Frida Kahlo Shadow Box Progress Pictures

Today is a very special day; it's Frida Kahlo's birthday!! Happy Happy 109th Birthday Frida Kahlo! Today, we celebrate your birthday the way Emily and I intended to, with artwork and purchased goods currently being transported to your fans by mail and people opening gifts that you inspired. Viva La Frida Craft Swap was our birthday gift to you! You hold a very special place in our hearts and hope to make Viva La Frida Craft Swap a tradition. Today, I will have a trago/drink in your honor and I will toast and say loudly, "Viva La Frida!"

This craft swap is by far one of my favorites because it has to do with Frida Kahlo. Also because I learned so much more about Frida and made a new friend through this swap, my swap partner Jessica. I had many ideas on what to make for Jessica but I settled on the shadow box idea because she didn't have a favorite Frida Kahlo quote. I wanted to incorporate as much of Frida Kahlo into the shadow box, included a quote that describe Frida perfectly, and use Jessica's favorite colors - teal and yellow. The shadow box became a small yet simple replica of Frida's Casa Azul.

I first sketched out my idea.

I painted the shadow box to match the colors of La Casa Azul. I actually painted two shadow boxes, one for Jessica and one for myself. The difference between the boxes is that Jessica's box is teal. I kept the red trim on both boxes. Both boxes were then sealed. The shadow box shown above is mine.

I went on Pinterest and found some Frida Kahlo coloring pages. I copied them and sized them in Photoshop. I printed them out and hand painted each portrait to match Frida's original paintings. This part was the most time consuming. After I was done, I didn't want to paint another leaf for a very long time. 

I've always wanted to paint a Frida peg doll. The peg doll's outfit is inspired by one of Frida's actual Mexican outfits displayed in a museum. I used embroidery thread for the braided hair and flower. Since, I didn't add the paint palette to the shadow box, I painted the Frida peg doll holding a paint brush and a paint palette. Painting the peg doll was my favorite part. Lily even played with her for a bit and kept calling her "Fida." Those are Lily's crayons in the picture. 

I glued the Frida peg doll inside the frame. I painted a piece of card stock yellow for the background. Not only is yellow one of Jessica's favorite colors but there is some brivant yellows and blues in Frida's kitchen in La Casa Azul. I cut three little frames, using shiny gold scrapbooking paper and an exacto-knife, for each hand painted portrait. I glued the frames on top of the portraits and used dimensional tape to tape them onto the yellow paper. I freehanded the quote on the paper using an oil base paint pen. I thought the quote written fit the feel of the shadow box perfectly since the subjects in the paintings are Frida and she is alone in the shadow box. 

I inserted the paper in the back of the shadow box and it was complete!

I absolutely love the way the shadow box turned out and look forward to one day finishing mine.  

A few Viva La Frida Craft Swap swapper have already received their swap gifts and I am thrilled to see all the wonderful work that has been created for this swap. And, that's not even all of it. It makes my heart happy (Frida, I hope it makes your heart happy too). To keep the Frida party going, head over to The Morose Bee for some more Frida Kahlo celebration!