The Glass Box

To be consistently happy, everyone should have a box.

I know, that sounded totally weird so let's backtrack a bit. 

Last year, I wrote this post about creating a "Happiness Box" where, over time, you fill a box with mundane objects that you associate happy memories with. When you're feeling low, rummaging through the box should summon good times, thus helping to brighten your mood.

The past weeks have been blah for me. 

I lost my Auntie Edith, one of my favorite people in the world. I will never have those afternoon chats with her. She won't be there to help me out when I have a design dilemma {she was an interior designer, artist, writer and crafter}. Who would share my excitement over the Christmas windows on 5th Avenue? 

And so I'm making myself a box. It's inspired by the many shadow boxes she used to make. Maybe I'll write about them here one day.

I found this beautiful box at Anthropologie. It's a jewelry box made in India.

The glass and mirrored panels make it a perfect storage and display case. Here's how I turned it from blah to TADA!:

I filled it with treasures that my Auntie Edith gave me. I lined the bottoms of the box with items that she had touched {ex. a prayer card} or had her signature {photocopies of letters she had written me}.

Here's what I put inside:

An intricate watch with a black leather strap that she owned and passed on to me. I like the use of the Greek Key pattern, a symbol of infinity. Pardon the pun, but truly, with the people we love, time is gold.

This section of the box has a spiritual theme. Like many women in our family, she had a special connection to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Every year on her birthday {May 8}, we would go to Church, all dressed in white, and offer flowers to Mother Mary. After that, we would celebrate Auntie Edith's new year with a birthday feast. 

The medal, prayer card and silver cross necklace were all from her. She hoped these would bring me protection.

She loved jewelry and she also loved giving them away. In general, I prefer small, dainty pieces. Except when it comes to cocktail rings. And she knew I liked them. Here are the ones she gleefully gave to me: 

Aren't they TADA!?

And as a final touch, I added this locket with her portrait.

Auntie Edith and me. This is OUR box. A reminder of our special relationship and the little pleasures that we shared.