A Crafty Arab: Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Zakat is one of the 5 pillars of Islam.

As Muslims we must give a certain percentage of our money away to the needy and less fortunate. We strive to donate at least 2-10% of the value of our possessions and income.

We try to make a new Zakat box every year to fill up by the year's end. Okay, it's July and we are just starting, but it's never too late.

Be sure to check out past Zakat boxes made of wood, glass and even a recycled ice cream carton!

Supplies
Cutting Mat
Shadow picture frame
Ruler
Glass paint
Zakat print out
Quatrefoil printout out
Blue painter's tape
Xacto knife
Recycled cardboard

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Take apart your frame, you'll need the glass for drawing and the back for a template. Set everything else aside in a safe location.

Start by laying out your work Zakat on the cutting mat and tape it down. Print out this pretty Green Eid quatrefoil patter here, and tape it down also. Lay your glass over both and tape it down securely.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

We alternated green and yellow enamel glass paint to fill in the quatrefoils in a pattern.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

We used the purple paint to write in the word, Zakat.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Try not to move the glass at all or it will shift.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Let it dry a few hours, or overnight, depending on the amount of sunshine in your hemisphere.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Did you notice in the phtoo above how the yellow looks lumply compared to the green and purple? Turns out we got a differne type of paint! The green and purple were 3D and the yellow was Frosted. So a bit of advise: pay attention in the store, unlike me. :)

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Okay, returning to our project. Take the back of your shadow box and lay it over your cardboard. Cut our the same shape. Since we used a Cheeze-it box, my daughter thought it would be funny to use the cracker on the box as our back.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Cut out a rectangle with the ruler and Xacto so that you can put money into your box.

Zakat Shadowbox Tutorial by A Crafty Arab

Put your shadowbox back together, starting with your painted glass and finishing with your cardboard backing. Make sure everything is secure before you lift it up.