DIY Littlest Pet Shop Shadow Boxes

Warning! These are so much fun to make and are super cute when finished!

Start by gathering your supplies. 

You will need:

•small boxes (we got ours at the dollar store and had to cut out the viewing square. I know you can buy these premade but we couldn't find any in time for this activity)

•pet shops

•miniture trees

•scrabble tiles

•pencil, scissors, craft/exacto knife, paint brush

•white paint

•cotton batting (we used wool roving as I didn't have cotton baton on hand)

•paper to make a square pattern piece

•sparkles/crystal glitter

*not shown: glue gun

**also I adapted this activity after the first picture was taken of the supplies. I had planned on just painting the background but it looked to boring so we added a few extra things to add some detail

So you may also want the following:

•coloured scrapbook paper

•snowflakes (mine were scrapbooking brads but I'm sure the dollar store has something you could use)

•thin nylon line

•bottle caps (to add height for your pet shops)

Ready to begin?

Start by making a square pattern shape from paper and trace it into your box lid.

Very carefully cut along the line with your craft/exacto knife. Adult supervision is recommended when using a craft knife!

If when you are finished the edges look rough like this:

Then take your craft knife and gently scrap off the frayed edges.

Next paint the inside of the box white. We painted the whole thing white inside but changed our minds and added paper to the centre. If you plan on adding paper  to yours then you only need to paints the side of the inside of your box.

When the paint dries. Cut a square of scrapbook paper to fit your box bottom and glue in place.

Next glue two bottles caps to the bottom side of your box. This elevates the pet shops above the rim when your lid is on your box.

Add some cotton baton to partially cover the caps and become the snow in your shadow box.

Glue on your pet shop to one bottle cap and a tree to the other. I also put a larger tree in the corner. Once the pet is glued in place fluff up the baton to cover the rest of the bottle cap. You can also sprinkle glitter over the baton to add some sparkle.

Choose a word to add on. Glue the scrabble tiles to the back wall with a glue gun. Be sure to leave at least 1/4" around the edge or you won't be able to see the letters completely when the lid is in. We made this mistake with the pink deer one below. 

We also added some snowflakes by attaching them to a piece of thin nylon string and gluing it to the too of the box.

Put your lid on and you are finished.

So what do you think? Will you give them a try? Let us know if you do.