About a year and a half ago, I was scrolling through TikTok and came across a video of the coolest custom shadow box I’d ever seen! (Sadly, I can’t find that video on the app anymore.) The creator of the video had carefully arranged a collection of various pens and matchbooks that she’d gotten from dining at different NYC-based restaurants and bars inside of a shadow box. The vibes were immaculate and the perfect mix of art museum and quirky.
This project had it all for me… collecting mementos from special moments, curating an aesthetically pleasing layout, and creating art with understated nostalgia that could be hung as decor. What’s not to love? I’ve always been someone who appreciates good marketing and branding, especially when it comes to aesthetically-branded “swag.” So, in truth, I already had a few pens in my arsenal before coming across the video.
Over the last year and a half, I’ve been consciously collecting bits and bobs from restaurants, bars, and hotels with this project in mind. Cal and I love to try new spots together, so almost all of the featured items are from date nights or trips we’ve gone on! In this shadow box, all of the spots are from Chicago or New York. We’re based in Chicago and we just took a trip to NYC for my birthday back in April! I love that we have this piece of art made of mementos to remember the special experiences we’ve had.
I’m going to share the DIY steps and link everything that I used to make our shadow box below! I’ll also pass along some tips and tricks that I picked up while crafting this piece.
Materials // What You Need
Shadow Box: I ordered our shadow box from Michael’s and got the 14″ x 18″ size.
Gorilla Glue Permanent Adhesive Dots: I’ll be honest, if I had to go back and do this project again, I’d probably skip the dots and just stick with E6000 glue! These dots worked fine for matchbooks, matches, and coasters, but the three pens I positioned horizontally with glue dots ended up falling down. I went in and reattached the pens with E6000, and they have not budged since!
E6000 Glue: This stuff will always remind me of being on the dance team in high school! On our competition uniforms, each rhinestone was hand glued onto the costumes by a team mom with E6000. When I use it, the smell immediately brings back memories… That said, this stuff is STRONG in both strength and chemicals. If you use it, definitely do it in a well-ventilated area! I may eventually go back and reattach the pens and matchsticks with E6000 for longer-term staying power.
Step-by-Step
1. Collect the Goods: As you visit different restaurants and bars, don’t be afraid to ask your server if it’s okay to keep the pen you get with your check. The restaurants that create branded pens do it for a reason, marketing! Matchbooks are a great item to collect, but (in my experience) they’re nowhere near as common at spots in Chicago as they are in New York. I also included a few fun cardboard coasters inside of our shadow box from bars we love. Note: Since this DIY has become more popular online, I’ve seen videos of people going “matchbook hunting.” In these posts, people aren’t even dining or drinking at the place they’re going and getting the matchbook from. They just walk in the door, get a matchbook, and leave. In my opinion, the whole point of collecting these items for a shadow box is to have mementos of experiences, not to get random, free things. That said, I wouldn’t recommend the “hunting” method since it defeats the sentimental purpose and you’re also not giving that deserving business your business!
2. Create a “Mockup” of Your Shadow Box Layout: I would 100% recommend laying out all of your trinkets and deciding on a layout before trying to attach anything. I played around with mine for quite a while and tried a few different layouts before deciding on one. I also used a ruler to ensure there was an even, empty border around the outer edge of the items. That’s a totally optional step, but I love how mine turned out!.
3. Attach Your Items (Slowly): While attaching everything to the background of your shadow box, go slowly. I did my best to be precise when attaching my items to make sure everything was spaced well and lining up with the other items. For attaching heavier pieces like pens I’d definitely suggest using E6000 glue vs. the Gorilla Dots. However, if you’re primarily focused on matchbooks, you should be able to get away with the dots.
4. Hang & Enjoy! If you want to add something extra I’d definitely recommend this wireless light for above your shadow box. We got ours from Amazon and its chargeable, so no wires required! You can also control the brightness and color of the light via an app.
Spots I Featured in My Shadow Box
(left to right, starting at the top left)
Dante West Village // Adalina // Hotel Zachary // BOKA // Gemini // Sparrow
Maple & Ash // Nisos Mediterranean (now Nisos Prime) // 3 Arts Club Cafe at Restoration Hardware
Z Bar // Redhead Piano Bar // Rose Mary // The Plaza // Nubeluz
The Allis // Doc B’s // The Vig // Maple & Ash (again) // Sparrow (again) // Alma // The Campbell
I hope that you enjoyed this DIY Decor project! If you make one of these shadow boxes, please be sure to send me a photo or tag me on social (@bowtifullife), I’d love to see it!
