Strike It Rich

We use a lot of matches, chez English. There's the usual suspects, like starting the wood stove, that require us to strike a match. There's the gas range, which we light with matches, too. There's also the fire pit outside, and the grill on the porch. There are an abundance of candles and incense, as well, which I'm particularly fond of firing up. Finally, we employ them regularly in the bathroom, where they make a fabulous, inexpensive, low-fi odor eliminator, when the "need" arises (you know what I'm saying here, right?). 

Several years ago, I came across some gorgeous, artfully designed match boxes at a store selling lovely bath salts, candles, soaps, incense, fluffy robes, and an array of in-store spa therapies. They had seed pods and unusual flowers on them and long matches inside. I was taken by the packaging and purchased a few boxes. 

Those pretty little parcels ran out not too long ago. A stickler for nice-looking items, whether utilitarian or purely ornamental, I longed for those boxes again, but hesitated over their price. Enter the incredibly easy, ridiculously affordable solution. A few images, a box cutter, and some adhesive later, and I'm back in the decorative match box business, for considerably less money. 

This is an ideal opportunity for using magazine pages. After you've read it, and decided you're ready to pass it on or recycle it, look it over for any graphic images. We used pictures of quilts in the match boxes above. It could be an artful image, a vivid color, a graphic pattern used in an ad-anything, really, that speaks to you. Carefully cut the image to fit the top of your match box. We like to use the large size Diamond brand "Greenlight" matches, which are sourced from responsibly managed forests. Each box holds 300 large kitchen matches, crafted "extra thick for longer burn time." Perfection! 

This project couldn't be any easier, or any more simultaneously useful. Just because an object serves a super utilitarian function doesn't mean it shouldn't also be pleasing to look at. In fact, I'd argue that it should then definitely be easy on the eyes, by virtue of the fact that you'll be looking at it so often. Next time you find yourself using matches, consider dolling them up similarly. Save yourself some cash while making your life a little more atractive.