I have a couple upcoming craft shows this holiday season, and since I’m displaying some new items - like my Fridge Therapy post cards - I wanted to add some new ways to show them off on my table. As much as I like rifling through stacks of prints to see what’s there, I also know sometimes I get bored and lose interested if there’s too many items to go through. So I thought for my cards it would be a good idea to display them so they can be seen at a glance. Of course, not all my prints will fit in here, but that leaves only a handful left to rifle through. Or, more likely, I’ll display them flat on the table right in front of the box.
Anyway, if anyone is interested in some easy ways to customize your own display cases, look no further! I don’t always have the time or where-with-all to build something from scratch, but there are so many stores that sell things ready-made that can be easily modified. Like these shadow display boxes, for example. I got them from Home Goods, for a moderate price. They’re already assembled, with the display clips mounted. I could have used them as is, but where’s the fun in that?
First, I wanted to make it more personalized, so I removed the clips and painted the back my signature teal with glitter. I figured the white postcards would really pop against the color, and most of my artwork has that color as a base so it would all tie together nicely. Make sure you use painter’s tape around the edges if you’re trying to keep the original color in tact. I wish I had thicker tape on hand, because I still managed to paint above it in a few spots and then had to paint over those in white.
Once my base color was dried, I added a glitter layer. And once that was completely dry, I added a satin gloss varnish that I usually use to seal my paintings. One note specifically for the boxes I bought - these were unfinished wood and I got so many effing splinters I can’t tell you. The roughened edges are an effect for sure, but I really regret not just sanding the whole thing, even quickly. But I didn’t want to have to paint the whole thing either, so I’m living with the consequences. I thought the varnish would help it a bit, but it wasn’t thick enough to make a significant impact.
Anyway, once all the top coat dried, it was time to reapply the clips. I just hand screwed the screws back through the holes before putting the clips themselves on because I’d clogged a few with paint. They were short screws, so it wasn’t too much effort taking them out to put them back in. Worth the extra step.
And finally, I bought a set of hinges from Home Depot so I could affix the boxes to one another. My thinking was twofold. First I’d have one complete display box I could also maybe use for storage purposes and secondly I’m hoping the hinge helps the boxes support each other while they’re standing. I was a bit concerned they would tip over with how light they are, but now that they’re fastened together they’re much steadier.
And there you have it! Hope this inspires you to get creative with your display cases, or even when decorating your home. It’s so easy to modify something to suit your own tastes. Even if you don’t have time to fully customize what you want, a quick coat of paint can make all the difference in the world!