3 easy, fun wedding favors

Decorate simple favor boxes with pretty bows and paper cuffs. For a twist, use color photocopies of a fabric—such as a swatch from your bridesmaids’ dresses—to make the cuffs. Fill with bite-size cookies, peanut brittle, lemon drops, or another favorite candy. It costs about $80 to make 50. You'll need:

• 50 1⁄4-pound ballotin boxes (look for small boxes at craft stores)
• Craft knife and cutting mat
• Metal ruler
• Ten 11- by 17-inch photocopies of fabric swatch or 10 sheets of decorative craft paper
• Double-stick tape
• 50 yards of ribbon (optional)
• 50 small labels with prepunched holes (optional)

1. Fill the boxes.

2. Using craft knife, ruler, and cutting mat, cut fifty 3- by 10½-inch rectangular bands from color photocopies to make paper cuffs. Look for small boxes at craft stores.

(We used deep rectangular boxes with flaps, available from GlerupRevere (866/747-6871); about $30 for 50. The dimensions given for the paper cuffs work with these particular ballotin boxes; if you use a different box size, adjust measurements.

3. Wrap one cuff around each box. Adhere cuff to itself with a small piece of double-stick tape (cuff should be able to slide off box).

These homemade favors are reminiscent of old-fashioned candy-filled Pixy Stix. The sticks can do double-duty as table assignments. Fill with tiny candy such as mints or mini Chiclets, flower seeds, lavender, or birdseed for tossing at the bride and groom. It costs about $35 to make 50. You'll need:

• 50 sheets of 8½- by 11-inch paper (20 lb.)
• Double-stick tape or hot glue gun
• Kitchen funnel (or paper cone)
• Scalloped craft scissors
• 4 sheets of 8½- by 11-inch white card stock for labels
• Cutting mat, metal ruler, and craft knife

1. Roll one corner of a piece of paper toward the opposite corner. The tighter you roll, the narrower the tube will be.

2. To secure the tube once it's rolled up, affix inside edge of the loose corner to tube with a small piece of double-stick tape (make sure paper obscures tape) or a dab of hot glue.

3. Fold over one end of the tube and secure it with the tape or hot glue.

4. Using the funnel or paper cone, fill the tubes with chosen filling, leaving a space at the top.

5. Fold over the open end and secure it with the tape or hot glue.

5. Using scalloped scissors, cut card stock into fifty 1- by 2¾-inch labels.

6. On the cutting mat, using the ruler and craft knife, measure and cut a 1¾-inch horizontal slit 1⁄8 inch from the top and bottom of each label.

7. Write each guest’s name on a label with a pen, then slide one label onto each tube.

Plain pint-size paint cans become unique, modern containers when dressed up with decorative paper. It costs about $175, plus filling, to make 50. You'll need:

• Craft knife
• Metal ruler and cutting mat
• Wrapping paper or other colored paper
• 50 paint cans
• Double-stick tape
• Filling
• Dish towel
• Hammer
• 2 sheets of 8½- by 11-inch colored paper (20 lb.)

1. Using craft knife, ruler, and cutting mat, cut 50 3¾- by 12- inch pieces of wrapping paper.

2. Wrap one piece around each can, securing it in place with a 3½-inch piece of double-stick tape.

We used pint-size paint cans, available from Packaging Specialties (206/762-0540 ext. 2) for $30 per 10-pack. Or use quart-size cans, available at Home Depot (about $1).

3. Fill can with candy, spiced or salted nuts, or a drink mix, such as ingredients for making hot chocolate.

4. Place lid on top of can; then, protecting lid with the dish towel, close can by gently tapping around rim with the hammer.

Make a label to wrap over the top of the can: Type your text (such as your names and wedding date) into a wordprocessing program, selecting a font type, size, and color you like.

Be sure that what you have typed fits on a line no longer than the width of your paper, then copy and paste the text to fill each line of the entire page (we fit 25 labels per page with 1⁄2-inch margins and double spacing).

Print the page on heavy colored paper on a printer, then use craft knife to cut each line of text into a strip. (If you don’t have a computer and printer, take your text and paper supplies to a copy shop, or write labels by hand.)

To stick the label to the can, attach 3 small pieces of double-stick tape to label and stretch it over top of can.