Keepsake Matchbox Shrine Tutorial

I hope you'll find my tutorial enjoyable and will give making your own keepsake matchbox a try. They're great gifts for others as well as yourself. Also, merry meet to those of you visiting from the Domestic Witch's Homemade Holidays!

Keepsake Matchbox Shrine

Supplies you will need:

* Matchbox
* Glues (stick and thick liquid)
* Craft Knife
* Cutting mat
* Ruler
* Scrapbooking or other papers
* Focal Picture
* Embellishments

Step 1

Cut out a piece of scrapbooking paper 2x the size of your matchbox's back side.

Glue the box into the center of the paper and trim the excess to create paper flaps to cover the walls of the box.

Step 2:

Fold flaps in and glue in place using your tacky glue.

Step 3:

Cut your photo down to fit inside your box.

Step 4:

Once trimmed, glue the photo inside with glue stick and set aside to dry.

Step 5:

While your interior dries, cover the outer matchbox in paper. Measure the box and trim the paper accordingly, then glue into place with your glue stick.

Set aside to dry completely, as you don't want the paper to shift and wrinkle while you work.

Step 6:

While the outer box is drying, take the embellishments for your interior box and glue them in place with your tacky glue.

For mine I used a foreign coil to symbolize my DH's love of travel and learning, a Seahorse charm to represent my love of the sea (and that my favourite element is water) and a lego to symbolize a combined interest.

Step 7:

Lastly, embellish the outside. I used a leaf, a wax seal of our initial, and a celtic love knot.

Once both boxes have dried, slip the inner box inside of the outer box and viola! You have matchbox keepsake. :)