| Project by ellen35 | posted 538 days ago | 1164 views | 1 time favorited | 15 comments |  |
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Of all the boxes I make, I must admit that tea boxes are among my favorites (I am also an addicted tea drinker!). This 9 1/2×9 1/2 inch box was made on commission from a local woman who saw some of my tea boxes at a summer fair. I offered to let her come over and choose her woods and I would make her one. I didn’t hear from her until just before Christmas when she called to say her husband wanted to get her a tea box for Christmas. This mahogany came out of a house that is now over 100 years old. The wood here was the fireplace surround and bookcase material in the living room. What attracted the customer to it was the beautiful figuring. She also loved the contrast of purpleheart with the mahogany. When I told her that the purpleheart may, over time, turn brown… well that was fine for her! The box is about 3 1/2 inches high and holds standard wrapped tea bags in 9 compartments. The top is a design that I like as it gives it an Asian flair. There is a single chunky purpleheart key in the corners. It is finished in 4 coats of Polycryl.
Thanks for looking… and have a cup of tea for me!
Ellen
-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
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15 comments so far
sedcokid
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2522 posts in 1795 days
#1 posted 538 days ago
Great Box Ellen, Your boxes are always a treat to look at….... Beautiful!!
Thanks for sharing
-- Chuck Emery, Michigan,
grizzman
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5465 posts in 1500 days
#2 posted 538 days ago
beautiful tea box ellen, i love the mahogany and purple heart mix, looks really good…...so are you making one for yourself, out of the same materials, or are you doing something different…...im sure your customer is very happy…here i was gearing up for a certain project..that you know about, and now i cant stop thinking about doing a new box of some kind…HELPPPPPPPPP..I NEED HELPPPPPPPPP….....my name is grizzman, i am a boxaholic…...lol
-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']
Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)
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6059 posts in 1116 days
#3 posted 538 days ago
That looks great, Ellen! I also love mahogany. It is one of my favorites. There is something about boxes too that is so fun. I kind of collect boxes I suppose. I never noticed it until Keith pointed it out! LOL Wonderful job!
Sheila :)
-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"
moonls
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382 posts in 1183 days
#4 posted 538 days ago
The beauty of that reclaimed mahogany makes that tea box a winner!
-- Lorna, Cape Cod
BarbS
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2194 posts in 2282 days
#5 posted 538 days ago
That is beautiful, Ellen. Very nicely done!
-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/
jack1
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#6 posted 538 days ago
What a great lid! Extending the trim of purple heart like that is a neat design.
Jack
-- jack -- ...measure once, curse twice!
Lenny
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1055 posts in 1724 days
#7 posted 538 days ago
Nice design elements and magnificent figure in the mahogany really set this piece off Ellen. Great job! I somehow think I will one day be asking: “Ellen do you mind if I steal this idea or that design element?” for some tea boxes of my own.
-- On the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop! Lenny, East Providence, RI
degoose
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6618 posts in 1551 days
#8 posted 538 days ago
Wonderful as usual…
-- Drink twice... and don't bother to cut... @ lazylarrywoodworks.com.au For lovers of all things timber...
littlecope
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2378 posts in 1699 days
#9 posted 538 days ago
Great Job Ellen… Pretty Wood!!
-- Mike in Concord, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.
a1Jim
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#10 posted 537 days ago
Beautiful Tea box Ellen.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
wiser1934
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259 posts in 1343 days
#11 posted 537 days ago
that box is spectacular!! wish i had 1/2 of your talent. super!!! i also am an avid tea drinker.
-- wiser1934, new york
Woodwrecker
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3035 posts in 1772 days
#12 posted 537 days ago
Ellen, you are at the tip top of the tea box totem pole !!!
With your unique design, people are going to start saying “Look! That’s an original Ellen”
The figure in that wood is to die for as well.
Very nice job !
-- Eric
Paul Stoops
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278 posts in 757 days
#13 posted 537 days ago
Great design and execution! What an elegant way to make miter joints that always fit!! I’ll have to remember that trick….......... :-)
-- Paul, Auburn, WA
josh
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578 posts in 766 days
#14 posted 537 days ago
sorry, but this is just way too cool for me!
-- Josh; Former Pennsylvanian, current Coloradan
LittlePaw
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#15 posted 534 days ago
Beautiful wood, but it still takes skillful hands to make the box. Very well done, Ellen.
-- Paul - The sweetest sound in my shop, next to Mozart, is what a hand plane makes slicing a ribbon.
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