The Lilly Memorial Project: Angel feather tin

Caleb - 3/20/09 - 8/29/11 - full Trisomy 18

Recently I was reading a lovely magazine called Seasons at Home.  (This magazine, by a homeschooling family, is full of crafts, woodworking projects, recipes, encouragement, etc.)  One of the craft ideas in their summer issue was to take a mint tin box and cover it with pretty paper and decorate it and fill it to use as a little sewing kit.  I've seen similar ideas with the mint tins before, but the one in the magazine was just so pretty I felt inspired to make one.  I don't really have a lot of extra crafting time but the idea popped into my mind to use the little tins as "thinking of you" gifts for families who have lost loved ones.

Caleb - what a beautiful smile!

I made my first "angel feather tin" the other day and mailed it to the family of Caleb.  Caleb was a sweet little boy that lived over two years with full Trisomy 18.  His 2nd angelversary is today.  (You can read about Caleb's life on his blog Caleb's Journey.)

Caleb's mama is a wonderful resource and I've been blessed to talk with her by phone several times.  I learned a lot from her when Lilly was several months old and I needed direction for treatments and daily care.

I sort of made up the box project as I went along, but the end result made me smile.

I put a white feather in the box, and printed out this angel feather poem:


A feather from an Angel
Is one we rarely see.
But this one is quite different,
And as special as can be.

This feather is a reminder
Of a special person's love...
Who is now your Guardian Angel
Watching and protecting from above.

I also printed out this scripture:  “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.”  --  Exodus 23:20

I then printed out several pictures of Caleb.  Finally I strung Caleb's name in letter beads along with an angel and cross beads.

I thought it turned out nice and found it really theraputic to make.  I may have enjoyed it more than his family.  I look forward to making one for my Lilly sometime and also other angel families.  Maybe I'll become the "angel feather tin lady" or something.  :)  We'll see how they are received.  My goal is simply to honor other angel children in little ways that tell their families that their child is not forgotten.

Here are some pictures of Caleb's box:

 

Tabby made the Mighty Mouse bottle cap magnet for me to include.  Caleb was nicknamed "Mouse" and we all think of Caleb when we see Mighty Mouse.

Dear READERS:  If you have any empty mint tins that you don't want, I'd love to have them for future angel feather boxes.  Thank you!