Baby trunk

Since my baby in the family is very young she really hasn't filled up her trunk with a while lot yet.  She does have her dollie, first pair of shoes, baby sweater, new dollie and bunny Uncle Zac got her for Easter.  She has a few other items to put in and will as soon as she has stopped playing/using them such as her baby bottle, rattle, and Christening gown.  Come back at a later time and see what has been added.

My nannie's hope chest is full of items she wants to be near her on her wedding day.  Her grandmother's wedding gown with all of its beads in place, along with her mother's pearls and Aunt Tizzy's veil.  He own new shoes, favorite parfumes, soaps and sache's, a brand new pair of nylon stockings, jewelry fit for a queen, gloves, her grandmother's wedding certificate, and a her mother and father's wedding picture. 

M'Ladies trunk is full of items that she cherrishes such as valentine cards her sweetheart gave her, an old shawl that was her grandmother's, letters from family members far away, baubles that she hides away to ponder over often, material that she made her favorite dress from, feathers from her visit to South American, bells from the sleigh ride an old flame took her on one winter, an old pair of shoes she wore at her first cotillian, and her favorite paper dolls she played with when she was young.

This trunk I made is full of kitchen items.  It belongs to my families cook who is one day going to have his own place to use all of the items he has bought, scrounged, collected and received as a gift.  He has pot holders, trivets, dishes, glasses, tea cups,  water pots, towels, place mats, silverware, rolling pin, bottle of cooking wine, and even a couple of cooking awards.  He keeps this trunk in his kitchen so he can dream while the kitchen maids are diligently cooking up his menu items for the day.

A man's memory trunk...or heritage trunk.  I placed items in this trunk that I thought a man might want.  There is cigars, a bottle of his favorite whiskey, football, war medals from his grandfather, a picture he bought for investment purposes, a golf ball, tennis racket, binoculars, maps and old scrolls handed down the generations.  This resides in my gentleman's man cave.   He loves to go in and just sit and look at his box of collected items.

How to make a Memory Trunk

Miniature Memory trunks are quite easy to make.  The main idea is to make it look like it is full of "stuff" to fool the eye. 

1.  You can either buy a miniature trunk kit, a pre-made miniature trunk from your favorite dealer or buy a Michael's wooden miniature trunk in the wood section isle. 
2.  Decorate the outside with your choice of affects.  You can paint a solid color, use crackle paint for an antiqued finish, paper it with leather or material of choice, decopauge with your favorite mini posters, or paint decorative scenes.  It is entirely your choice.  Experiment, it is fun.
3.  I usually paint the inside a dark brown or black to include the top inside edges or any other color to match the lining.  This is to ensure the wood does not show after you have lined your trunk.
4.  Use a small print wallpaper or material and line the inside of the trunk, again to include the top inside edges. 
5.  Cut a piece of styrofoam that will fit nicely on the inside of the trunk.  Make sure it comes flush with the top of the trunk bottom.  In the end, this will give the illusion the trunk is full.
6.  cover the styrofoam with any color velveteen or flannel.
7.  Now the fun begins.  Take the items you have been saving for your trunk and start placeing them "in" the trunk.  Use a piece of material to look like a blanket draped over the edge.  Create a gown an drape it over the trunk.  Fill small spaces with lace, ribbon, beads, notepapers, Christmas or other holiday cards.  Add antique pictures, jewelry, or any other piece of memorabilia that inspires you.  Add a childhood toy, book, or picture.  Let your imagination loose and have fun.....

This is Martha.  She is a little elderly lady who is stuck in the 70's with her peasant blouse and skirt.  She lives on her farm, grows her own peaches adn tomatoes, and tends to her horses, goats, ducks and chickens.  While she sits back and relaxes a bit, Henry, her favorite rooster, hops up and wants some attention.   

This vignette was created from a trunk swap with the msatminidoll Posse Group.   This trunk is what inspired my young lady.  She has her first grown up dress and has packed her trunk to go on a cruise to Europe with her Dad.  She has some travel books on her table and maybe just a bit too much to put into her trunk....What is a girl to do????