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Granddaughter's Keepsake Box and Lamp

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Project by rnw posted 1304 days ago 1778 views 6 times favorited 16 comments Add to Favorites Watch

The box and Lamp I made for my granddaughter’s 20th birthday. The Box is of Maple and Black walnut. The lamp is all Black Walnut with opaque acrylic for the lamp portion. The Box is somewhat unconventional, in that the box portion may be lifted from the base. The base and of course oveall rectangular size was established to contain four pockets to hold regular small size envelopes. Basically the envelopes, 46 in all contained letters I wrote to Samantha since she was born, but had never seen. As a toddler and young girl, I would take her out on Sundays for a few hours doing various stuff and then write to her about our day and seal it in an envelope.
The front of the envelope was marked “To be opened by Sam when she is old enough to read”. As it turned out, I never gave them to her until I made the special box and gave it to her on her 20th birthday, when she was with the US Army, Intelligence Service, serving in Hawaii, in 2005. The letters can be seen in the second photo, housed in the box base. The lamp was from a design ppresented in one of the magazines I subscribe to.

-- Bob W, Simi Valley, California




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16 comments so far

View woodworm's profile

woodworm

14105 posts in 1787 days


#1 posted 1304 days ago

Wow! they are very very beautiful.
What is that pink spot on the box side?

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

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littlecope

2378 posts in 1698 days


#2 posted 1304 days ago

Wonderful thoughts, wonderful ideas, wonderful projects, Bob. Thank You for sharing the heartwarming story. And many thanks to your Daughter for her Service!!

-- Mike in Concord, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.

View stefang's profile

stefang

9725 posts in 1531 days


#3 posted 1304 days ago

It seems you have a knack for producing tastefully designed and well constructed projects. It was a pleasure to see them and read the story behind the box. I also second Mike’s wishes to thank you daughter for her service.

-- Mike, American in Norway

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Loucarb

2388 posts in 1642 days


#4 posted 1304 days ago

Great looking box. Well done.

View Ken90712's profile

Ken90712

12849 posts in 1385 days


#5 posted 1304 days ago

That is so thoughtful to think that far into the future to remind her of how you felt in the past. Thoughtful and cleaver! Tears were close by my wife and I ! (Well they were there, but admitting I cried @ 5 am is not good! ) Smile.

Great job! God bless you family & our men and women serving this Great Country!

From one Veteran to another! Ex Navy USS Enterprise CVN-65

-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"

View Walnut_Weasel's profile

Walnut_Weasel

360 posts in 1419 days


#6 posted 1304 days ago

Bob,

The design and craftsmanship is only trumped by the thought. Nice job!!

-- James - www.walnutweasel.wordpress.com

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John Gray

2364 posts in 2082 days


#7 posted 1304 days ago

COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

View webwood's profile

webwood

616 posts in 1447 days


#8 posted 1304 days ago

very cool bob

-- -erik & christy-

View a1Jim's profile (online now)

a1Jim

89018 posts in 1774 days


#9 posted 1304 days ago

wonderful box and Lamp Bob

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

View kcrandy's profile

kcrandy

282 posts in 1629 days


#10 posted 1304 days ago

Beautiful work and a beautiful story! The lamp is so interesting to me. I’ve been wanting to make a lamp like that from materials that could be placed outside in a garden and use solar power for the night light, which are quite common now, but the designs are not this beautiful.

-- Caulk and paint are a poor carpenter's best friends

View Nicholas Dillon's profile

Nicholas Dillon

33 posts in 1428 days


#11 posted 1303 days ago

I really like the lamp. What publication is this from?

-- My workshop is a 8 x 8 shed! No Joke!

View bigike's profile

bigike

4021 posts in 1485 days


#12 posted 1303 days ago

real nice idea ( the letters ) and then the box the whole lamp and box are sweeeeeeeeet. great work

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com

View RexMcKinnon's profile

RexMcKinnon

2591 posts in 1392 days


#13 posted 1303 days ago

Great job from woodworking to personal touch. I’m sure your granddaughter will love it. After all that time do you remember what you wrote?

-- If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!

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mlovette

16 posts in 1314 days


#14 posted 1299 days ago

Man…Now that’s what I call planning ahead…. Great looking box with a very cool and sincere meaning behind it. It sounds like she has a wonderful grandfather and I am sure she very touched by the box and your letters.

-- Mike - Woodworking rookie from NC

View WistysWoodWorkingWonders's profile

WistysWoodWorkingWonders

11516 posts in 1353 days


#15 posted 1239 days ago

wow, very nice, both the story and the build…

-- New Project = New Tool... it's just the way it is, don't fight it... :)

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