Easy Peasy! All you need is:
- 12x12 Shadowbox Frame (I use these from Amazon.com - they come in black and white)
- 12x12 Custom Mat in a Color of Your Choosing (I get mine from Hobby Lobby when I can use a 40% coupon - it's the basic material, nothing fancy, so they work out to be roughly $7. You can have the mat cut right there, takes just a couple of minutes!)
- E6000 Craft Adhesive Glue (though SuperGlue or Gorilla Glue will work just as well, I like E6000 because the polymer doesn't IMMEDIATELY set, so you have a chance to adjust things!)
- Scotch Adhesive Dots (Again, you can use SuperGlue or Gorilla Glue - or event he E6000 ... just be warned that liquid or polymer adhesives may show up like water/grease stains on bibs)
Step 1: Line the back side of your bib (as well as photos if you plan to include those!) with the glue dots in a line around the outside edge. Position the bib where you want it on the mat and press down. I'll usually put a dictionary or something over the bib for about 30 minutes to flatten out and stick everything where you want it. If you're really a perfectionist (I am not), I guess you could measure and stuff - but I trust my eyeballs and like for things to be organic!
Step 2: Wear your medal one last time while the glue dots cure and bond your bib to the mat (about 30 minutes, or more if you get sentimental).
Step 3: And this can be a little tricky, which is why I like to use the E6000 - it buys me a little time. Position the medal where you would like it, with the back center of the ribbon running BEHIND the mat. Slide the ribbon down on the back and run a FULL line of E6000 along the back side of the mat (the side that won't be seen and will be covered by the backing of the shadowbox frame), roughly 1/2 inch down from the top of the mat.
Step 4: Slowly press the back center of the medal ribbon so that the top aligns with the top of the mat - your glue line should roughly hit the center of the medal ribbon. Adjust slightly left to right to make sure that your actual medal drops in the center of the mat at the height of your choosing.
Step 5: Let the mat set for at least 6-8 hours (again, I'll use something like a dictionary to put pressure on top of the mat the make sure things stay the way I want.
Step 6 (Optional): Add any other elements to the mat with glue dots (ie. stickers, a finishers photo, the shoelace chip if you're so inclined, confetti, streamers, etc.).
Step 7: Place the mat in the shadowbox, followed by the back of the frame - and you're done!
As far as Step 4 goes, I've seen people who have cut the ribbon on their medals so just a small tab wraps around the back, but just the thought of that makes me sad, so I kept the whole thing intact.
Total Cost (including glue supplies that I already had): $23.79
Hope that all makes sense!
