“Now don’t go getting yourself all worked up thinking that you can’t possibly create something so adorable because it looks like it takes a lot of work. Trust me, it is SO easy you’ll be wanting to buy up all the Matchboxes that you can!

“You’ll also need a few main, basic components as well, like the (New!) 3″ Candlestick Holder for your base and also the Valentine Banners Collage Sheet, Romance Collage Sheet. (And ALL three of those items are on sale!)

“These shrines don’t have to just be limited to a romantic theme, Spring is just around the corner!

Supply List

Two sheets of the Valentine Banners Collage Sheets
Romance Collage Sheet
Scrapbook Paper
Mixed Faceted Teardrops
Flat Back Crystals
Silk Ribbon
NEW! 3″ Candlestick Holder
Matchboxes
Ephemera
Gold ink

Directions:
This tutorial is for a Valentine Matchbox Triptych, but you could make this for any occasion!

I started out covering three matchboxes with some nice G45 ‘Ladies Diary’ papers. You will need two boxes that are the same size for the outside boxes and a larger one for the center box.

I should point out that I smooshed my last large matchbox so I substituted it for the bottom of a small cardboard jewelry box. You can use any boxes that you have that fit the size requirements.

After covering the boxes (inside and out) with pretty paper, I let them dry for about 30 minutes. Well, maybe 15-I’m impatient. I sanded all around the edges of the outside of each box and inked all the edges with gold.

Glue the boxes together. Make sure all the paper edges are even with the top of your boxes. It doesn’t matter if they look a little rough as long as they don’t project over the box edge. You can sand them a bit to even everything out.

Cut roughly around all the images you plan on using and paint the backs gold. Doing this now saves you from trying to paint the back of each one after you glue them in place. Don’t worry about painting the backs of the ones that you’re planning on using inside your boxes as the backs won’t show.

The banners were a bit pale for this application so I perked them up a bit with a pink Copic marker.

After cutting them out, cut one banner in half at the center of the top. Because my center box was a little too small for the width of the banner, I cut the center out, creating three pieces. This way you can adjust the width of the banner to the width of the box.

For the ephemera in the two outside boxes, I chose a key and a heart. I attached small bits of wood to the back of each,
taking care that they didn’t show through the front of the pieces. I colored them pink so they would blend into the background and glued them in place.

Attach three layers of double stick black foam tape to the image of the dancing couple and stuck them in the center box.

After the inside pieces dry, add the flowers to the edges of each box and lastly, glue the banners on. For added detail, I made three small bows and attached two to the top sides of the center banner and added a little bead cap and flat-back crystal to each one. Glue three pink teardrop beads to the banners…..one on each outside point and one at the center on the top.

When everything is completely dry, glue the triptych to a painted wooden candlestick, centering the candlestick directly under the center box. Attach a sweet bow and a flower our two and there you have it!

Posted by MizBella, February 21st, 2013

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