Creating Memory Shadowboxes
April 22, 2009 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Home & Living
My daughter purchased shadowbox frames for saving family memories. We now are trying to decide whose memories we’ll place in each. We have two larger ones and two 8 x 10-inch frames.
In a shadowbox frame, the solid back is recessed beyond the front of the frame, so you can place something three dimensional as well as flat objects within it. We have several options:
Memorabilia of my uncle’s, particularly his World War II medals, photos of his military years, perhaps parts of letters written to my mom from training camps, along with any other items we find. Background might be flag decorations, patriotic symbols, portions of the letters, WWII scenes, or a map of Guam, where he was stationed in the Pacific.
Memories of my brother’s life. He passed away 17 years ago, and I’d like to accumulate memories of him, from his baby pictures to his life as a dad. He collected baseball cards, loved to read, operated a dairy cattle, and enjoyed laughter.
For a smaller frame, perhaps I’ll recreate one of my favorite trips…packing into the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming with my husband and daughter, when she was 12 years old. I have photos, maps, and camping memorabilia I can arrange in this box.
Shadowboxes may be about:
- A specific person’s life
- An event in a person’s life
- A place you’ve visited
- An event in history that has meaning for you
- Family tree/genealogy memorabilia
- Abstract fabric and paper designs with embellishments
What have you done with shadowboxes?
My sister and I made a fairly large (30 inches x 18 inches) shadow box when our Mother retired from nursing. When we helped her clean out her office, we found a drawer full of plaques, certificates, and awards she’d earned. We copied them and shrunk them down to serve as wallpaper for the shadow box. Some of the dimensional items I remember most are a bottle of white shoe polish and a pair of white shoelaces (she polished her shoes every night), Her hospital ID badge, her nursing school graduation photo, a mortar and pestle, a large brass aspirin, a syrings, photos of past and current patients, an origami representation of her no-longer-worn nursing cap, and a lot of plastic IV tubing that wound in and around all of these items. We had a blast putting it together and everyone who came to my Mother’s retirement party loved it.
When our son was about 8, I made a shadow box with mementos of our family. More than 30 years later, I still treasure it and have it on display. I included a lock of my hair and our son’s, my husband’s fraternity pin, his Army insignia, a heart, pieces of a program from the NYC Ballet, and several photos. There’s a piece of an envelope that my DH sent while he was away serving our country. It has an 8 cent stamp with President Eisenhower on it. Long time ago …
Leslie and Eileen, thanks for sharing your shadow box ideas and letting us know how you saved treasured memories this way. Doing this with other family members can be lots of fun, too.
When my mother died 4 1/2 years ago, I purchased several shadow box frames to make memory boxes for my brothers, my sister and myself. Every time I started to work on them, I became so emotional that I could not continue. I still don’t know whether I can do them, but I feel that it is time to do it. Thanks for reminding me of them and maybe it is time for me to bite the bullet and make a serious start.