Use Dollar Tree Frames To DIY A Spooky Shadow Box For Your Halloween Decor

Shadowboxes are essentially 3D picture frames that let you store items, like important or sentimental trinkets that are too bulky to fit in a standard picture frame. You can easily create a shadow box for all of your treasured keepsakes. However, its contents don't have to be limited to priceless momentos. Due to the extra space between the panes, they are perfect for creating decorations with depth. For example, with a few seasonal items from Dollar Tree, you can make an epic Halloween shadowbox decoration.

This DIY is easy and doesn't require much. You should be able to find most of the items at your local Dollar Tree, perfect if you're already shopping there for something like a budget-friendly Dollar Tree DIY you need for a high-end Halloween table decor. The most basic necessities are two matching frames and a hot glue gun, which you'll use to glue the frames on top of each other. You can choose pretty much any frame you want, at any size or dimension, but make sure the face is flat.

As for how to decorate your shadow box, Dollar Tree can be hit-or-miss when it comes to seasonal items. In general, you want to stick to decorations that are smaller and flatter, such as seasonal Halloween ribbon, hanging Halloween decor, and Halloween glittery clip-on bats (which should fit inside your shadow box if you take off the clips). Pair these decorations with small bones, moss, and even Halloween-themed stickers. Paint comes in handy for customizing your frame or plain wood decor.

After you have gathered the items you need, paint your frames and use the drying time to customize or cut any other decorations before framing them. When dry, get started building your shadow box scene. Set your backing frame in front of you, facing up, and arrange your decor pieces. Create a graveyard scene or give spooky motifs a glittery backdrop. When you're happy with the look, set the second frame on top to ensure it will sit flush with the bottom one, then glue your decorations to the glass. Finally, glue the back of the second frame to the front of the frame containing your art and let it dry. Add a few Dollar Tree Halloween-themed stickers on the glass to add dimension. 

If the cavity between the panes of your shadow box is too skinny, another option is to stack more frames. Remove the glass and backing from the frame that will be in the middle, and add ¾ to 1 inch of extra space for thicker items. For just a little more room, buy thin wooden dowels and glue them between the frames as spacers. Alternatively, if you don't mind a little dusting (or know these time-saving dusting hacks), skip adding a second, top frame altogether, and choose pieces that extend past it. This works best with deep frames; just glue your decorations to the back or bottom edge of it for a truly three-dimensional scene.

Remember, shadow boxes make great decorations, and they don't have to be limited to Halloween. For something that better fits the season–and not just a couple of days–create one with an autumnal aesthetic, substituting moss and ghosts with acorns and leaves.