How to Make a Paper Mache Card Holder for a Wedding

Card holders let guests know their cards are safely put away.

At your wedding you will need an organized means for storing the cards that guests bring for you. A card holder is a suitable way to keep cards neat and all in one place. To give a card holder a homemade feel, you can make one out of paper mache and paint it to coordinate with the wedding's color scheme. The key to making a card holder is to make it large enough to hold standard card sizes deep enough to accommodate the amount of guests you anticipate bringing cards.

Things You'll Need

• Balsa wood
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Utility knife
• Wood glue
• Newspaper strips
• Mixing bowl
• Saucepan
• Stove
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Fine-grit sandpaper, optional

Instructions

Making the Card Holder

1. Take the dimensions that you want to make the box and mark them on the balsa wood using a ruler and a pencil. Draw the bottom of the box and four sides. Do not make a top for the box.

2. Cut out the sides and bottom of the box with a utility knife.

3. Set the bottom piece of the box flat on the working surface. Apply a thin line of glue along the edge of the box. Place the box sides onto the sides of the bottom over the glue and press them down. Allow the card holder to dry for two hours.

Paper Mache

1. Pour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 2 cups cold water into a mixing bowl and stir.

2. Heat 2 cups water in a saucepan. When the water boils, add the mixture from the bowl into the saucepan. Mix it up and bring it back to a boil. Reduce the heat and add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Let the mixture cool and thicken.

3. Tear newspaper into strips. Dip the newspaper, one strip at a time, into the paste and place it onto the card holder. Continue until all of the box's sides and the the inside are covered. Add another layer of coated newspaper if you want to make the card holder thicker. Allow it to dry for four hours.

4. Paint over the paper mache with acrylic paint and a brush.

Tips & Warnings

• Use fine-grit sandpaper to gently polish and smooth the surface of the card holder if the paper mache comes out too rigid or uneven in some spots.

• Balsa wood is easy to work with because of its lightweight nature.

• Do not press the utility knife too hard against the balsa wood; the knife can pierce the working surface beneath the wood.

Resources

• Family Fun: Best Papier-Mâché Recipe