Shadow Box BOO

Had seen cards here and there using the idea of a shadow box but they all had flaps for the fronts. I wanted my card to be free standing and without a flap. Saw a card I liked but of course no directions anywhere when I tracked down the blog. . .

With just the idea of it all I would have to make my own pattern for this Shadow Box BOO card. I wanted it to be free standing but still lay flat for mailing -- here is an envelope from Mikes with my card inside:

Once it is out of the envelope this is what it looks like:

The card is two pieces of card stock -- these photos show the first one I made for my pattern. The back/front piece is one piece of white card stock 5 1/2" x 9". Scored with the long side at the top of the score board (I used the M Stewart score board): 1/2", 3 3/4", 4 3/4", and again at 8". The insert piece is cut to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" scored with short end at top of score board at: 1/2" and 3 3/4". The key to this box card is to crease your scored lines sharply so they will keep the box shape. Here are photos of the pattern:

and the other side with the insert piece:

Since this was my first one and the pattern I wrote front, back, and insert on the pieces so I could keep the pieces marked. Using rectangle dies from Spellbinders I used washi tape and held the die in place and die cut that. Wanted a larger opening so with it cut I moved the die down to the lower part of the front and cut it again for the larger rectangular opening:

With the window cut out of the front piece I did the same to the insert piece:

Now I was ready to 'dry fit' my box card:

With the pattern made I cut out the card pieces using Smoky Slate card stock from Stampin Up. Before I cut the windows in the front and insert pieces I decided how I wanted to decorate the front of my box card. I die cut the pumpkin and sponged the edges of that with black ink. Stamped "happy halloween" onto scrap white card stock and used the SU banner punch for that. Sponged the edges of that. Wanted to use the Spellbinder Deckled Rectangle die set for a frame around the window on the front of the box card so I cut a piece of Mikes black card stock using the largest of these rectangle frames. That decided how large my windows could be for my box card. I used the largest plain Spellbinder rectangle die and cut out a window in my front piece and the insert piece. I sponged the insides of both rectangle windows using black ink. Used red sticky tape and put the black deckled frame over the window on the front piece of the box card.

While my box card was flat I did all the decorating -- this box card is three layers. First I cut a piece of white/GP for the inside of the box piece -- the back piece - used a small haunted house die and cut that from Mikes black card stock. For the moon I used a Post It Note and a 1" circle punch and put the circle on the white/GP piece in the upper right corner. Used the SU Detailed Floral die to die cut a piece from black card stock to use as a template for my clouds. Sponged over this template on the white/GP moon piece using SU Going Gray ink. With that done I used the ATG and TomBow glue and put the haunted house die cut piece onto this white/GP cloud piece. I removed the moon circle and added some yellow and orange ink to that leaving the center all white.

Die cut the small Impression Obsession ghost die set using white glittered card stock and put two of the small ghosts above the haunted house on the background piece using micro mini glue dots. Put a third ghost near the bottom of the haunted house piece. Using the ATG I put this piece on the solid part of the card stock base. Set this aside.

Cut two pieces of clear sheets for my 'windows'. They are 3" x 3 3/4". Using a multi bats stamp from the dollar bin at Mikes (when the dollar stamps were a dollar).... I used StazOn black ink and the Stamp A Ma Jig tool to stamp the bats. Using the Stamp A Ma Jig when stamping onto clear sheets gives you a clearer stamped image without the stamp sliding. If you do not have a clear image just use StazOn cleaner on a clean tissue and wipe off the clear sheet and stamp again. For the front window piece I stamped the gate stamp from the SU stamp set Toxic Treats. With both clear sheets stamped I set them aside to dry.

For "boo" I made my own 'klipboard'. Used a pull tab from a kleenex box and die cut "boo":

I used a sheet of glittered paper from the dollar tree and backed that with Stick It sheet and die cut that and peeled off the backing and put it over the kleenex cardboard tab "boo" and this gives this word shape and dimension:

On my box card I used an orange "boo" I had die cut. While my box card was flat and not assembled I used red sticky tape on the backsides of my die cut rectangle windows and put the stamped clear sheets on the box pieces. With that done I used sticky strip and put the center insert piece onto the box card base. Then put the front window piece over the box card and closed it - using black ink I sponged the edges on the front, back and sides of my box card -- sides, top, and bottom.

Cut a piece of Halloween washi tape for the top front of my box card. This box card is very hard to photograph with the clear sheet windows but IRL you can easily see the gate piece in front of the bats piece in front of the haunted house piece:

The above photo is dark due to the window sheet glare for the stamped windows but this photo shows the card is free standing and it holds it's shape for a shadow box. This photo is a bit better:

This is an easy pattern to use for this box card. I did the base front and back piece first with stamping and decorating and then did the insert piece. Once all decorated then I attached the insert piece and closed the box card.  Like how it is not only free standing but also dimensional for the BOO Day festivities!! Fun card to put together and like that it folds flat for mailing. TFL