Two weeks back, I participated in one of these creative group challenges on facebook. They asked to work on some form of altered art on a shadow box. Naturally everyone participating, rushed to Ikea to pick shadow boxes worth dhs 30 !  Frugal me instead, decided to improvise. We have a tradition in our home of having a pizza party every Friday afternoon. My husband loves to pamper the boys on the one day he is at home with us. ( That minus the almost 5 other days, we have a meal out !)

Since Pizza Hut’s meal for four has two medium size boxes, I generally don’t dispose those boxes after the meal. They get stacked up in my new white cupboard which stocks all “recycleable ” stuff like cat food tins/cans, pringle tubes, empty toilet rolls and what have you ! You get the idea, don’t you !! Yes, very few things find their way into the bin in this house  🙂  I suppose, Dubai Muncipality should be appreciating my efforts to keep a recycling center right IN my house !!  🙂

Anyways, back to the story :- So naturally I turn to the pizza box and try to envision the transformation !!  Strangely,  its really not so difficult to make at all !

Here’s the process :-

I measured a large square on the back or base of the box  { it is more sturdy since it gets additional support from the three adjoining sides } almost 1 inch away from the edge on all four sides. Make a crease on that line so that cutting thru it will be easier.  Then cut thru the measured square on all four sides with a sharp  blade. I used my steel ruler/scale to give me direction and support. BTW, this particular project did not use a pizza hut box instead it is of another pizza company.

Once the face/base of the box was cut off, I then measured a large 12 x 12 scrapbooking paper as per the dimensions of the inside of the box. Applied some white glue to the paper and adhered it to the box inside.

This is the stage where the box is now ready for all the decoration to drop on it.  Let the designing begin !

Since I had a rough idea of how I wanted it to look, I divided the box into four parts. The top being the largest while the below had three nearly equal parts. It was divided by a black polka dot ribbon on top and black thin left-over cardstock. Strangely enough, this is the part that took the longest and I made a couple of goof ups here !!

I had planned to keep the theme romantic, hence I distressed some blue wooden alphabets spelling “Love” and glued them haphazardly on the top half of the box. Later I cut three heart shapes out of a story book paper  and gently glued them together in the center. I then glued the hearts on the boxes in the below part. I repeated this process twice for the other two parts as well.

I made spiral flowers out of some left over papers and adhered them with hot glue towards the top right side of the “love sign” and the bottom left side too. Some small flowers were also glued for an added effect.

For the frame look of the shadow box. I measured and cut four stripes of patterned paper and attached it to the “frame” !

and ……….. Voila !!

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It took less than an 1 1/2 hour to finish this entire project and apart from the wooden alphabets, I am sure, everyone carries almost all of the said items in their homes !

So ? What’d you think ?   I really hope, I have inspired some one out there. to try out something similar  !!

Please feel free to tell me how you liked my ‘ pizza box turned shadow box’ . Oh yeah, my creativity and thinking out of the box, did cost me !!  Sadly, the challenge was for a shadow box and they disapproved the transformation of the pizza box to the shadow box !!! They decided they did not want to accept anything less than a prim and proper shadow box !!

So I licked my wounds and then licked some more, for a couple of days and later, pushed my disappointments into making a whole lot of more pizza boxes into shadow boxes ! !!  Folks, that’s Naush for you !!!  Down but not for long :)))

Frankly,  I had a lot of fun, visualizing, then designing, then goofing up, then re-designing, and then actually improving and making it work for me !! Challenge or not ~ competition or not ~ I am happy with my little project. How about you ?

Have you ever been let down by some silly rule of any challenge after making a real effort to participate ? I mean, everyone is always talking about thinking out of the box these days, well  I literally did think “out of the box” and guess where it got me !!!  🙂

Have a beautiful day friends and thank you so much for visiting me today.

I am linking this project with the following parties, I hope you can visit them too and share some of your own creative projects.

Party Time at The 36th Avenue, Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home, Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage, Share Your Cup Party at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, Hookin’ Up with HOH at House of Hepworths, Talkin’ about Thursday at Designed Decor, Live Laugh Linky at Live Laugh Rowe, Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life, The Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush, Made U Look Linky at Made in a Day, Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse, Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life, Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage, Catch a Glimpse Party at A Glimpse Inside, 52 Mantels, Creative Inspirations Linky Party at Embracing Change, Simply Create Link Party at Redfly Creations, What To Do Weekends at Crafts a la Mode Simply Creations Link Party at My Simple Homelife, Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed, Inspire Me Please Link Party at Liz Marie Blog, Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, What Have You Redone at Redoux Interiors, Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home, Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove, Simple and Sweet Fridays at Rooted inThyme, Be Inspired at Common Ground, Faunt It Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous, Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo, Show and Tell Friday at Romantic Home, Junkin’ Joe Vintage and Thrifty Finds at The Cottage Market, Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots and Jello, Shabbilicious Friday Link Party at Shabby Art Boutique, Tickled Pink at 504 Main, Anything Blue Friday at The Dedicated House, Rustic Restorations Weekend Link Party at Homespun Happenings,  Great Idea Thursdays at A Handful of Everything, One Sharendipity Place at The T2 Women Blog, http://www.whatjeanlikes.com/2013/06/aloha62.html,http://www.myturnforus.com/  http://www.beneathmyheart.net/

4. Create   and Inspire Party   7.   Pinteresting Pinning Party 10. Dear   Creatives  WIW Linky party

Saturday Show and Tell at Cheerios and Lattes, Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors, A Bouquet of Talent Party at Life on Lakeshore Drive, Strut Your Stuff Party at Six Sisters’ Stuff, Show and Tell Saturday at Sassy little Lady, Get Schooled Satuday at Too Much Time on My Hands, Power of Pinterest Party at Fox Hollow Cottage, Your Great Idea Party at Or So She Says, Overflowing with Creativity party at It’s Overflowing, Craft Country Cottage Party at Old Red Barn, Saturday SHOW-licious Craft Showcase at Sew-licious

DIY sunday show case,   Anything blue Friday,    Will cook for smiles,   Saturday spotlight,    Check me out Saturdays

2.   Spotlight Saturday   6. Seasonal   Inspiration 7. Weekend   Wonders 9. Create   and Inspire Party

The Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming, Sunny Simple Sundays Party at Sunny Simple Life, Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime, Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, It’s Party Time at Three Mango Seeds, Restyled Sundays at Stylish Once Again, Silver Pennies Sundays at Silver Pennies, Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop at A Blossoming Life, Inspired Sunday at Sunday View http://itssoverycheri.com/http://www.youngandcrafty.com/

http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.ae/      3. Pick of the Bunch Sundays   4.   Scrumptious Sundays     http://www.onetoughmotherblog.com/ Huckleberry Love http://www.cherishedhandmadetreasures.com/  Clever chicks blog hop   Bewitch me & Titi  Through the Craftroom door

• 1. Market   Yourself Monday
• 5. Motivate   Me Monday
• 6. More the   Merrier Monday 
• 8. The   Chicken Chick 
• http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/
• http://www.madincrafts.com/2013/06/mad-skills-link-party-161.html
• http://www.skiptomylou.org/
• http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/
• Masterpiece Monday at Boogieboard Cottage, Mop It Up Monday at I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill, Pink Hippo Party at Pinkapotamus, Monday No Rules Blog Hop at A Sorta Fairytale,Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative, Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch, Making the World Cuter Monday, Before and After at Thrifty Decor Chick (first Monday of the month), What’s in the Gunny Sack at the Gunny Sack, Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House, Mod Mix Monday at Mod Vintage Life, Budget Decorating Party at Creative Cain Cabin, That DIY Party at DIY Showoff, The DIY’ers Link Party at Home Coming, Pin It Hop at Minette’s Maze, Marvelous Monday at this Gal Cooks, Give Me the Goods Party at Rain on a Tin Roof    Pattern Party    On display Monday    Sunny Simple Life

One Project at a Time at A Bowl Full of Lemons, Transformation Tuesday at The Ironstone Nest, Monday Funday at Creatively Living, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm, The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch, Project Inspired{d}at Cupcakes and Crinoline, You’re Gonna Love It at Kathe with an E, Transformed Tuesdays at PJH Designs, Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House, Take a Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts, Primp Your Stuff Wednesday at Primp Junktion, Be Inspired at Elizabeth and Co, Pretty Things Link Party at twelveOeight, Time to Shine at A Diamond in the Stuff, Too Cute Tuesday at Funky Polkadot Giraffe, The Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking, Creatively Tuesday at The Rustic Pig, Show Me What You Got at Not Just a Housewife, Share It Link Party at The Winthrop Chronicles, Tasteful Tuesday at Naptime Creations, Tutorial Tuesday at Hope Studios, Trash 2 Treasure at Kammy’s Korner, Fluster’s Creative Muster Party at Fluster Buster, The Creative Spark at Clean and Scentsible, Tuesdays at Our Home at Our Home Away from Home, Homemade by You at Made to be a Momma, Trendy Tuesdays at Sweet Little Gals, Brag About It Tuesday at Bebetsy, Ginger Jamboree LInk Party at Homemade Ginger  Tip Junkie    Today’s Creative Blog      Mandy’s Recipe Box  Inside BruCrew Life    Lady Bug Blessings     Blessed with Grace    Tuesday Talent Show    Tutorials and Tips    Back for Seconds    Tuesday Trivia    Simple Supper Tuesday   Get your craft on  Lil Luna link party

Wildly Original Link Party at I Gotta Create, Wow Us Wednesday at Family Home and Life, Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts, Whimsy Wednesday at Smart School House, What’s It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants, Wednesday Whatsits at White Lights on Wednesday, What We Accomplished Wednesday at Green Willow Pond, Under $100 Linky Party at Beyond the Picket Fence, Show and Share at Southern Lovely, Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style, Wow Me Wednesday at Gingersnap Crafts, From Dream to Reality at The DIY Dreamer, Its’ a Party! at A Creative Princess, Show Off Your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans, Look What I Made Wednesday at Creations by Kara, Create and Share at The Trendy Treehouse, A Little Bird Told Me Link Party at The Life of Jennifer Dawn, Oh What a Happy Day Link Party at Not Done Growing   Polka Dots on Parade   Lil’ Luna    Lady Behind the Curtain   Seven Thirty Three   Show and Tell Wednesdays     Whatever Wednesday Linky party  Fluster Buster Party

Riverton Housewives Round-Up    What’s In Your Kitchen Wednesday    Two Girls and a Party   Off The Hook Link Party   The Real Thing with the Coake Family   Ducks ‘n a Row  http://www.beneathmyheart.net/