How to make a memory box??

my advice to you is to (if you want to make a wood box) go to the library and get some books out on how to make stuff.
if you are planning to buy a hope chest, you could stencil something on it. but the library is a great source of information!

If you have a craft store around, then you might be able to get a wood box kit there (in the size that you want.) If they don't have the kit, then at least they might have a pre-made unfinished lidded box in the size you want. With the unfinished ones you can still do your magic on the outside and make it to look like you want. I got one before (smaller) and woodburned a design on the top, and stained it...very 'old' looking and durable. Whatever you make your box out of, be sure and NOT use wood stains on the inside. Over time the wood stains will ruin pictures, cloth items, etc. I was always taught to use blue fabric to line the memory box, or to line it with blue paper. For some reason blue paper/cloth preserves photos, and materials that are in the box (prevents yellowing of pictures, materials, newspaper prints, etc.) I have a memory box of my one Aunt, it's lined in blue and her wedding stuff is just as new looking as when it was stuck in there back in the 1940's...so it must be something true about the blue lining. You'll have to share a picture with us when you get done! Good luck...fun project!!

I had a bunch of stuff saved in cardboard boxes and when we moved they ended up in the basement and got all icky! I then decided to go out and buy plastic containers with air tight lids. Maybe you could find one of these and decorate it with your personal touches.

I too am going to make a memory box. I am 57 years old and have a number of items I have collected over the years that a stashed here and there, but as I get old and I have more medical problems I would like to get them all put together in one place for my grandchild, with some proper documentation. Some things date back to my great grandmother and I think these need to be documented. I too have been thinking about wood, but I have also been thinking about cloth boxes for some of the things. I currently have some items in plastic containers with airtight lids and I am not very comfortable with them. Some of my items have been though a fire. They received mostly smoke damage. Those things that were in metal containers made it through the fire without any damage, so that may be another idea. Just sort of Thinking out Load here. I think I am going to need more than one box. And some of my things are not ready to go back into the boxes yet.