I recently finished new custom engagement ring box commissioned by John from Australia. He requested the box with his girfriend’s favourite plush toys inside. He secretly photographed 6 of them from different angles and send it to me so I could replicate them in Sculpey or Fimo polymer modelling clay and green stuff (epoxy putty).
We spent few days exchanging approx. 40 emails with ideas and links to different reference photos and deciding on the concept of the box. John wanted to add music when the box is open. I never constructed music box before so the project got even more exciting. We were considering two totally different approaches. One was electronic component with MP3 with little speaker, second option, classic clockwork music box.
After listening samples on Youtube we were both enchanted with the little mechanical instruments and option no.2. At one stage we went crazy, sending links to 100 Note versions and the size of little furniture 🙂 but we quickly realized that it will not fit inside the box. We ended with 18 Note version playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D. You can see the mechanism attached to side of the box on picture below, but in finished box it is hidden inside miniature piano.
The box itself was going to be heart shaped. I made it with several layers of wood veneer bent and glued together creating rigid shell. The painting was borrowed from his favourite Tiffany’s porcelain design, slightly modified to fit this box. 
The finished box was shipped by DHL to Sydney and arrived in record time in 3 days just on time for romantic evening during the weekend. She said YES !
For both of you Lyn and John I wish you the best of life today and in the days to come! …and live Happily Ever After
