Hellobee

Upcycled Cloud Shadowbox

You saw Jennifer’s design skills in the Summer Fun List Printable she created, but she’s also going to be doing some fabulous diy projects for us as well! Please help me in welcoming the very talented graphic designer and mama of 3 Jennifer Kirk to Hellobee!

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Always trying to conjure up new ideas to reuse various packaging and materials that would otherwise head to the trash or recycling, I came up with this shadow box idea using paper towel rolls. You can simplify the process by a couple of steps by eliminating the second roll altogether.

You will need:
Two paper towel rolls
Washi tape
White spray paint
Glue gun
Spray adhesive
Craft/X-Acto knife
Scissors
Self-healing mat
Ruler
Pencil

Step 1 Preparing the rolls:
Cut paper towel rolls in half lengthwise.

Step 2 Permanently nest one roll inside the other:
Spread open one roll and completely spray the inside with adhesive. Next, spray the entire outside of the second roll. Carefully align and nest the second roll inside the first and firmly press together so you now have a double-thick roll.

Step 3 Cut out the curls:
Starting from one end of the roll, measure in and with a pencil, make a couple of marks at 2 inches. Gently open up the curl and flatten with ruler. Using X-Acto knife, cut out. Repeat until you have four “curls.”

Step 4 Adjust and lay out:
The curls are all the same size. You’ll want to vary the length of each curl to create an interesting cloud shape. For a tighter curl, trim off a good inch. For a looser, larger curl, trim off about 1/4.” Trim off, arranging as you go, until you get a good cloud shape. Fold in the end pieces about 1/4″ – 1/2″ to create “tabs” for the shadow box base to attach to. Since the cardboard is double-thick, the “tabs” are a bit thick too. If you like, you can very lightly run your X-Acto along the inside of the fold so that you’re only cutting through the first layer. When cut through, carefully lift up a corner of this inside layer, then peel off. Your tab should now be just one-layer thick.

Step 5 Attach curls together:
Butt up the ends of two curl pieces (curls facing up/coming towards you) and tape together (I prefer washi tape because it is thin and adheres well to paper). Cut off excess tape. Repeat with remaining curls. I made the mistake of not applying enough spray adhesive in step 2, so in a couple of places, my two layers of roll came apart. I remedied this with a bit of washi tape.

Step 6 Create and attach base:
Cut out a stiff piece of cardboard (stiff enough to hold objects without drooping — chipboard or the back of an artist’s sketchbook would do) that is two inches wide and eight inches long. Wrap the “tabs” created in step 4 around the edges of the base and secure in place with a thin line of hot glue.

Step 7 Finalize with paint:
Lastly, apply a few light coats of white spray paint, allowing to dry in between coats. Now your shadow box is ready for display!

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