Keepsakes for Kids

When your baby is born, it's a lots of fun to start saving keepsakes for them. I suggest starting a box, although you may prefer to put some things I've suggested below in a scrapbook or binder. You may also want to start two boxes, one that is basically a time capsule and one for items for baby to use in the future.

First, you'll need a box with a lid. It can be cardboard, wood, or plastic. Here are some suggestions:
- box from a baby gift
- box from baby formula, diapers, wipes, etc.
- store-bought baby keepsake box
- family heirloom box or chest
- any sturdy box, decorated if desired

Add baby's name to the outside of the box, if desired.

Second, start filling the box. Here are some items to consider:
- baby cards, gift tags, and ribbons
- baby's first/favorite bottle, outfit, toy, shoes, etc.
- hospital bracelet, crib card, etc.
- newspapers from the day/week baby was born
- magazines from the week/month baby was born
- comic book from the month baby was born, especially if baby shares their name with a character
- souvenir from your favorite/local sports team(s), especially from baby's first game
- souvenir from sports championship for the year/season baby was born (hat, shirt, replica ring, etc.)
- CD with the #1 song from the week baby was born
- DVD/blu-ray/memorabilia from the #1 movie from the week baby was born
- personalized items that are for when baby gets older (pencil, key chain, jackknife, etc.)
- sports cards of athletes who share baby's name or birthday
- coins and postage stamps from the year baby was born
- mementos from the Chinese zodiac year baby was born

These are just a few suggestions. Please comment with your ideas. Have fun!

Disney's Maleficent Inspired Box

I recently fell in love with Disney's "Maleficent", a re-telling of "Sleeping Beauty" with much more focus on the "evil queen". The film is beautiful, as is the story, and when I was looking to transform a little hinged box that I'd been saving for years, I decided to go with a Maleficent theme.

SUPPLIES:
box
acrylic paint
polymer clay
paper and pencil
feathers
crystal/stone
charms
glue

1. Look at images from the film on the internet or watch the movie to get a feel for the magical scenery and creatures. The colors also inspired me. For the front and back of the box, I traced silhouettes of Maleficent so they would line up towards the "spine" of the box. On the front I went with her wing-less dark queen silhouette from when she curses Aurora and on the back I did her happy, winged, long-hair silhouette from after she saves Aurora. Inside I did one side as a night time scene from the moors and the other side a woodsy daytime scene.

2. Add accents like polymer clay, charms, stones, crystals, and feathers. I made black polymer clay thorns and a raven for the front of the box and brown/green tree branches for the back. (After I took photos) I super glued a white quartz stone inside and plan to add some brown and black feathers also. Other charms and stones might come later as I collect "magical" things.

3. DONE.

Loki Wooden Chest

This was a rather unexpected project that came together really well...

I love the character Loki from the "Thor" and "Avengers" movies. Tom Hiddleston is a fantastic actor and the costuming is beautiful. I saw a Loki helmet pendant necklace online and ordered it, but when it arrived, I discovered that it was much larger than I had expected. The pendant is solid metal and very nice, but simply too big for me to ever wear as a necklace. I realized that the top loop of the pendant would actually make a great screw-hole and the pendant could easily become a unique accent to a piece of furniture.

While searching for the right place for my Loki helmet, I remembered the wooden chest that my grandfather had built for me when I was a kid. I had painted it purple and Mom helped me line the inside with black velvet. Deep down, I knew this chest was the perfect place for my Loki helmet.

After removing all the hardware, which was already brass and matched the pendant, I gave the chest a new black and green paint job:
GREEN: lid (inside and outside), front, right side
BLACK: interior, bottom, back, left side

I removed the black velvet lining for painting, then glued it back in after.

Next came some carefully cut strips of a broken black leather belt, glued on the left side and back of the chest, emulating Loki's armor.

Finally, I reattached all the hardware. DONE.

I plan to add some more brass accents, as I find the perfect ones.

UPDATE: More brass accents! I hammered brass diamond-shaped studs into the left side by the leather pieces, emulating more of Loki's armor. I got a little rough with the hammer on some of them and I like the effect - makes it look battle-damaged.

And some PERFECT brass corners for the top of the box. They look like the designs on Loki's armor plates as well as his helmet/horns.