BC-Altered Matchbox

Okay, something else new to try!!!! An altered matchbox.

I really enjoy making these, but I am by no means an expert.

You can either decorate a readymade matchbox (minus the matches!) or you can make your own from scratch. There is a template on the swap-bot blog that you can use. Also, some craft shops actually sell plain matchboxes ready for decorating.

There are different types of altered matchboxes, these are filled and shrines. Both types usually have a theme.

Filled matchboxes are decorated on the outside with pretty paper, embellishments etc. but are quite simple on the inside and you fill them full of tiny goodies – things like pretty buttons, brads, stickers, embellishments, sequins etc. You can actually get quite a bit in them.

Shrines are decorated on the outside, and the inside, and the inside is like a tiny 3d picture – usually along a theme – for example, of it was a woodland themed shrine you might glue in some tree or leaf patterned paper, a tiny acorn, or even a leaf, or a small squirrel charm etc.

This swap is for a filled matchbox not a shrine. The theme for this swap is Spring (wishful thinking in the UK). So think pretty, pinks, yellows, and greens as colours, and small flower buttons, charms etc.

If people enjoy doing this, we could try a shrine next.

One tip for postage is to wrap in bubble wrap and pop in a jiffy bag so that they don't get squished.