Gift Box Photo Display

This time of year youll find all sorts of gift boxes for giving Christmas presents. But, it doesnt have to be Christmas to find gift boxes at department stores. The type of box that has a clear, plastic lid is perfect for creating a unique shadow box-type photo display that is unique and fun to create.

A medium to large box is a good choice for making your picture display for a wall in your home. Youll also need a photo mat which you can purchase at stores that sell picture frames or at craft stores. The mats are available in different colors and types. Youll need to select one that will fit comfortably inside the bottom of the gift box.

Available mats can include cutouts in circular or oval shapes, squares or rectangles. The mat can also contain a combination of any of the above-mentioned shapes. Ordinary photos can fit right inside the openings or can be trimmed to fit. With some mats you can actually tape the full-size pictures behind the cutouts. Some mats feature a cutout for only one large picture but you want to select a mat that will allow you to display several photos at once. Choose the selection of photos you want to use for your shadow box display. Center each picture in each opening of the mat. It may be necessary to trim some pictures down to size but others can be taped, overlapping each other. Check the finished mat to make sure corners of photos arent showing in the openings of other photos. Tape the mat into the bottom of the box. Roll the pieces of tape, and place them on the back of the mat, then press the mat down into the bottom of the box. Now tape the clear, plastic lid in place. Poke a hole in the back of the box to hang. There are lots of things you can do to enhance the look of the finished shadow box. In the scrapbook supply section of a craft store youll find peel-and-stick borders, letters, numbers, and other images. Use the stickers to write names next to the photos, or to create a different theme. If the photos are of a recent vacation, for example, you can place tiny palm tree stickers on the mat or just use stick-on strips to create a border around the entire mat. To keep the finished shadow box from looking like a box with a lid consider wrapping the sides of the box with a wide ribbon. The ribbon can coordinate with the photos inside the mat. For example, if youre creating a Christmas theme in the box you can use red velvet ribbon around the sides of the lidded box. Improve the look of the ordinary plastic cover by using stick-on perimeters, scrapbook corner decorations, or even wording. Use paint markers to write "Our Vacation", "The Grandkids", or even "Christmas 2008". The design is all your own. Take advantage of other craft supplies such as fake jewels, corner stickers, sticker snowflakes and similar items to decorate the clear lid. Gold edging, lace pieces and fabric cutouts can change the entire look of the shadow box photo display. Consider the photo box as a gift for someone this year. Capture a childs growth, from birth until now, then present it to a parent or grandparent. Or, feature Grandpas picture in the center, surrounded by pictures of his favorite fishing hole, his favorite golf course, his favorite restaurant and similar pictures. There are no limits to the various themes you can create. Generally, a person can wrap up quite a lot of money purchasing deep frames, mats and enhancements, but when you start with a cardboard box, you can create memory boxes that are inexpensive but will last a lifetime. Save your gift boxes after Christmas this year and youll be able to make plenty photo keepsake projects.