Shadowbox Kitchen Sign

I have a thing for puns. And paper crafting. So you can bet when I can put them together, I’m in a happy place.

I saw this shadowbox technique on Pinterest, of course. And I filed it away in my brain for “just the right time.”

The process is pretty straightforward, but don’t worry – I made it harder just because that’s how I like to roll.

The Ribba Frame mentioned in the original tutorial is perfect for this – it has an insert that lets you put something in the front and something in the back for a perfect shadowbox look. It comes with a mat, but that isn’t needed for this project.

Create the basic artwork

In Adobe Illustrator, which is my drawing program of choice, I set up an artboard that is 9 x 9, since that’s the maximum size of the insert for the frame. I then set up my pun in a typeface that would cut out nicely (you need one that doesn’t let the counters fall out of the letters).

I found some clipart for my spatula and then had to stop for the math. What I wanted was a square “mat” that would be the front most piece. That would have a cutout which would reveal the spatula. The Spatula level would have a large cut out which would let the type layer show. And then I’d back it all with one solid 9 x 9 piece at the back of the frame.

Truth time: I didn’t do any math at all. I let Adobe Illustrator do it all for me.  I just started drawing and adjusting squares until I had what I needed.

If you look at my image below, the red square is the cutout part of the first 9 x9 square. It will serve as that “mat” for the rest of the image.

The green lines show the layer to cut for the spatula – the trick here is the spatula has to be welded to the top and bottom of the opening so it holds on to it. You can see the green lines are just a little smaller than the red – that means the parts holding the spatula together are going to be hidden by that first layer, so it will look like that spatula is just floating there.

The last two layers are both 9 x9 – one has the type cut out and one has no art at all – it’s just the 9 x 9 sheet that shows only through the cutout letters.

Once I had the files all set up I exported the individual layers as DXF files because the basic version of Silhouette Studio can’t handle an AI or EPS file, but it has not problem with a DXF file.

I had some neat grunge paper stock that matches the colors in my kitchen. So I used that to cut each layer.

Final Assembly

Once everything is cut you make a paper sandwich – full 9 x9 sheet first, then the letter cutout layer next. On top of that goes the insert from the frame that creates the shadowbox look. Next goes the spatula layer, and finally the mat layer that hides all the magic.

In the photo below, my mat layer is yellow and off to the side, and the frame is at the bottom.

When it’s all assembled with the glass and the backer with the hanging hook, it’s hard to tell how it was made. Mr. SuzerSpace paid me the ultimate compliment by remarking that it looked like something you’d buy in the store.

Spoiler alert: I’m probably not going to stop at one.

Pin this so you can come back and make it later!

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