Wedding Memory Box

Good evening all

Yesterday I popped to the Hobby House to see if I could get a little inspiration for an idea that I had in my head for the Let's Get Shabby Challenge 8.  Unfortunately I did not get any inspiration and only spent a few pennies.

Matt (my hubby) and I met in the age of technology where every day we would text each other, love notes.  We never actually wrote anything down and my very first valentine gift was a delivered teddy with someone else's hand writing on it.  So I do not actually have anything in the home that sort of constitutes a love letter or note from Matt to me or from me to Matt.  There was my dilemma..................... 

So I think I started thinking a little out of the box (way out actually) a love note could in fact be a note from a love song on a music score and that maybe if I could find my cast iron recipe book holder (horrid thing) I could sort of convert this into a music stand and play around with this........................... Could not find the book holder and no music scores at the Hobby House, so that idea did not go very far.

I was cleaning in the house and found a silver metalwork casket, it had arrived as a gift at some point with red candles in it.  I had placed it on top of the radiator and forgotten about it.  As I picked it up the candles had melted around the base metal.  Mike (my son), kindly cleaned it off for me.  So what could I do with this uninviting silver metal casket box?

Returning to my craft hut thinking where I could go next with this, whilst tidying up and having a move around, having coffee in the kitchen with Matt, picking his brain and thoughts for inspiration..................... and then I had it.  I needed to find the box I kept from our wedding. (The one that contains the button holes from the boys and Matt, the floral arrangement from the hair do..... the false nails (yuk), the bits I made to put on the front of the cream shoes and bits from the cake (still with icing on them), the cards etc.

Now last time I remember seeing this was I believed when Matt and I rearranged the walk in wardrobe in our bedroom.  The one that contains all my clothes  and numerous shoes.  I thought I had put it in the top cupboards over the bed..............No.  Matt thought it might be in the draws under the bed..............No.  Not in the big loft and the only other place is the little loft that I tidied whilst creating the Beach Hut, however I could not remember seeing it there................................

So after moving the stacker boxes to get to the small loft door, I tried to open it. Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had glossed it shut.  So I got my little crafting hammer and hit the latch and then used the soft hammer end to hit the door till it became free.  I then entered the little loft (no light, so I had to feel my way) and ta da da dar................. there it was.  I then tried to shut the door and oh no that was just not going to happen either.  Matt got a wire coat hanger and we made a loop so we could slam it shut.  Finally with all the bits back in place.  Matt and I could open the box.

Matt and I slowly went through every card and evening invitation reply, we read all the notes and picked up all the little hanging gifts. It was a really nice half an hour.

So I had a metal casket box and a box that was "10 years old" and filled with memories. I decided to create something with a purpose that I could actually put on show and be proud of.  A Wedding Memory Box and in the old memories box was a hand written note with a receipt for the wedding outfits for Matt and the boys.............. wow, finally I had my creative thought.

I have spent several days, roughing up the original metal, and layering the base coats and the top cream coat, before painting with a wet wipe and putting the gold on the metal.  I then spent another few days trying to create an inner box for the casket, which I then added lace to the top and bottom and distressed with Tim Holtz vintage photo.  I placed lace in the box at the bottom and carefully placed a few of the items in the box.  A lovely wooden rolling pin, a garter (yes the music box still played the wedding march after 10+ years), some of the button hole white roses with their ivy leaves and some of the pearl sprays and finally the wedding outfit order and receipt.  I then took the hair flower spray and attached this across the casket lid and added a few of the wedding cake memory bits to the outside of the box along with a velum quote from a K & Co pack.

I really like this one and will place it in a noticeable place where people can now see it and love it as Matt and I do.

So I am entering this into "Let's Get Shabby Challenge 8" one of the most challenging and inspirational sites I visit - Who required the following:

Well it's all about those heart-string tugging letters, child notes, vintage war loves
lost and won etc etc....these are just examples!!

Whatever you chose, your creation must contain a letter/s or note/s that you've
written or been written by you or others living or passed.

Put your


Shabby Valentine style


into a wonderful creation!!

and here is mine........................

The overall view

Inside the box - showing the memories and the wedding day order.............

 

A little closer, there is that singing garter with the blue ribbon and the white rose.

  

A close up of the hair flowers now nicely draped over the casket lid, and the bells and bows cake decoration with the double dove and ring cake decoration and the K & Co velum sentiment.

  

A close up of the shoe decor, these were small floral embellishments of the time with ribbon and bead chain, glued to a cheap pearl earing, so that they clipped on the front of the cream stiletto shoe.

  

The front of the box showing the distressed lace and the cake decor horse shoe.

  

A few more close ups, the coloring on the flowers is actually age on these.

  

  

 One last final look at the overall little metal casket.

 

I really enjoyed doing this.

I have been adding bit by bit to this post whilst watching "Dancing on Ice" so I hope it makes sense.

Thank you all for visiting and leaving such lovely comments recently

take care

Hugs Kate xx