Something in the Air   You could say that I have a fascination with certain found objects. In particular, I seem to find myself collecting a lot of old metal and wooden fireplace match holders. Perhaps it’s because these little treasures not only hold long matches, but incense as well.

In any case, they’re always a great conversation starter for all who enter my home!

This is a fun and easy project to create. A favorite of mine, this project allows me to whip up unique gifts for the special people in my life. I hope they enjoy receiving them as much as I enjoy making them!

The great thing about the size of this project is that it only takes a couple of hours. A few odds and ends, a little glue, a box of fireplace matches (or incense), a bit of gift wrap, and a bow, and violà! You have a charming gift.

Materials

1. Wood or metal fireplace match holder
2. Assorted mirror, glass, and ceramic tiles
3. Old jewelry
4. Marbles and gems
5. Glass hearts
6. Random game pieces
7. Charms
8. Milliefori
9. Miniature picture frames can be filled with images and then glued to the surface. Take time to cover the frames with painter’s tape to protect them before grouting.
10. Sanded grout in preferred color. Dark grout is most common, but if you create thinner grout lines you can expect better results with lighter grout colors.

Tools

1. Wheeled glass nipper
2. Tile cutter
3. Safety glasses
4. Paintbrush or foam brush
5. Sandpaper
6. PVA (Weldbond) adhesive was used for this project, but mastic can also be used
7. Roll of painter’s tape
8. Disposable latex-free gloves
9. Large Ziploc bag
10. Paper towels
11. Q-tips, skewers, toothpicks, or small tools for prodding and cleaning
12. Vinegar and water

Directions

1. Cover your workspace with newspaper.
2. Lightly sand the wood or coat the metal with PVA glue to prepare the surface.
3. Play with various materials to come up with a design.
4. Cut pieces of similar size to create simple patterns. Set aside.
5. Start gluing the pieces onto the front of the holder. Fill the remaining areas to complete while the piece is still lying flat. Let dry.

   

6. Turning the piece onto its side, glue on mirror squares. Let the glue set up for a bit so that the pieces don’t fall off when you flip the piece to glue the other side. Why fight it? Waiting for things to dry actually saves time!
7. Turn to piece over to the other side and glue on the tesserae. Let dry on its side.
8. Let the completed piece dry a minimum of 24 hours before grouting.
9. Cover delicate materials with painter’s tape, then grout. Clean the incense holder and let it dry.

Add-ons

Pair the match/incense holder with a block of wood (at least 10 by 4 by 3/4-inch) that has been covered with complementary china or tile and an incense ring to round out the set.