Thursday, June 17, 2010

DIY Shadowbox

So, I had this idea for Father's Day for the mister...a Pittsburgh Steelers shadowbox.  I headed out to Hobby Lobby to get a shadowbox and the ready-made ones were not the right size.  So they price quoted me on a custom-made shadowbox and it was $170!  I said, um, yeah..thanks.  I'll get creative and figure something else out.  I decided to take a trip to Home Depot.  I had my daughter and oldest son with me, and we headed over.  I walked in and a customer service rep asked me if I have found everything ok (well, not really since I just got here), and I told her I need some help with my idea.  Common sense told me of course what I needed to do, but I really wasn't sure where to start.  She pointed out 2 guys down the way and said they'd be the best.  As we walked toward them, one started walking toward us.  He asked me if I needed any help and I said, actually, yes, I'm looking for you!  You could tell this was really this guy's calling.  He was so excited to help me.  I told him what I wanted and he basically just shopped with me.  Then, we get all the materials, and he says so is anyone helping you when you get started besides me helping you pick the stuff out?  I said, um, no - well, a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old.  He said are you able to cut the wood?  I said, well, we just bought a jig saw, but I haven't used it.  I think I scared him.  He said, okay, I'll cut these then.  This guy helped me get my nails, made sure what I had and what I didn't have, and kept to a budget, he cut my boards all down and sent me on my way.

So we got home, and everything went so smooth.  I am using paint I already had, built it, painted the first coat, and I just need to go get one more thing, and it will be done for approximately..........$35! 

More to come and pictures later....


It's pretty much finished now.  I just need to go get the glass, print off a picture of the other half and his brother from their Pittsburgh trip for the frame in there, and put the magnet on.  It's far from perfect, but it was something very new for me. I ended up deciding to do hinges with magnet closure and adding a knob, not part of the original plan but he can add to it or take things out this way.




It has a couple of felt flags, half of a football helmet, a Steelers picture frame, a merchandise book with a signature, the Terrible Towel, a little football guy (beats me who it is), a Steelers helmet pipe, a ticket to the Steelers game in Pittsburgh, and a Cardinals ticket.  The Cardinals ticket is significant to him because after they both played the Super Bowl, he went to the Steelers' first game of the next season and then 3 days later went to the Cardinals' first game of the season.  I think I will add something Super Bowl-ish too. 

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