Easy Shadow Box Card

This is what you will be making

You will need a card blank of your choice

A piece of card to make the shadow box on the front. This piece of card needs to be the same height as the front of your card blank but 5cms wider. I chose a pattern piece of card but a plain one could look just as good.

A picture for the middle a bit bigger than the cut-out shape

Decorations of your choice.

How to make the card

1. Work on your piece of card first not the card blank.

2. Cut out a shape of your choice in the middle of the piece of card. This must be at least 7cms from the side from the side edges of the piece of card. I used a square as it is the easiest.

3. The next step will depend on how near to the edge you want the shadow box. If you would like the whole of the front of the card to stick out like a frame then start your fold lines at the edges. If you want it to be more like this card, with the frame in the middle, then start your fold lines nearer to the middle.

When you have decided draw a vertical line at each side of the opening on the back of your card piece. Measure 2cms from each of these lines towards the edge of the card piece and draw 2 more lines each side of the opening.

4. If your card is too thick to fold easily score lightly on the lines. Fold the line nearest to the cut-out inwards to the centre and the other lines outwards towards the edge.

5. Check that this is just a little bigger than the front of your card blank now that the folds are complete. Then put this to one side and work on the card blank.

6.Find the centre of the front of the card blank and stick on your picture or whatever else you have decided to use in the shadow box.

7. Back to the piece of card. Stick the end edges of the card to your card blank making sure that you fix them right to the end. I used double sided tape. Use as many pieces of this as it takes to make the ends secure. You will see that the middle bows slightly which gives a nice effect when the card stands up but because of the folds it will fit easily into an envelope and lie almost flat.

8. All that remains is to decorate the finished Shadow Box Card as you wish.

9. I hope you find this tutorial easy to understand if you don't please email me and I will try to help in any way I can.

Written by chrissie March 31st 2007