A One-of-a-kind Shadow Box

The lovely Kathy of Kathy's Cottage
is hosting Handmade Holidays
on her blog today.




One of the things I used to love to do was create shadow boxes. Recently I have noticed that they are back in style.



I purchased this shadow box and wanted to make a gift for a friend for the holidays. My design is taken from a stash of Antique and Vintage objects, but a shadow box is anything you want it to be. Themes can really make it a one-of-a-kind treasure for that someone special.

Knowing how my friend and I share the love of Antique and Vintage things got me to thinking.

Thrifting is a perfect avenue to find great pieces to go inside a shadow box. Then there are those Vintage shops that have finds like these lovely Vintage flower pins, which I got in the amazing Nesting on Main for just $2.00.



I had designed an annual calendar for a Spoonflower wall calendar challenge. When it was finished I printed it out onto a soft rice paper.



Using Vintage flower pins I tacked the calendar in place and added a few details.



An old key, an Antique star, and an Antique charm added the perfect touch. I found all of these trinkets in a mason jar dating back to 1908, for just $10.00. Thoreauly Antiques in Concord always has the most unusual things. A blogging friend, Keri from Antique Therapy is at Thoreauly and she has incredible finds. I especially love her Antique prints, like the one of hers I used for my Parisian designs.



My daughter pointed out that maybe creating a monthly calendar which could be pinned to the backdrop might come in handy.



I created postcards,



one for each month.



A loose Antique domino and wooden bobbin sit inside the shelf.



Designing a shadow box with a door like this one really gives the owner the ability to change the backdrop. The cushioned backing gives a nice place to pin all kinds of things.



I have added a calendar kit to my little etsy shop with a 2010 Annual Calendar just like the one in this post and a set of "month at a glance" stamped postcards.



The nicest part about creating a personalized gift for a special someone, is that you'll be seeing them in each detail of your design. And when it is hanging on their wall, they'll be seeing you every time they see it and be reminded how much you love them. The song for this post is I'll Be Seeing You.

Now if you stop by Kathy's place you will find some wonderful ideas for Handmade Holidays and Get Your Craft On has some wonderful links to great crafting ideas too.