Mint Matchbooks

Party and Wedding Favors

Mint Matchbook Favors

How to make mint matchbooks for any occasion

I've seen these cute little matchbooks as wedding and party favors. Each matchbook contains an after dinner mint and is inscribed with the occasion, date and/or some significant saying.

I made the ones pictured here for an upcoming birthday.

The front says, "Happy Birthday, Gwennie!" and the back says, "May your day be as special as you!!" On the top I just put the year.

I did mine using Print Shop, but you can use any graphic software.

These matchbooks measure 1 3/4 inch W x 1 7/8 inch L inch when folded. Each strip to make one measures 1 3/4 inch W x 4 1/4 inch L.

Mint Matchbook Supplies

Computer software that has vertical and horizontal ruler and guideline functions (e.g. PrintShop, Photo Shop, Print Artist or Print Master)

8 1/2 x 11 card stock - 220 to 250 gsm is a good weight

Paper cutter - either guillotine or rotary is fine. You can also use a craft knife and straightedge or even scissors. It's just a bit more work.

Scoring tool - here are two scoring systems to consider: Scor-it Board or DIY.

Mint candies

Stapler

Mint Matchbook Instructions

1. Load a blank vertical 8 1/2 x 11 page into your graphic software. Be sure rulers are visible.

Eight matchbooks 1 7/8 inch x 1v3/4 inch will fit on a page.

Set margins to 1 1/8 inch.

In PrintShop the commands are File>Print Setup>Properties>Effects; then check the Minimize Margins box.

[ If you can't make your margins this small (which determines where the ruler marks start and end), just adjust guideline placement to get the matchbook dimensions above. ]

2. Set guidelines to define eight 1 7/8 inch x 4 1/4 inch matchbook strips as follows.

Horizontal guidelines at:

1/2 inch,
4 3/4 inches,
5 3/4 inches and
10 inches.

Vertical guidelines at:

5/8 inch,
2 1/4 inches,
4 1/8 inches and
7 7/8

The page should look like the screen shot below. Each long vertical strip will form a matchbook.

mint matchbook print setup screen shot 1

3. Use the Line tool to draw horizontal fold lines where the matchbooks will be folded. In this example, the lines are at:

1 inch,
2 3/4 inches,
3 1/4 inches,
6 1/4 inches,
8 inches and
8 1/2 inches.

mint matchbook print setup screen shot 2

Create your design in one of the long strips using text, art from the software's gallery and/or imported artwork.

Note the orientation of the layout defined by the fold lines.

From the top of each strip on down, we have the narrow rectangle which would be the striking area for a real matchstick, then the back of the matchbook, then the narrow rectangle that will form the top of the matchbook and finally the matchbook front.

All text and graphics will be right side up except the back panel. Create the artwork and text for the back panel and then rotate or flip it.

In PrintShop the commands are Arrange>Flip>Both.

4. When you are happy with your design, group all the elements. Use your mouse to lasso them. You'll see a bounding box around them all. Right click and choose Group.

Copy the group and paste seven times to create the other matchbooks. Move them into the seven other strips you created. Now your page looks like this.