How To Make A Collector Pin Shadow Box

After collecting Disney pins you are probably wondering how to make a Disney pin board. Alternate to a Disney cork board for displaying your collector pins, I show you how to make a DIY Disney pin shadow box. A simple DIY Disney pin display case for any room in your home. Disney pin trading on display as a work of art.

Disney Pin Board

Instead of leaving your Disney collector pins in a bag, on a lanyard or stuffed in a drawer, often people will make a Disney Pin board. Often it is made out of cork or other creative methods. I am going to be showing you how to make your own pin trader display case with a shadow box.

Disney pin trading

Disney pin trading is one of our favorite activities to do as a family while we are visiting Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line. Trade pins with cast members, off of the Disney Pin Board in hotels and in retail locations or even trade with people while waiting in line for rides or shows.

Cast members won't deny a child a pin trade but there is a limit of 2 trades per person.

We have a pile of 'traders' that we take with us to trade for ones to complete a collection. We seek out the hidden mickey pins that only cast members can trade. We also try to complete collections that we love such as the apples, Orange Bird or the Epcot ride collections. Getting a complete set, with the chaser pin, if available, is always the goal.

Pin Board Materials:

• Shadow box
• Glue gun
• hot glue sticks
• corks
• sharp knife
• cutting board
• rotary cutter or scissors
• black felt or velvet

How to make a pin display board

1. Remove the backing from the shadow box and open it to flatten it.
2. Cut ⅓ inch slices of cork with your sharp knife.
3. Cut a piece of black felt or velvet to be the same size as the backing of the shadow box.
4. Cut a piece of cardboard to be ¼" smaller than the inside of the shadow box backing.
   
5. Arrange the corks on the smaller square in the approximate placement of your pins.
6. Hot glue the corks into place on the smaller square of card board.
   
7. Sandwich the corks between the shadow box back and the smaller square.
8. Hot glue the black piece of felt to the now back, of the small square of cardboard.
9. Fold the side of the back of the shadow box back into place and secure with tape.
10. Hot glue the sides of the back of the shadow box.
11. Trim the excess felt off.
12. Arrange your pin collection into the corks.
13. Fit the shadow box back over the pins.

How to display pins

I did some measuring and arranged my pinboard shadowboxes above my desk. They are centered on the wall and I did my best to get equal spacing between the boxes.

My goal is to have completed sets of trader pins in each box. Currently, I have 4 completed sets but I have many more started! I guess it is time to book another trip to Disney!

👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.