon I had on hand. Then, I placed the matches on top. These are sweet little parting gifts for around $10 each. Would you make these?

Alternative ways to make without paint

Use sticker paper or leftover wallpaper cut to fit each box or gift wrap. The easiest way to transform the box was to use glossy paint in vibrant colors. 

Making the pink matchbooks took about 30 minutes, and the total cost for matches and paint was less than $1 each. Then, splitting up a box of candles from Anthropologie added about $9 each.

More Sunday favorites:

The popular Parisian black & white sweater

It seems every brand has a version of the Parisian black-and-white sweater. My favorite is the one from Sézane, but all have a quality I like. You can wear black trousers and slingbacks for a more “dressed-up” look or pair it with jeans and loafers for a casual but pulled-together look.

I noticed Camille wearing it on the Netflix show Emily in Paris. I love how she’s carrying a bright yellow bag. In doing a bit of searching, I discovered that the handbags in the Emily in Paris series are next-level! Curious? Read more here.

Which one is your favorite? The merino sweater from Sézane, the navy and white sweater from Boden, the organic cotton sweater from Quince, or this one from Alex Mill? I love them all, but I had to go with the more relaxed and somewhat cozy Betty Sweater from Sézane. I like it in this color, too!

Visible mending by my friend Karen of A Hand Made House Studio

I’ve shared Karen’s handmade woven trivets, and now she is doing more creative work—visible mending. You can reach out for pricing by sending her a DM on Instagram. Follow @handmadehouse.

Everlane sale

Everlane is 25% off, but only for a few days. I have had the Mac Trench Coat for several years. It’s perfect for spring and fall. I can layer a sweater or sweatshirt under it for warmth, and it’s still comfortable. Everlane is very true to size in my experience.

That’s it for me. Let’s see what Mary Ann & Cindy found this week.

Classic Casual Home

Read Mary Ann’s post here.

Cindy Hattersley Design

Read Cindy’s post here.