The Jewelry Box
 
 Of all the things I have ever made, this is, by far, my favorite.  The box is of solid walnut.  The walnut came from an old (100+ years) barn in Illinois that my brother tore down.  He found the rough walnut lumber being used as flooring in a workroom and sent it to me.  I spent more time on this jewelry box than on anything I have ever built.  I can no longer even begin to estimate how many hours I spent on it -- but it doesn't matter. 

It was a labor of love -- love for the wood; love for the work, and Love for the Lady for whom it was made.

(The small pictures below are links to larger ones.  Use your Back button to return to this page.)

	The box is approx 19 inches high and 15 inches wide.  The two doors are very closely matched in grain pattern.
	Just two more views.
	The drawers are lined with red velvet, and some of the drawers are fashioned for their intended contents -- rings, earrings, etc.
	The little hooks that the chains hang on are hand carved.    The sections behind the hanging chains are concave cuts.  That was an interesting cut that I learned at the time with my radial saw.
	Two of her favorite pendants.  I had them made for her.  She especially liked the one on the left, and she wore it proudly.  (Much to the consternation of a couple of her feminist friends.)
	This was my favorite. This is the reason why.  The pendant is kinda out of focus, but, somehow, it just doesn't seem to matter.
	I made the drawer pull hardware from scratch.  I cut the pieces from brass bar stock, then ground them to the desired shape.  When I had enough pieces that looked alike, I soldered PC board stand-offs to the backs, then had them gold plated.  Another of her favorites.  A charm for each of the countries we visited.  (She had to start another bracelet.)
	Walnut is a very rewarding wood -- the more you work it, the more it rewards you with the depths of its beauty.

 In a lifetime of woodworking projects that range through decks, storage sheds, kitchens, bookcases, tables and an assortment of other stuff, this is the one which stands above the pack.  Nothing else I have ever done comes even close.