Hey lady, got a light? When serving up some rockin' flavors, it's also a kindness to offer a Lifesaver. Tasty fresh breath at the end of your savory (or sweet!) food fest lets folks get a little closer while slow dancing. I've seen it in movies! Here's a way to dress up some super-cheap grocery store mints into a totally tricked-out mini-favor.
Materials and tools for this mint matchbook DIY project
- One big bag of individually wrapped Lifesavers
- Scrapbook paper
- Scissors
- Butter knife
- Stapler
- This printable template
Special note regarding mints: I'd advise only making one per guest or so. Lifesavers' individually wrapped mints are what I use, but your mileage may vary. I like the spearmint, but you should grab a bag of your favorite flavor. Doesn't even have to be mints — a rainbow of colorful sweets = awesomesauce, but mint's the idea in this post.
How to make your DIY mint matchbook wedding favors
Step 1: Print and cut out the template. (Or if you don't have a printer, cut out a rectangle 2″ by 5″ out of heavier-stock paper.)
Step 2: Trace template onto scrapbook paper. Using the back of a butter knife, score the folds.
Step 3: Cut out the traced paper and fold along scored lines.
Step 4: Insert the mint's plastic wrapper edge into the smallest fold and staple near the fold, catching the wrapper but not piercing the pocket holding the candy.
Step 5: Fold the top piece into the bottom, stapled fold. TaDa! Your minty matchbook is freshness on fire! Now just repeat till you have enough and/or the bag is empty.
(I recommend assembly-lining this — trace all of them, cut all of them, etc. Makes a great project for sitting in front of the TV watching a season of something on Netflix.)
Applications:
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Just about any individually wrapped candy can be packaged this way.
Larger pieces may need to have larger versions of the paper template, but can still work just fine.
You can also download this printable template, adding your own pattern, logo, whatever you like before printing and just cut out the printed papers to wrap your mints.
Alternatively, decorate with a sticker, some ribbon, or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Tips:
If you have trouble cutting a straight line, never fear. Embrace your wonky lines and make it look like they're supposed to be that way. Some folks find it easier to fold a line then cut along it. Others like to use these fancy wrapping paper cutter thingies. Just remember: no one you care about is going to be smack-talking your wonky cuts.
Check out how one Offbeat Bride made her DIY mint matchbook favors look awesome:
Want some DIY mint matchbook ideas, or maybe just want to bail on DIYing it?
Here are some of our favorite mint wedding favors from Etsy… you can use them either as inspiration, or just say “fuggit” and buy your favors from an artisan instead of DIYing. (No shame in that!)
Aaaamazing. I was just pondering favors today, so this was perfect timing! Thank you again OBB for being telepathic ;D
Hi I love this, but I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to tell you that this is how I make my product samples, goody bag donations and event favors! Its great little concept for holding your product and promoting info right?!
I hope you don’t mind me sharing this…
This has given me the greatest favour plan yet. We’ve been struggling to come up with something inexpensive but fun. It also made me realize the best part about getting married in October is halloween candy, all of those are individually wrapped! I realize my wedding is over 7 months away and I won’t need favours for a long time, but this just made my day! Thanks I love it!
Mint to be!
Awesome tutorial! Might try this later on tonight. <3
This is great! We were planning on having mints for some garlic heavy dishes we’ll be having, and this will be a great way to do it 🙂
Oooo.. you could put those flat “mint strips” in there as well. Everybody likes those except me. For me they’re like a nuclear explosion in my mouth. I can’t really taste anything but pain.
Ooooh. We were looking for something under $1 per person, and I LOVE this! I know what I’m doing this weekend (wedding is in 31 days! ahhhh!)!
And here’s my end result:
http://instagr.am/p/HuYS-3kCPz/
Instead of staples, I used mini star-shaped brads from the scrapbook embellishment aisle. It takes about $25 and 4 episodes of Downton Abbey to make 120 of these – if your fiancé scores the paper and says catty things about Thomas with approximately equal fervour. 🙂
OMG! Lord Grantham approves!
LOVE!!! Gorgeous, and catty things about Thomas = good times, too!
Hehe, Downton Abbey was my go-to show while I made my ribbon wands. 😛
AMAZING. Also: let’s have more tutorials that can explicitly be done while watching “a season of something on Netflix”.
Amen. I’ll keep that in mind while working on tutorials this year. 🙂
“because the perfectionist in me likes the cheap-ass in me to say ‘no, it’s supposed to be mis-matched, silly!’ to which perfectionist me says, ‘oh, ok, cool — thanks!’ ”
LOL, Totally have the conversation with myself whenever i try to make something a little less than perfect on purpose.
Also, Cute idea!
So glad I’m not the only one who has that self-conversation. 🙂 I think it’s a good way to stay sane to decide that imperfection is part of the goal.
Great idea!! maybe I will do this for those mini candy canes for a Christmas holiday party… something fun and small for adults for sure. Just a thought you could write something small like thank you or names n date to name a few if you like….
You could totally write messages, add stickers, stamps, any kinds of decorations. While you’re making them, you might even add a step where you sign your thanks inside. I think it’s great for a holiday or birthday party, too. 🙂
This will fit perfectly in our budget! Thanks for sharing.
Omg how cute!..and perfect! I’m planning a wedding based around my favor Tim button movie..this would be great to pull in Alice in wonderland with a little “eat me!” On the front! Awesome!!
That’s a fantastic twist! Love it!
This is great, Im going out to get everything to make these ASAP!!
These are cute, but they seem a little wasteful. I guess you could use old wallpaper samples or repurpose some other paper to make them a little more eco friendly.
I’m glad you brought that up. Perhaps someone who is set on using these mints and going to buy them no matter what (individually wrapped treats are tough for me to swallow because of all the excess plastic) have random scrapbook paper lying around that they will never use–unless to make something cute. So they don’t necessarily need to purchase a huge new book of paper that will only be partially used.
Thanks for making us think. 🙂
You can also buy individual sheets of scrapbook paper, both plain and patterned. I imagine the brown paper from grocery bags could work too; that’d look very cool with some kind of design stamped on the outside.
Another good use for paint sample strips I think. What a fab idea xx
Great idea. It would be funny to find some way to adapt this to floss if you were serving ribs or corn on the cob. You could get some great pictures of your guests flossing.
We made these for our 2010 wedding. Instead of scrapbook paper, we used cardstock with a thank you message printed on the front. I cut them down to size, and put our Scotch mints in teeny bags from the $1 store, and stapled together. They were a hit.
Those look fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
1. It is good to know that so many other people measure time in Episodes Required To Complete Craft. For me, it’s usually knitting in front of Law & Order SVU.
2. While there’s some waste, these are less Earth-clogging than many (most?) other favors, and unless you make everyone wash their hands, individually wrapped mints make sense. I like the suggestion of using wallpaper samples. How about wrapping paper you saved (because your mother made you crazy like that), or other reuseables – paper bags? Magazines? I’m having an anniversary party this summer – we had a tiny wedding. First anniversary is paper. I’m a librarian and my husband’s a book nerd too, so the wedding incorporated some book themes. The party is BBQ so we might have wicked breath. I think maybe I’ll take all these discarded book pages and make mint-books with them! Except that the pages are pretty thin and might need to be doubled or mounted on stiffer paper, negating the whole saving-a-tree thing…hm. To the prototype desk!
Thanks for the great idea. 🙂
I cant seem to download or Print the template from Flickr.
Am i being a total noob? I just cant figure out how! Can anyone help at all? Im uk based.
Thanks
http://www.flickr.com/help/photos/#91
I am an everyday reader of yours and when I saw this one, I knew it was for us. We are having a BBQ and potatoes-style buffet, so these are perfect to have at the end of the buffet line. I have started making them, super easy and extremely customizable! Love it!! And it only cost me about $10.00 to make for 100+ people!! 🙂
Just finished making mine!!! We’re doing a bike themed wedding. Brought the paper the dollar store, 10 sheets per pack, used 18 pages all together.. got the mints for $4.50, had the stamps from the other wedding craft projects. Thanks for such a great, and inexpensive favor idea!!! http://instagram.com/p/NW9b6bH5Br/
LOVE them! They turned out super-cute!
This is wonderful idea. I jumped right up and got started with paper I had around the house.
Try scoring the whole sheet before cuting them apart. Use your ruler as a straight edge to keep your score lines straight too.
This is awesome! What an affordable wedding favor. Thank you for sharing! I am not able to download the template. I tried but when I printed it, it was HUGE! I really would love to make these. Is anyone willing to email me the correct template? I’d greatly appreciate it! Thank you!! 🙂
My Dad always carried lifesavers in his pocket. It was something he was known for. Since he has passed, when I saw this post I knew this was the PERFECT way to honor him at my wedding. I printed the covers with the colors etc to match my wedding theme. The front read In Loving memory of “name” and I had one at each place setting. Everyone was so touched by it. Thanks for sharing.
Hmmm, I might do this instead of my original idea….would be MUCH cheaper lol
THANK YOUUUUUU!