When we started this family home craft business a few years ago, we were mainly focusing on custom designed business and personal signs, both wood and vinyl styles. Later we ventured into doing other custom wood products which led us to doing unique custom Memory/Keepsake boxes.
Without going into too much detail of any particular design, we decided on a few that could be easily custom design and crafted to the customer’s ideas for their usage. Whether is is a gift for military spouse, relative or friend; or a present for graduating relative, to simply having a nice wooden box to store their own memory pictures, relics or items they wish to keepsake for their own grand-children.
Currently we prefer to make two different designed boxes which we can generate nearly any design on the pieces of the box for your liking and pleasure. The first box is what we simply call the “Memory/Keepsake Box”. This is one we call a classic design which has a simple floral carve on the front, back, sides and top (or lid). Each piece is carved and attached to create the complete box. We glue each piece and then use an 18 gauged nails to secure it so it never comes apart.
Memory/Keepsake box Size: Outside dimensions are approximately 11 1/2 inches length by 6 1/4 inches width and 6 inches height. Inside dimensions are approximately 9 inches length by 5 inches width and 3 3/4 inches depth.
In the following pictures you will see we craft each piece of the box separately. In these examples, we are crafting the sides of a 1/2″ Walnut wood to create a smaller Walnut memory box. This design was at Lisa’s request, which is why it has “Nana” on the top (lid) carving. The size is about 60% smaller than the normal size.
We can focus differently on each piece of the box, but it is always better to keep the design of each piece in similar contrast to the other pieces. But that is really the customer’s preference. In these lid examples, the first is something we call “ambrosia”, which just another floral carve.
Then on this example of Ed’s US Army military memory box, it is carved with the US Army military emblem and the inner emblem is filled with a green epoxy to give it a special look.
As with any wood project, we can do nearly any design that is beyond a person’s imagination. However, please do understand that we are not a professional graphic designer. So more complex and detailed specific designs must be contracted (or purchased) separately by a professional graphic designer. But this is something we can discuss upon our consultation to your ideas and needs.
We can do nearly any type of wood that you desire, but remember that each species of wood does cost differently. The most common and least expensive wood is Pine. Besides being the cheapest, it can be stained to whatever flavor that you desire. Although stains can get complicated, we simply like to refer to them as light, dark, or darkest. You can take a pine wood and stain it to match the resemblance of oak, or mahogany for example. Since mahogany species can be expensive to purchase. We can also inlay other wood species design into nearly any other wood. An example would be a custom gift Memory/Keepsake box for a niece or nephew that is made of pine wood with a very light stain and inlayed with their name or initials on the lid using a purplish color like purpleheart wood. A different example is using Cedar. Below is a few pictures of a Cedar box that can be customized to your desire. Of course we wouldn’t want to paint or stain Cedar because it not only would lose its natural beauty and grain, it would lose its awesome fragrance, especially when you open the box.
The next type of box we like to specialize in is a design we call the “Paradise Box” Below a few pictures of a simple floral design on the top (lid) front and back. This box is a bit larger than the normal box above, but it is designed differently. The front and back pieces are basically inlayed to the sides making it very sturdy. Again, as with any wooden box we make, you can custom design nearly anything you desire. We can also reduce the size by percentage, if you feel the box is too big. But that is also something we can consult on.
So once again, please watch our shop for any Memory/Keepsake box we design and make available for anyone that is usually at a discount (since it isn’t a customer specific design). Also, if you have ideas or needs, please feel free to reach out and contact us to consult on your needs. Remember that cost estimates can only be completed after a complete design is agreed upon. Of course, if the product needs to be shipped, that will be the customer’s expense. Once we have the design agreed, and we have your mailing address, we can quote a shipping fee.
Thanks again for visiting, and have a blessed day.
~ Ed & Lisa 