If you’re looking for a fun way to display your special keepsakes or create a unique personalized gift, you should consider shadow box frames. Shadow boxes have extra depth to allow for special keepsakes to be framed. Almost any small item can be displayed in a shadow box frame and help to keep your mementos protected, clean and visible where you can enjoy them.  Shadow box frames come in a wide variety of sizes, colors and depths ranging from  1/2″ up to 1 3/4″ and even up to 7″ for custom shadow box frames.

Here are the backs of two shadowbox frames so you can see exactly how deep they are and how you can take them apart.  This is super important because some shadow box frames can be difficult to open and are misleading on the actual inner depth of the frame.

This first frame is a Dennis Daniels solid wood shadow box frame with a 1 3/4″ depth.  This frame comes in 8.5×11, 12×12 and 11×14 and is available in black, white and dark walnut. You can also get this same easy-to-use frame in a 1/2 depth in 8×8, 10×10 and 12×12 in seven different colors. To open this type of frame you simple take off the backing using the metal turns and slide off the backing- super simple.

This second type of shadow box frame is metal with a 1/2″ depth.  This metal shadow box frame opens up by sliding off one of the sides and then sliding in your foam core board with your keepsakes attached. To open the frame, all you do is lift the plastic tabs and slide off the side with both hands.

Now that you know a little more about shadow box frames here are just a few quick and simple examples (and I mean simple) of what you can display in a ready made shadow box frame. If you have even an ounce of creativity the shadow box frames you create will look ten times better

Athletic Awards

This is just one super simple example of a shadow box to display athletic awards. With items like medals, you can pin them to the shadow box frame backing (with this particular frame it has an acid free foam core backing) or you can stitch them to a piece of material and wrap the material around the backing. Both ways work just fine. The shadow box frame displayed with the awards is a Silver Metal Shadow Box Frame with a 1/2″ depth.

Shell Collection

With a shadow box frame you can get really creative in how you display your shells. I  didn’t want to secure the large shells to the backing so I just placed them in the shadow box frame and sprinkled small shells along the bottom to add a little more decoration to the frame. You could get creative and glue sand to the backing  but I was wanting a simple way to display two of my more fragile shells and keep them protected. The frame I used here was a White 8 1/2 x11 White 1 3/4″ depth shadowbox frame.

Plate Collection

You can also display items like collector’s plates as well. Although you can get frames designed specifically for plates, I personally like the rectangular shape of the frame with the round plate because it gives the plate a different look. Plus, I wanted a way to display the certificate with the plate so I wouldn’t lose it. Another reason I like this shadow box frame is because I can easily remove the backing and change plates as frequently as I want. The frame used here was a 11×14 Black 1 3/4″ depth shadow box frame.

Hopefully these few ideas have spurred you on to create your own shadow box frame with special items that have remained hidden and forgotten in your home. If you’d like to see our entire selection of shadow box frames you can see them here or contact our customer service at 1-800-780-0699 for information on our custom shadow box frames.