Please don’t hate me. I am posting a holiday project before we’ve even begun to celebrate Thanksgiving. If I waited until after Thanksgiving to introduce this goodie, however, you might miss the chance to re-create and enjoy it in your home this holiday season.
That said, check out this super simple way to add a touch of sparkle to your holiday decor with a fun and festive Jingle Bells Shadow Box. It makes a great gift, too!
Step 1: Gather supplies.
- shadow box or glass block
- vinyl decal
- bells, various colors and sizes
- glitter card stock or scrapbook paper
For my box, I recycled the frame from an old desktop clock. Its measurements are similar to an ordinary shadow box — 7.5 x 7.5″ with a working depth just shy of 1″. I don’t own a cutting machine so I bought the 6×6″ Jingle All the Way foil decal from my local craft store along with the glitter card stock and assortment of bells.
Step 2: Adhere vinyl design to glass.
Before applying the decal, I made sure the glass was clean and dry. Then I followed the instructions on the decal sheet.
(1) Remove the back paper. Check.
(2) Position the decal on surface. Check.
(3) Rub cover sheet with craft stick to transfer decal to the surface. Check.
(4) Remove cover sheet to release the decal. Umm, nope. My decal did not stick! Has anyone else had this problem?!
I ended up using an X-Acto knife to separate the decal from the cover sheet, and then I held it in place with a craft stick as I slowly peeled away the cover sheet. I did it in sections and applied pressure once the decal was fully on the glass to make it stay. I don’t know whether it was user or manufacturer error, but it worked in the end.
Step 3: Fill with bells.
The large, multi-colored bells are 1″ while the smaller silver bells vary from 0.24″, 0.40″ and 0.51″. The only consideration I made was to face the large bells forward since there would be no room to rotate once the backing was attached. Otherwise I just filled the box to a level of my preference.
Note: Extra bells can be used to adorn gifts or make other holiday crafts. And if you’re feeling really fancy, add a string of battery-powered fairy lights for a gorgeous glow!
Step 4: Cut complementary paper to size and use as backdrop.
Since I recycled an old clock, I cut a piece of glitter card stock and attached it with a staple gun for the backing. If you’re using a shadow box or picture frame, adhere holiday scrapbook paper to the frame’s cardboard backing, taking care to leave the top open so it will slide back into the slot smoothly.
Totally easy and very pretty.
Make one for your bookshelf or mantel and one for a friend, too! Happy Holidays! — v.
