How to Make a DIY Night Light with a Shadow Box Frame

Are you looking for a creative way to add light to a room in the middle of the night?

Whether it is for a bedside, the living room, or the bathroom, a DIY night light might be just the thing you need! It is a fun way to provide a soft glow, and can also serve as a decorative piece that showcases your personality.

In this tutorial, we'll show you how to make a DIY nightlight using a shadow box frame and an xTool laser. No special skills are required.

This DIY project is so much fun, and with these simple steps, you can create a one-of-a-kind night light that suits your style. It also makes a great gift!

Say goodbye to boring, store-bought night lights and hello to a unique and easy project that will brighten up your space in a significant way.

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Supply List

• xTool M1 Laser
• 3mm MDF
• 5x5 inch Shadow Box Frame
• White Vinyl
• String Lights
• Beacon 3 in 1 Adhesive
• Craft Tweezers
• Black Acrylic Paint
• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Craft Knife
• Self Healing Mat
• Light Pad
• Makeup Sponge
• Paper Plate
• Paper Roll
• Masking Tape
• Ruler

Feel free to use a different size shadow box frame, but ensure the front glass piece can be removed completely.

I didn't use hot glue for this project because I didn't want the strings, but hot glue would work if you don't want to buy a different adhesive.

The 5x5-inch size is great for small rooms and makes a small nightlight. If you want to light a larger area, start with a larger shadow box frame.

Grab the Laser File

The first thing to do is grab this free, unique design SVG Laser File.

Measure

First things first, measure the inside opening of your shadow box frame. For me, this was 4 ⅜ inches.

xTool Creative Space

In Creative Space, drag and drop the SVG file.

Ensure that Laser Flat is selected, and then choose the material setting. 3mm MDF isn't in the choices so instead, I chose 3mm Walnut Plywood.

Plywood is a more rigid material than MDF, so I figured this setting would work fine.

Under Height Raised, select Triangular Prism, and place the prisms on the bottom of the machine.

Place the MDF on top of the prisms and shut the lid.

Back in Creative Space, you should now be able to see the placement of the MDF on the screen.

Drag the design to the top of the piece of MDF, then change the design to Cut.

Select Process, Framing, and Start. Then press the Start Button on the front of the machine.

My patience was being put to the test. Cut time was about 1 hour and 15 minutes, and I was so excited to make this fun project. But the wait was worth it.

Painting:

Here is what the MDF looks like once it is finished cutting.

The first step was to push the letters out, so I used some craft tweezers.

I rolled out some white paper to protect my surface from paint.

I took long strips of masking tape, folded them over on themselves to make a loop, and stuck that to the paper.

These loops of tape can now hold my letter pieces while I paint, and I won't get dark paint on my fingers.

Applying Vinyl to Glass

Remove the backing to the frame and take out the glass front.

Clean the glass piece with some Isopropyl Alcohol. This will remove any fingerprints, dirt, or smudges.

Cut a piece of white vinyl just slightly larger than the piece of glass.

Remove the backing paper and roll the vinyl onto the glass.

Turn the piece of glass vinyl side down onto a self-healing mat, and cut around the edges with a craft knife to remove the excess vinyl.

Gluing:

A light pad comes in handy for this step but is an optional supply.

Place the original MDF cutout on the light pad and center the glass piece on top, with the vinyl side down. The light underneath will help you see precisely where to adhere the letters.

Apply some glue to the back of the letters and use the craft tweezers to place each letter. Try to avoid glue pooling around the letters. The glue will dry clear but you can still see it.

Final Assembly

Place the glass front back into the shadow frame with the words facing outward.

Place the batteries inside the light battery pack, and turn the lights on to ensure they work.

Unwind the string of lights and randomly push the wire into the back of the frame.

The good news is that it is okay if it looks messy, but try evenly distributing the lights.

Glue the battery pack or power source onto the back of the frame.

The critical thing to remember is to make sure the glue has dried before you place the frame upright. Otherwise, the battery pack may fall off.

I absolutely love how this fun light turned out. The different colors can really set the mood, and the remote is super handy. This simple project turned into such a cute night light!

Who will you make this simple DIY night lamp for? This fun project would make a wonderful gift. It's great for baby rooms, kids' rooms, or any age. In fact, my 19-year-old daughter has already claimed this little light! 🤣

Sweet Dreams!

Substitutions

Here are some easy substitutions for items in the supply list.

• Different Size Shadow Box Frame - just make sure to measure that inside area before you cut.
• Glue—You can use any type of glue that works with paper and glass, such as hot glue, E6000, or super glue.
• Lights - The small "seed lights" work best for more petite frames, but you can use any color variation or length of less than 30 feet.
• Paint - Choose different colors or use spray paint instead of craft paint.

Variations

Want to customize your project? Here are a few DIY Night Light Ideas.

• Different Designs - Change the saying or design to make custom night lights.
• Size - Try making a 12x12 shadow box frame night light.
• Concept - Instead of a night light for a kid's room, make a party-themed light!

Equipment

To learn more about the xTool M1 laser, visit my unboxing post, where I share all the steps to setting it up and getting ready to cut.