I am in frantic, last-minute Christmas mode, and I am sure I’m not alone. This weekend, I needed a quick stocking stuffer for my husband, the mountain man. I wanted something cheap (he LOVES cheap) and practical (he’s nothing if not practical.) Since one of our favorite combined passions is piling in the van and escaping on a long-road trip, I thought I would make him a set of road-trip matches.
Road-trip matches occurred to me while I was cleaning out the glove box of our beloved Vanagon after the last big trip… We went through about nine states in eleven days, and in that time, accumulated about a zillion free AAA maps.
To make your own road-trip matches, and create a quick and easy stocking stuffer for the mountain man in YOUR life, you will need:
– A free AAA Tour book (or other small map)
– A large box of matches
– A bottle of Mod-Podge
– A paintbrush
– A pair of scissors
I started by flipping through one the AAA Tour books and finding a map that encompassed enough of an area that would be useful for us to get around (eliminating the need for a giant map on my lap while we drove), and would be helpful for us to get our bearings while we discussed our route over the evening campfire! The beauty of the AAA tour book, is that most of the maps are exactly as wide as a large box of matches- so minimal cutting is required. Simply use one blade of the scissors to score the pages of the book until the map you want falls out.
Next, using the paintbrush, cover one side of the match box with the map.
The large box of matches I was using had a striker pad on both sides, so I carefully cut my map in half and aligned the second part of the map on the Mod-Podge-painted underside of the box.
I trimmed up the edges of my map, gluing them down, and pressing the extra around the corners of the box.
Then, I used the handle of my scissors, to carefully smooth out any bumps of glue in my map.
When I was done, I’d converted a previously generic box of matches into a helpful driving aid for our next big road trip- and all for under a few dollars!
I’ve got a few other odds and ends for my hubby’s stocking, but I’m looking forward to him seeing these matches so we can begin to plan our next big road trip!
Hope you enjoy this quick and easy craft for your favorite road-tripper!
What a super cute/easy/brilliant idea!! Thanks for sharing! I’m sure he’ll think it’s great!
Thanks Justine! Merry Christmas to you and your dude!
xoxo
radmegan
Adorbs! I miss you. Hope we can skype soon xoxo
Thank you! Miss you too honey! Wednesday morning??
xxoo
Very Cool! ill give this a try 😀
I love this!! Thanks so much for sharing.
These are super cute! I would love to link to your tutorial if you didn’t mind, my readers would love this.
Prineville!