I made these Christmas ornaments after seeing and being inspired by Kittie Kraft’s Pillow Window Ornament HEREÂ (photo at right). Isn’t it so precious? I knew these would be perfect to make for my friend, Bev (YT: NewCrafterBev) who is collecting holiday cards and ornaments for injured veterans because these ornaments can be flattened for mailing and then popped back up for a very dimensional whimsical decoration.
I used the We R Memory Keepers Pillow Box Punch Board to construct the pillow box from bright red Shimmerz card stock (love that shimmer!) cut down to 6″ x 5 5/8″. Then I die cut a fancy window and a glittery gold frame using the Diemond Dies Labels 1 Nesting Die Set. For the background liner piece, I cut a piece of white card stock to 2 1/2″ x 4 5/8″ and used the pillow box punch board to score the curved top and bottom, which I then hand fussy cut away.
To decorate the background scene and lay in a foreground, I blended on a sky with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass and a lush forest base with Mowed Lawn. Â Then I die cut the two smaller trees from the Diemond Dies Pine Tree Die Set, the Small Christmas Tree Die, and the Grass Border Die to create a forest look. I inked up the trees and grass with more Mowed Lawn and used an Inkadinkado sponge chalk applicator to ink up the trunks with Gathered Twigs.
Then for the focal points, I used the stag and fawn from the Diemond Dies Deer Trio Die and inked them up with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen, Tea Dye, and Gathered Twigs. For this inking, the small areas really call for using those sponge chalk applicators. Lastly I added details like the white spots with a Sakura white gelly roll pen, the eyes with a Gathered Twigs Tim Holtz Distress Marker, and a red nose punched out from a scrap of the Shimmerz card stock with a 1/16″ hole punch.
I kept the rest of the decor on these ornaments simple but decided to add a small gold glitter star as a little accent die cut from the Diemond Dies Nesting Stars Die Set. If you wanted to make a more simple ornament (less coloring), I think this technique of making a shadow box ornament from a pillow box would work great with the Diemond Dies Build a Snowman Die Set and maybe more small stars from the Christmas Ornament Die or decorative lights from the Christmas Lights Die Set added to the inside scene.
Remember, my readers can get 10% off and free worldwide shipping at Diemond Dies on all orders of $35 or more by using the coupon code “thankskristina” at check out.
The following is a start to finish tutorial video of how to make this pillow shadow box ornament:
These ornaments are being entered into the following challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner CASE It Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Treat Bag/Box Challenge
Fab ‘n’ Funky Lots of Sparkle Challenge
Card Mania Let it Shine Challenge
Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
613 Avenue Create Anything Goes with Option of Green and Gold Challenge – WINNER
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes Challenge
Creatalicious Anything Goes Challenge
Just Keep Creating Anything Goes Challenge
Not Just Cards Anything Goes Challenge
Beautiful original boxes!
Thanks for playing at Card Mania Challenge.
Ileanaxx
Thanks so very much Ileana! Yes, these can easily be mailed like a card, and then popped up by the recipient to be dimensional ornaments. 🙂
A wonderful project!
Thank you soo much for taking part in our “anything goes with optional Halloween” challenge over at Creatalicious & good luck in the draw.
Hope to see you again in our new challenge as well…
Hugs,
Melanie
(DT-Coordinator Creatalicious Challenges)
(DT Crafty Friends)
(DT The Sketchy Challenges)
Thanks bunches Melanie! These were super fun to craft for the veterans. 🙂 I hope they enjoy them
These are totally adorable!! I may just have to come back and borrow this tutorial!!! Beautiful job!! Thanks for playing at Crafty Gals Corner!!
Awww thanks so much Sara! What a sweet comment! I hope you give this a try and if you do, please let me know. I’d love to see your version! Big hugs, Kristina