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Thursday, August 25, 2011

toybox to blanket chest re- re- re-purpose...

This is my childhood toybox (back when kids had just enough toys to fit into a box this size...what is the world coming to?)


It's an old typewriter box - remember typewriters? And this was no electric typewriter. This was the real deal - and probably weighed 50 pounds. Years and years ago, my great grandmother worked at the local newspaper. When one of the reporters got a new typewriter, she saved this cool box from the garbage (turns out it's a hereditary thing). Also years and years ago, she covered the lid of this box with a little padding and some fabric and made it into a little storage ottoman (how forward-thinking of her!) Over the years it's been re-covered several times - by my great Auntie Gin, by my Mom, and by me.

I say re-covered, but not un-covered. Because beneath the most recent fabric is the previous fabric...going all the way back to the fabric that my great grandmother used to cover it in the first place. And somewhere in those layers is a letter that my Auntie Gin wrote to the future telling her story of re-covering this box lid. As I recall, it begins something like this

{it's a hot and rainy afternoon, and baby Beverly is sleeping...} I made the most recent cover out of fabric squares. It's gotten pretty ratty over the last few years, so I decided to update it and move it into our living room.



I installed a special hinge that keeps the lid from slamming down on tiny fingers...

I recovered it in this lovely blue chevron canvas...





5 comments:

michele said...

loving loving loving! this box is fabulous and the fact it is serving a function? bravo.

come visit!

michele

Jenn said...

What a fabulous box with such a cool story behind it! Very unique! Thanks so much for sharing at The Creative Spark - hope to see you again on Tuesday night!
Jenn :)

Proper Prim said...

LOVE that box. I have the typewriter that probably sat in one of those. What a wonderful story and I especially love that there was a little note with it's history. Makes you want to cherish even more.

Found you over at Funky Junk's blog.

Mellissa and Carmen said...

I love your idea!
Repurposing with flair!
great job!

Mellissa@oldhousenewhousemyhouseyourhouse.blogspot.com

Pamela Gordon said...

That is a really nice box and I like that it has been repurposed for several generations. It's solid and has a lot of character with the writing on it. Love it!