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Skaters and Houses Shadow Box Card

This papercraft project is sort of a shadow box, sort of a pop up card. It doesn't exactly pop up, although it is possible to ship it flat.

Front of shadow box



It reminds me of a painting of people skating on the canals in the Netherlands.

This is what it looks like when back lit.

back lit shadow box of skaters




The skaters and houses are slotted through the floor of the shadow box.  The backing is snowflake printed vellum paper.


How to make a skater shadow box card

Make it!

The skaters are a free file from The Graphics Fairy.


How to make this skaters and houses shadow box card

You will need a cutting machine for this shadow box card.

Click to download file set: Silhouette Studio, PDF, DXF, SVG (how to use my SVG files in Cricut Design Space).    Files download for free. Most of my readers support my site with a small contribution when downloading.  Thank you!

Pay what you wish for the tutorial and to support this site.   Suggested contribution for this project is $1.99.


Cut box frame piece, skaters, and houses.
Crease along score lines, curling all four edges toward the back.

cut pieces for shadow box



Slot the house piece through the long slots, from the front of the card to the back (right side to wrong side).
add houses to shadow box pop up card



It will look like this from the back.

slots on shadow box card



Slot the skaters through the small slots.

add skaters to shadow box card


Tape the tabs to the wrong side of the card.

tape tabs on shadow box card





At this point you will form the boxes that make the roof and floor of the frame.

This is what it will look like when you are done with this step.

shadow box assembly top and bottom


Spread adhesive on the right side of the top long tab.  I like tape runner for this.
In the photo below, you are looking at the wrong side of the card.  The tab has been folded down, toward the wrong side.
glue tabs



Flatten the top section of the shadow box, with the tab tucked under, gluing the tab to the back of the frame.  The adhesive covered line is just above the snowflakes, and the tab matches to the top part of the frame.

flatten to glue tabs



Adhere the bottom in the same manner.

flatten to glue tab on bottom of box



Pop the boxes open at the top and bottom.  Adjust the crease across the feet of the houses and skaters as needed so they stand up straight.

pop up shadow box finished



Cut a piece of vellum paper to fit the back of the frame, 4,5" x 4".  
Adhere the vellum to the back of the boxes.   I like to do this with the card flattened, but do what works best for you.
vellum paper added to back of shadow box

If you want to ship your card flattened, stop here!


To create the 3D shadow box, connect the sides at the top and bottom.

Slide the side tabs into the slots on the corners of the top and bottom boxes.
The next picture shows the slots without the vellum, for clarity.  No adhesive necessary.

slide tabs into slots



Arrows pointing to the slots.  This shows what the back will look like.

vellum adhered to back of card


The finished shadow box.

front lit shadow box with houses and skaters