Do It Yourself Candy Bar Wrappers

Wrapping candy bars in do it yourself candy bar wrappers is a great way to reinforce a party theme to delight your guests or make a memorable announcement. All you need is a printer, paper, a paper cutter, rubber cement, and your imagination.

Getting Started

You can buy special paper, but ordinary copy paper will do. To determine the size, first take the wrapper off the type of candy bar you intend to use; this will be your template. Flat candy bars, like Hershey's or Nestle's Crunch work best. This project can be done in any graphics program or, if you are unfamiliar with graphics programs, in Microsoft Word.

Collect the graphics you want to use in a file folder for easy access. You can use your own pictures, free clip art from the Web, or decorative fonts like webdings that can be downloaded for free. You can also search free graphics sources for stock photos. For example, a picture of hats thrown in the air at the close of a graduation ceremony would be appropriate for a graduation announcement.

Using a Graphics Program

Create a blank graphic with a white background the size of one sheet of paper (8 ½ x 11). Draw several light-colored rectangle outlines, one inside the other, on the page in varying sizes and print the page. Find the nearest size match to the candy bar wrapper and use that as your working area -- erase all the other sizes on your graphic.

On a new layer, start filling in your graphics for the top. Remember, you'll have a top area for the main graphic, a back area of roughly equal size for the back of the bar, and two printed or blank areas for the sides and overlap. If you're using a picture, size it and paste it in. Adjust the layer transparency if you want it to be lighter. Create another layer for the words. Using separate layers for each allows you to move things around for best effect. Choose a font to complement the style of the graphic. Font choices can be elegant, casual, scary or downright silly. If you want an authentic look, search the Web for a font similar to the candy bar font.

Once the top is finished, work on the back area. Make it look like the nutritional area on the back of a candy bar or use the space for a personal message or description.

Using Microsoft Word

Microsoft.com users have uploaded several templates you can download for free or you can use the same method of determining size as described for graphics programs.

Align your graphics and use text boxes to arrange elements on the page. You may need to experiment with object properties to line your graphics up properly.

Finishing

You will need to trim the graphic, and to produce the most professional results, use a paper cutter. If you don't have one at home, find the nearest large office supply store. They usually have workstations equipped with professional grade cutters for use by customers. To finish, wrap each candy bar with a finished label and glue with rubber cement, lapping the printed back area over the blank area.

Candy bars wrapped in do it yourself candy bar wrappers make great party invitations, birth announcements, wedding favors, school, team or scout fundraiser items, Valentine's Day "cards," or even elements of a gift basket celebrating Mother's Day. It's about imagination, so turn yours loose on totally sweet treats.