Thanks to current world events you, like me, might be stuck at home with more time on your hands than usual. Here is a little project that I have had on my to-do list for a while. I wrote up a quick little how-to because I thought you might enjoy doing it as well.

1. Gather your match boxes and craft supplies. A little glitter and glue can turn something ordinary into something exceptional.

2. Empty the match box. Use the inner “box” part for the base and the outside “sleeve” to make the ornamental top and sides.

Cut the sleeve into two pieces. One piece is a middle rectangle the other piece will be the sides plus the other rectangle. The single rectangle piece will become your top. Cut the other rectangle piece, with the sides attached, down the middle to make the flaps for the side of your shrine.

3. Glue the side flaps to each side of your box. Shape the rectangle piece into something interesting and glue that to the top of your box.

3. After your shrine has taken shape and the glue dries add some papier-mâché to strengthen your shrine. I tore up tiny strips of newspaper and dipped them into watered down glue. Then I layered them all over the entire box. You can use a paint brush to layer the papier-mâché if you don’t like getting sticky. The papier-mâché will take a few hours to dry. This step will make the shrine strong and look like it is one form without seams.

4. After the papier-mâché has dried you will have a perfect little box you can decorate with paint, sequins, seashells, old pictures, computer print-outs - really anything that will fit in it. It would make a sweet little gift, a personal totem, a fridge magnet or even a grouping on your wall if you make a few of them.
I used small matchboxes for this project but big ones would be even cooler!

Have fun and stay healthy my friends!

Beth

“La Sirena” Matchbox Shrine, Beth Dougherty 2020

“Shrine to Mary” Matchbox Shrine, Beth Dougherty 2020