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Finished shadow box with "Back to the Beach" decal, sand, shells, and staged with a plant
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BEACH SHADOW BOX

Bring the beach home with this sweet DIY beach shadow box and your Cricut! This fun project can be modified in so many ways, with personal keepsakes, photos, and more!
Keyword: Beach, Shadow Box
Author: Cori George

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Material Note: You can cut this on your Cricut Maker 3 or Explore 3 using Smart Vinyl. That's what I'm doing for this project, but feel free to cut on a mat!
    Upload the Beach File to Cricut Design Space
    We will start by uploading the SVG file to Cricut Design Space (see Uploading SVG Files to Cricut Design Space if you need help).
    Cricut Design Space: Let's Go Back to the Beach file on the Canvas
  • Resize and recolor your decal to fit on on your frame. Because a bright blue background is being used for the shadow box, the decal was cut out in white so it stands out. If you do this, click the image and click Weld in the lower right corner to make it cut as a single piece. Learn more about Using Weld in Cricut Design Space.
    That's it! You're ready to make your beach shadow box. Click Make It in the upper right.
    Cricut Design Space: Beach decal resized, colored white, and welded
  • Cut Your Adhesive Vinyl
    If you have a Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore 3, you'll see a Mat Selection window. Without Mat was chosen because Smart Vinyl is being used, but choose On Mat if you're cutting using a mat. If you do not have one of these newer machines, you won't see this screen.
    Cricut Design Space: Mat Selection screen
  • On the next Prepare Screen, you'll see your image laid out on the mat (or just on the vinyl if using Smart Vinyl).
    Cricut Design Space: Prepare screen with decal on vinyl
  • On the Make Screen, you'll set your material to Smart Vinyl or removable vinyl. Make sure you have your fine point blade in your machine and place your vinyl colored side up. Insert your mat or material and your Cricut will cut your project!
    Cricut Maker 3 with Roll Holder attached
  • Weed Your Vinyl
    Next we're going to "weed" the negative space from around each image. I have an extensive post about Weeding Adhesive Vinyl, which you'll want to read—tons of tips and tricks to making it easier.
    Hands weeding adhesive vinyl decal.
  • Use Transfer Tape to Adhere Your Vinyl
    Once your decal is weeded, it’s time to use transfer tape to adhere it to your glass. BE CAREFUL. Do not press too hard—you don't want the glass to break. You can see an in-depth tutorial about Using Transfer Tape if you need it (plus troubleshooting tips if you’re struggling!).
    Start by cutting a piece of transfer tape the same size as your decal. Peel the backing sheet off the transfer tape and place the sticky side of the transfer tape down on your decal.
    Hands placing transfer tape on decal.
  • You can use your hands or a scraper to burnish the transfer tape down on top of the vinyl.
    Hands using scraper to burnish transfer tape on decal.
  • Then flip it over, and peel the backing sheet away from the transfer tape. Your decal should stick to the transfer tape—you can use your fingernail to catch anything that isn’t sticking cleanly.
    Hands peeling back carrier sheet on vinyl
  • Then flip it over and press it onto your glass! The decal was placed a little high on the glass because there would be sand at the bottom of the beach shadow box.
    Hands placing the decal on the shadow box.
  • Use the scraper to burnish the vinyl into the glass.
    Hands using the scraper to burnish the decal to the glass
  • Then peel back the transfer tape and your vinyl should stick!
    Hands peeling back the transfer tape carrier sheet.
  • Then fill your shadow box with all of your goodies! I found it easiest to put the sand and shells toward the bottom so the shells would sit on top of the sand.
    Hands filling shadow box with sand and shells.
  • A piece of scrapbook paper was used as the background, as well as shells and sand added—but make this project your own!
    Finished shadow box with "Back to the Beach" decal, sand, shells, and staged with a plant