July in Bedford is full of little adventures—walks through the park, afternoons in the garden, family vacations, and evenings spent outside enjoying the warm weather. Instead of letting those little treasures end up forgotten in a drawer, why not turn them into a beautiful piece of home décor? This month, let’s make a Summer Shadow Box that captures your family’s favorite moments of the season.
This craft is easy to personalize and becomes a keepsake you’ll enjoy long after summer has ended.
Supplies:
- A shadow box frame (or a deep picture frame)
- Cardstock or scrapbook paper for the background
- Small summer treasures (pressed leaves, flowers, shells, ticket stubs, postcards, maps, feathers, or photos)
- Double-sided tape or craft glue
- Letter stickers or a marker (optional)
Instructions:
Begin by choosing a background paper that reminds you of summer—perhaps a soft blue, sandy beige, or floral print. Arrange your collected items before attaching anything. Play with different layouts until you find one you love.
Secure each item with tape or glue, taking care not to overcrowd the frame. Add a handwritten date, favorite family quote, or the words “Summer in Bedford” if you’d like.
Close the frame and display it on a bookshelf, mantel, or entry table where everyone can enjoy it.
How Younger Kids Can Help:
Young children can gather safe treasures like leaves, flowers, feathers, or interesting stones and help decide where they should be placed. They can also decorate the background with simple drawings or colorful stickers.
How Older Kids Can Participate:
Older children can create themed displays around a family vacation, baseball season, camping trip, or summer reading adventures. They might even write short captions describing each item to tell the story behind the collection.
One of my favorite things about this craft is that every family’s shadow box will look completely different. It’s more than decoration—it’s a snapshot of the little moments that made your Bedford summer special.
