I have a couple more easy DIY gifts for the holiday season.

I have seen many framed baby outfits, but for Hudson’s room I wanted to something a bit more updated then the classic framed outfit.

Enter those cheesy acrylic frames with the cardboard backing that I remember from the 80’s. I’m sure you all had one in your room once upon a time with a framed poster of your favorite star. Here is how to take that frame with a couple of additions and turn into a new classic.

Here are the supplies you’ll need:

–See Thru Box Frame I used a 16″ x 20″ for my outfit.
-Acrylic sheet (Available at Home Depot/Lowes in their screened door/window area. You can have them cut it to size or pick up one of the sized pieces. I picked up a 16″ x 20″ sheet.
– Cardboard
-Special outfit you want to remember
– Drill
– Spraypaint
–Acrylic Cement

Once you have all of your supplies here is how you get the look:

Step 1: In order to make sure your outfit holds it form in the shadow box you need some sort of structure to keep it form. We had cardboard around so we used that to make a template.

Once your outfit is ready you can put it aside and work on the backing piece for the shadow box. Since those acrylic frames come with a cardboard backing piece you need a new backing. Enter the acrylic sheet you purchased.

Step 4: In order to hang the piece on the wall you need to drill a hole into the acrylic sheet for your nail to go through.

Step 5: Now if you like the completely lucite look you don’t need to paint it, but I wanted a punch of color so I used spraypaint to give me my dose of color. We originally sanded our piece of acrylic, but we also tried it on a piece with no sanding and there was no difference.  Spray a couple of coats of spray paint. One side of the acrylic sheet may bubble a bit, but the opposite side will look like slick painted glass. It’s amazing!

Step 6: Once your sheet ( backing) is dry it’s time to adhere the outfit. You simply use a hot glue gun to adhere the outfit onto the non painted side of the acrylic sheet.

Step 7: Add a perimeter of acrylic cement to your backing piece, which now has the outfit attached to it. Don’t use another other glue must be the acrylic cement that is used solely for attaching acrylic to acrylic. You will have a couple of seconds of wiggle room to get it on properly.

Step 8: Add a thin line of the cement. You don’t want to have excess spill out the sides when applying the top part of the acrylic box frame. It sets rather quickly and strongly. We let it set overnight to fully cure.

Step 9: Yay to Jon for taking my nutty idea and loose instructions and turning into this beautiful piece of art and memory of little Hudson’s newborn days.

A simple nail will hold into place.

Don’t you think this would make a great a thoughtful gift?