How to Make the Ultimate Shadow Box

Dimensional shadowboxes make roomy, eye-catching displays for memorabilia of all shapes and sizes. By creating your own frame from unusual objects found around your home, you can make the ultimate conversation piece to showcase your favorite trinkets, trophies and treasures.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look for an unusual "frame" for your shadow box. Simply turn items on their sides to hang and hold dimensional memorabilia. Cutlery trays, compact disc holders, long baskets, old windows, mirror frames and cabinet inserts designed to keep plates upright are all possibilities.

2. Enclose the frame to keep dust out. If you've selected an open shelving unit as your shadow box, for example, take it to a framing shop or home improvement warehouse where an expert can cut a Plexiglas "window" to fit.

3. Determine what objects and embellishments you'd like to showcase in the frame. Gather favorite photos, family heirlooms, meaningful trinkets, swatches, dried flowers and other keepsakes.

4. Shuffle the items until you've achieved a visually pleasing placement of heights, colors and textures. Keep heavier items from tipping by tacking them to the shadow box with acid-free double-stick or foam tape.

5. Hang the shadow box in the appropriate room. A collection of baby memorabilia is perfect for the nursery, while a gathering of historic kitchen utensils and family recipes is ideal for the kitchen or dining room. Hallways and entryways are also logical locations. Be sure to reinforce with brackets if the shadow boxes are heavy.

Tips & Warnings

• If an item you'd like to include is too big to fit into the frame, take a photo of the object to include in the display instead. You can also mount the shadow box on a wall near a bookshelf or table where the desired piece can sit beside it to become part of the grouping.
• Creating a shadow box with wood, chipboard, adhesives, paper or embellishments that are not archival safe will hasten the decay of photos and other paper memorabilia. If you're displaying one-of-a-kind images, make copies and store the originals in a photo-safe album, folder or box.