Ghost Carousel Shadow Box šŸ¦‡ FCC 18

Make a spooky Halloween shadow box of ghosts having fun at the fairground.

This spooky ghost carousel takes layered shadow boxes to the next level by adding real three-dimensional elements that extend out from the front of the frame.

Instead of every layer sitting flat inside the shadow box, the decorative railings and canopy curve forwards, creating the illusion that the carousel is emerging from the frame.

It’s a beautiful gothic Halloween decoration that’s full of depth and intricate detail.

Ghost shadow box SVG from Craft with Sarah

This tutorial shows you how to prepare the SVG files in Cricut Design Space, assemble the layered design and frame it so the 3D elements have plenty of room to stand proud without getting squashed.

This layered SVG can be made with a Cricut, Silhouette or ScanNCut cutting machine, and it’s suitable for crafters of all experience levels.

This project is part of the 2026 Falloween Craft Countdown

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Ghost carousel craft materials supply list

Here is a list of the materials that I used to make this project.

Please note that some of the links included in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.

This project is suitable for the following types of Cricut machines: Explore series, Maker series and Joy Xtra. It is too large to cut on the Joy or Joy 2.

Ghost carousel shadow box by Craft with Sarah

Foundation learning

If you're new to making papercrafts with your cutting machine, check out these links to get you started.

They include videos on topics such as: which file to use with your type of cutting machine, how to load the files into your cutting machine's software, how to cut cardstock with your type of cutting machine, how to recolor and modify/customize the cut files and tips for displaying your projects.

The following tutorials are Cricut-specific, but many of the ideas will work similarly with a Silhouette or ScanNCut machine and any cut files that are shared in them are compatible with all types of cutting machine.

Halloween fairground craft video tutorial

Watch the video below to see how to make this project. Keep scrolling for a written tutorial.

Want to share your thoughts on this project? Click here to visit the video on YouTube.

Before you start…

Unlike a traditional layered shadow box, this design is intended to be displayed without the glass in the front of the frame.

The decorative railings and carousel canopy curve forwards beyond the front edge of the frame, giving the project a much more realistic appearance.

Because of this extra depth, the download also includes an optional cardstock spacer that fits inside the back of the frame. This holds the layered design firmly against the front of the frame while still allowing the back panel to close securely.

If you’re using a different style of frame, you may not need the spacer, but it works well with standard box frames.

Written tutorial (with photos!)

Here’s how to make this Halloween shadow box project using a Cricut machine.

Step 1) Measure your frame

Remove the backing board and any internal spacer supplied with the frame.

Measure from one side of the backing board to the other, or measure the spacer.

The measurement you take will become the finished size of the layered design inside Cricut Design Space.

Step 2) Download the cutting file & upload to Design Space

Get the files using the box below.

Purchase the File(s)

This cut file is available as part of the Instant Access Bundle.

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Or, purchase this design individually here

Before you upload the SVGs to Design Space, you need to unzip the download folder that they come in.

Not sure how to do this? Click here for a tutorial that covers all the following types of computer and device:

  • How to unzip a folder on a Windows computer
  • How to unzip a folder on a Mac
  • How to unzip a folder on an iPad
  • How to unzip a folder on an iPhone
  • How to unzip a folder on an Android device

How to unzip download folders

After unzipping, upload the SVG file(s) into your cutting machine software.

Not sure how to use cut files with your type of machine? The following links lead to tutorials on how to use cut files in:

If you are using Cricut Design Space, start a new project and then click the “Upload” button on the left of the screen.

You can then either click “Browse” to find the file on your computer, or drag-and-drop it.

Select the file in the “01 Cricut Version” subfolder called svg-01-box-ghost-carousel-craftwithsarah.svg

Press “Upload” on the next screen.

After uploading, the design should be automatically inserted onto your Canvas.

To hide the left sidebar (to give you more space for designing!), click the arrow that’s about half way down the page.

If the design doesn’t get inserted onto your Canvas, it will show under “Uploads” in your “Recently Uploaded Images”. Click on it and then press “Add to Canvas” to put it onto your Project.

Need help uploading SVGs? Get step-by-step instructions here in our detailed help guides for Cricut, Silhouette and ScanNCut.

Step 3) Size the design

The design contains the main layered shadow box on the left and the separate pieces that create the 3D effects on the right.

Resize the entire design using the Height measurement so that it matches the size of your frame.

Ignore the overall width measurement because the additional 3D pieces extend beyond the main square and make the design appear much wider than it actually is.

Make sure the padlock is locked before resizing so that the proportions stay correct.

Step 4) Prepare the score lines

Several pieces contain fold lines which need changing from cut lines into score lines.

Ungroup the design.

Locate the curved top canopy support piece and select it.

Click the chevon arrow that appears next to it in the layers panel to see the different pieces.

Click the top layer within that group.

Change this layer to “Score” in the Operations dropdown menu.

Select the group that contains your new score line and the piece underneath and press ‘Attach’ so Cricut knows where to place the score lines.

Do the same for the front railings piece and the small support bridge piece.

Step 5) Cut the project

When you’re happy with how the project is looking in Design Space, click “Make” and follow the instructions on-screen to cut out all the pieces.

Large shadow boxes will usually require 12×12 inch cardstock because several layers are larger than A4 or US Letter.

Smaller decorative pieces such as the ghosts can often be rearranged onto smaller scraps of cardstock to reduce waste.

To change the paper size, go into the dropdowns over on the left side of the screen and choose the paper size that you want to use. You need to change it for every single colour.

To save space on your cardstock, you can move things around by clicking and dragging. Make sure when you’re moving things about that nothing overlaps because otherwise, it won’t cut out properly.

Take extra care when removing the ghost pieces from the cutting mat. Their hands are very small and can be accidentally thrown away!

TIP: New to using cardstock with your cutting machine? Check out these machine help guides for Cricut, Silhouette and ScanNCut that go through every step of the process, including tips for getting the best quality cuts from your machine.

Step 6) Stick the project together

Use 3D foam pads and glue to stick the layers together.

My favourite glues to use on papercraft projects are Bearly Art Glue and Collall All Purpose Glue.

These are great because they don’t “warp” or bend the cardstock like some glues do. You can use as much of it as you want and the card stays perfect – and it dries perfectly clear too!

Bearly Art Glue comes with a tiny nozzle to make it easy to apply glue to small areas of card. The Collall glue doesn’t come with this, so it’s easiest to decant it into needle tip applicator bottles so that you have more control.

The foam pads that I use are from “Dot & Dab”, but any foam squares will work. If yours are big then you may need to cut them smaller with scissors to fit inside the edges of the layers.

When adding the foam pads to larger pieces of card, make sure you add some in the middles of the pieces of card so it gives stability to the middles.

If you don’t add any foam pads in the middles then it can “sag” under the weight of the other layers which doesn’t look as good.

Use this guide to see the order to stick the layers together in.

A printable version of this assembly guide is included in the folder when you download the cut files.

Here is some extra information about the 3D parts to pop out of the front of the frame.

The front decorative canopy creates the main 3D effect.

Fold both score lines away from you so that narrow tabs are formed on each side.

Glue the decorative overlay onto the front of this curved section.

Looking at the front of the carousel, slide each side tab through the matching slots in the main carousel layer until the first score line reaches the front.

Turn the project over.

Apply glue only to the tabs up to the first score line.

Do not glue the centre bridge section between the folds.

Fold the tabs flat against the back of the carousel.

As the tabs pull backwards, the decorative front naturally curves forwards to create a smooth semicircle.

Before the glue dries, turn the project back over and gently adjust the curve until both sides are symmetrical.

If the curve appears too pronounced, simply pull the tabs slightly further through before the glue sets.

The front railings are assembled in much the same way as the curved canopy.

Fold both score lines away from you.

Slide the side tabs into the matching slots before gluing the tabs onto the reverse of the main carousel layer.

As the tabs fold backwards, the railings naturally stand proud from the front of the design.

If you notice the middle of the railings dipping forwards slightly, add the small support bridge included in the SVG download.

This sits behind the centre of the railings and helps maintain an even curve across the full width of the carousel.

Step 7) Make the cardstock spacer

If you’re displaying the project exactly as shown, you’ll also need to cut the optional spacer file.

Upload the spacer SVG into Cricut Design Space.

Resize it so that the inner opening is just slightly smaller than the finished size of your shadow box.

Making it fractionally smaller provides a little tolerance if the folds aren’t perfectly straight.

You can do this by selecting a square and making it the same size as your shadow box.

Then change the square to a Guide.

Now you can use the guide to size your spacer and make it slightly smaller than the guide.

Then you need to format the lines on the spacer to score lines just as we did previously with the 3D pieces for the shadow box.

Fold all four sides upwards along the score lines.

Each side forms a shallow wall around the outside edge.

There’s no need to glue the corners together.

Step 8) Frame your carousel papercraft

Remove the glass from the front of the frame.

To avoid damaging the raised 3D sections while assembling the frame, place the original frame spacer onto your work surface first.

Rest the shadow box across it so that the curved pieces are suspended in the gap rather than pressing against the table.

Place the frame over the top of the artwork.

Insert the cardstock spacer behind the shadow box with the flat surface facing towards the back of the frame.

If your frame is deeper than expected, you can stack two cardstock spacers together.

If the spacer feels slightly too thick, don’t worry.

The cardstock will compress slightly when the backing board is fitted, while the decorative layers remain protected.

Replace the backing board and secure the frame.

The spacer holds the entire papercraft firmly against the front of the frame, allowing the raised canopy and railings to project proudly beyond the front edge.

Spooky fairground project to make with a Cricut

Your 3D Ghost Carousel Shadow Box is now ready to display.

The combination of layered cardstock, raised carousel railings and curved canopy creates an eye-catching centrepiece that looks almost as though the carousel is floating out of the frame.

Display it on a shelf, mantelpiece or wall as part of your Halloween decorations and enjoy the extra depth that makes this shadow box truly unique.

*PHOTO

Happy crafting,
Sarah x