RSN - Box Making

The diploma courses at the Royal School of Needlework require either stumpwork or box making.  I decided to do box making instead of stumpwork, I didn't want to make a face and hands which are required for the stumpwork course.  

Back in the 1970's my Grandmother would ask me what I wanted for my birthday and/or Christmas, I would say a letter, she would say that is silly.  We lived in the same town, she wrote letters to all my cousins, but not me.  I gave her a diary for Christmas and the following year she wrote in it everyday, if she didn't have enough to fill a page she drew a picture.  When she passed I received the diary, 40+ years later my diary needs a safe place to be stored and I needed a box to make.

My Grandparents lived in a converted chicken house, it had low ceilings, it was long and narrow.  My box is similar to their house.

 The requirements were to have a moving part and a lid.  The roof opens and the shutters on the back of the house move.

 All of the flowers are the flowers my Grandmother had at their house, this end has sunflowers.  The front of the house has a clematis and lily of the valley.

 Hollyhocks and iris on this end.  The iris and clematis were her favorites.  I almost didn't plant these, but I heard my Grandmother saying they were her favorites.

 She had roses on the back of the house and alysumm were planted in several places around the house.

 Before I left home I stitched the family tree for the back wall and the ceiling.  The tree is stitched on two pieces of 36 count linen.  There are only three generations, not enough room for more.  I will add the rest of the family in a booklet to put in the box later.

 Here is the diary with the house, I tried to match the floor and wallpaper (fabric) with the diary.  I didn't want to use a striped fabric, but when I saw this fabric nothing else would work.

 Grandma's handwriting was so pretty, we all love it!

This is a picture of the inside or the window with the diary inside.  I will add pictures and other treasures as I come across them.   

Thank you Jacqui McDonald for all your help and encouragement.

I hope you enjoy reading about my latest project.  Questions and comments are always welcome.