The Trusty Shadow Box {Mommy Monday}

I have been turning rooms inside out and rearranging pretty much everything to try to satisfy my nesting needs.  We have painted and flipped rooms and I am beginning to girly up the nursery...nothing too big, Jack is still in there.  But, boy oh boy, as soon as his sheets arrive, he's moving across the hall so I can get all of my rooms finished months before this little gal arrives.  So I figured I would spend the next few Mondays (if I remember to) showing some projects that I have been working on.  

Today, is the good ol' shadow box.  

Everybody has seen them, most of you have them already on your walls.  I personally LOVE them.  I watch for them to go on 50% off at Hobby Lobby and then I cash in.  Unfortunately this also means I have several shadow boxes in the making laying around.  So maybe this post will encourage you to head on over the the big H.L. and pick up one.

Jack's Cowboy Shadowbox

You will need:

   -Memories

   -Backdrop fabric

   -Batting

   -Hot glue gun

   -Straight pins

   -Windex (or any other Glass cleaner)

The first step is to glue your batting onto the back panel of the frame.  The good news is that this does not have to be perfect!  I had leftover batting from when I reupholstered my farm chair, so I would put a scrap here and a scrap there and it works.  It will be covered up.

Next, flip it over and cut off all of the extra batting that is surrounding the panel.

 When you get it trimmed up, this is what the front looks like.

Now for your fabric.  Very similar to an upholstery job, expect leave the staple gun in the drawer.  I glue one side at a time, folding the corners so they look descent.  

If you want to have a fully covered back, you can measure and glue a piece of fabric that covers the whole space.  I personally did not want to use the fabric or take the time to do this since it will be hanging on the wall.

I, obviously, was not at a very good angle when I took this picture, but you see how nice the front, blank canvas is.

 Now for the whole reason you have decided to do this project, your memories.  I am putting Jack's very first Wrangler onesie, a horseshoe from the farm and an extra birth announcement.

If you are doing a piece of clothing, iron it very well.  You don't want to look sloppy.  Then figure out how you want things to lay, such as sleeves, and pin them in place.  It's not like you have 2 inches of batting to pin on, so insert it at an angel and it will hold great.

Then remove that really annoying sticker that they put in the top corner and use your glass cleaner to make it nice and shiny.  Then you have finished artwork and less clutter in your craft space.  

I know that eventually all of these will end up in one place as my children get older.  Most likely it will be our bedroom or if I get that office one day.  An office that suits my photography, sewing, crafting, etc...ahhhh I might just need an addition to the house.

- The Barefoot Mamma