DIY Beach Shadow Box - An Upcycle Stencil Project

by To Work With My Hands

12 Materials

$17.00

2 Hours

Easy

There’s not much that I love to do as well as working on a repurposed or upcycled project – except maybe going to the beach.
So when this season’s Blogger Challenge topic was announced and we were give the challenge to upcycle something using nature-themed stencils from Cutting Edge Stencils, it took no time at all for me to decide which one I’d choose.

diy beach shadow box an upcycle stencil project

I loved the starfish the moment I saw it, and although I didn’t know exactly what my project would be, I knew it would include this fabulous stencil.

So a few weeks later while I was shopping, I stopped in my tracks when I saw this:

It captured my attention mostly because I love the beach. It also inspired this project that features that gorgeous starfish stencil. I took the general idea and created a project of my own using a shadow box I had picked up at the thrift store last year.

(Tip: In your thrifting trips, always bring home anything that appeals to you. It may take a while before you find a good use for it, but when you decide how to use it, you’ll be so glad you have it on hand.)

Mine is quite a bit smaller than the one I found in the store, but it was the perfect size for the stencil. I just love it when supplies “fit” together so perfectly – especially when I’m using a great thrift store find.

I started by removing the ribbon hanger, taking the box apart, and removing the wood letter. After a light sanding, I gave it a fresh paint job using a combination of two colors of paint: “Plaster” by Waverly, and “Lite Mocha” by Apple Barrel. I wanted a very light, sand-color, so I mixed the colors in a 3:1 ratio.

While it was drying, I went to work on the new background. I scavenged through my husband's workshop and found a stick of red oak that was the perfect width. We cut it into four pieces that fit the dimensions of the inside of the box, and I was ready to paint.

The oak had a wonderful grain that really showed off well and I was so pleased with the results of the new painting technique I tried for this project. Visit the blog for the details.

To reassemble the box, I started by gluing the wood pieces into the bottom.

Next, I replaced the glass and glued the frame back on, and added a nautical-style rope for the hanger.

I love my new beachy shadow box, and I had so much fun joining the other creative bloggers who designed projects using something they already had and a nature-themed stencil. Visit the blog for links to all of the gorgeous projects!

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Thrifted shadow box (thrift store)
Acrylic craft paint - "Cloudless" by Apple Barrel (Wal-Mart)
Acrylic craft paint - "Granite Gray" by Apple Barrel (Wal-Mart)
Acrylic craft paint - "Antique" by Apple Barrel (Wal-Mart)
Acrylic craft paint - "Lite Mocha" by Apple Barrel (Wal-Mart)
Acrylic craft paint - "Plaster" by Waverly (Wal-Mart)
Sponge paint brush (Hobby Lobby)
Red oak scraps (on hand)
Old cotton rag (on hand)
Starfish stencil (Cutting Edge Stencils)
Martha Stewart stencil brushes (Michael's)
Rope (on hand)

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4 of 7 comments

Brenda S. on Jan 31, 2017
So pretty :)

1 Reply
- To Work With My Hands on Jan 31, 2017
  Thank you!
  
  Like
Patti @Hearth and Vine on Feb 01, 2017
Great for a beach house decor. I really love the color wash on the wood.

1 Reply
- To Work With My Hands on Feb 01, 2017
  Thank you, Patti! :)
  
  Like