Shadow Boxes

I am a big fan of shadow boxes.  They are a wonderful way to store and present memories / souvenirs.  It's an extremely flexible medium, only restricted by the depth of your frame. As an added bonus you can rearrange your collection with a few straight pins.

I found this sleek black frame at T.J. Maxx a few years ago for $23:

Example 1: College pride (Go Big Green!)

Several years later, I was lucky enough to find this "shabby chic" sweet white shadow box for $17!  I grabbed with the immediate idea to make it a functional decoration-- a jewelry "box" display.  The door makes for east access when I want to wear a piece and when I am not I can appreciate my necklaces as wall decor.  Straight pins allow me to choose whatever height is perfect for a necklace and bracelets, saving me from nightmarish tangles.  The larger "canvas" of the shadow box keeps my wall space from looking messy and busy by bringing together various pieces into a cohesive whole.

Example 2: Displaying Jewelry

With a little bit of handiwork, I think I could probably even make one.  Pick out a nice picture frame as the "cover", create the "frame out of 4 long pieces of wood and for the back just wrap some foam with a fabric of your choice and a few staples to the back base.  Buy two hinges from a hardware store, either a hook or magnets for closure and voila!  Perhaps this will be a good project for me in the future when I come across a well priced and interesting large frame.  For now I can enjoy my two T.J. Maxx finds.