Shadow Box Tutorial (New)

Hello Super Crafters!!!

Below is my new version on how to make a shadow box.  I came up with this idea while wandering around my hubby's office at work (we work together…yay).  He had some sort of envelope shadow box type deal for a software code and the inside looked just like a shadow box…I thought it was kind of awesome.  So I went back to my desk and made a mock one from copy paper…yeah copy paper. 

Later I went home and made one with chip, then another and another, all different sizes.

The measurements fot the shadow box in the video is 3x4 on the inside and 4x5 on the outside.  I've listed the measurements below for this particular size with a .25 tab for gluing it all down.  If you need the tab to be larger you'll need to adjust your measurements.

Score on the short side (this matters if your using an 8.5x11 piece of chipboard or cardstock…and that's exactly what I used on the tutorial).

.25

.75

1.25

1.75

The above score lines will give you your (in order top to bottom) glue tab, inner wall, top wall and outside wall.

Once you have detemined how wide or tall you want the inside of your shadow box to be you will work into that measure another inch split in half.  So you have a half inch, plus the inside space you desire, plus another half inch. 

So, from 1.75 your next starting point is 2.25, you will not score on 2.25.  From there you will go out however wide or tall you want the inside of your shadow box to be.  In the tutorial I'm going for a 3x4 inside space.  so my next score line will be at 5.75.  Again, my formula for that is half inch form the last score line of 1.75, plus 3 inches, plus another half inch.

These are the next score lines, same side we've been scoring.

5.75

6.25

6.75

7

The above score lines will give you the outside wall, top wall, inner wall and glue tab.  You can cut the excess off or just at 7 inches.

To score the long side, rotate your paper/chipboard and score at on the following measurements:

.25

.75

1.25

1.75

Same as the first section.

Your next score line will be at 6.75, half inch, plus 4 inches, plus another half inch get's you to 6.75.

Last score line set:

6.75

7.25

7.75

8

Cut the excess or at 8 inches. 

Your overall size will be 7x8, I don’t start off with that size, I typically will start with a whole sheet incase I decide to go bigger or smaller. 

You will now have 4 tiny score lines to make.  To me it doesn't matter what sides I score.

You will need to score at 2.25 down through your tab and up to the second horizontal score line which should be at .75 inches.  So, over 2.25 and down .75 and then again a half inch before the next set of score lines that you have.  So depending on the sides you are scoring it could be at  5.25 or 6.25.  All of your score lines with the exception of the tabs sould be half inch apart.  So you'll score the instruction just noted on the top and bottom only, not all sides.

From here you'll need to cut throught the small score you just did and when you get to the .75 score line or your second score line you will cut it at an angel to the edge of the next score line.  

Fold all your score lines.  Glue down the two sides that have not been cut in an angle first.  Tab is glued to the inside of the shadow box.  Do this on both sides.

Before you glue down the next two sections that have the angled cut, fold it over to make sure it's not super snug.  You don’t want the sides with the angle cut to push the other walls out, it wont look good.  If you need to cut a smidgen this is the time to do it.

If you want to add some ribbon to hang your shaddow bow now is the time to do it as well.

Now you can glue your last two tabs down to finish the assembly of your shadow box.  Ensure to add glue to the inside corners of the walls you've allready glued down.  This will firm up your shadow bow and secure all sides together.

And viola!!! your done.

Thank you so much for watching and or reading…happy crafting!!!