This Instructable is for an alternative to a ring bearer pillow! I will be showing you how to make a ring bearers box that can be turned into a wedding keepsake box after the wedding!

Read this Instructable over before you begin because I give you a few different options so pick the ones that fit your wedding theme etc

Ive never woodburned before.... So please don't judge too hard :)

Step 1: Get Your Supplies!*

-wooden box that closes
-sandpaper
-Woodburning tool with the tip that is rounded (used for calligraphy)
-piece of balsa wood (I chose one of the thinnest ones so I could cut it with scissors. The flip side of this is I had to double it up to achieve the thickness I pictured. If you have the tools to cut thicker balsa or basswood then go for that!)
-felt at least the size of the bottom of the box
-scissors
-stain (in a very light color so your woodburning details stand out. I used darker stain but only stained the bottom so it matched the burned parts of the box.)
-paintbrush
-e6000 or another glue (for gluing the wood dividers in the box if you just want to use it during the ceremony and for glueing felt to bottom of box. I don't recommend using hot glue)
-pieces of fabric for the inside of the box. I chose to use 2 different fabrics that coordinated. So during ceremony they kind of would represent 2 different people but after the wedding they are moved within the box to be cohesive together and symbolize unity.
-tape (to hold down woodburning tool stand)

Optional:
-cardboard or other material to prop the fabric up more (so you'd make a rectangular prism of cardboard and cover it with fabric so it just looks like fabric) and tape
-2 small pieces of ribbon (to sew or glue onto middle of fabrics once arranged in box to tie the ring to. Not pictured )
-mini frame for the top of the box instead of having a burned detail on top of the box. I picked up one from Michaels (sku # 239985) but decided I liked the woodburning instead (maybe because I just started woodburning hehe)
-gloss finish (to be applied when the box is how you intend to leave it i.e. If you just want to use it during the ceremony you could varnish it after you do all project. If you want it to be a keepsake box you'd most likely varnish it after the wedding and after you've altered it.
-paper towel

To make it a keepsake box after the wedding:
-e6000 extreme tack repositionable glue
(This way you can remove the dividers on the inside of the box)
-I don't think it's recommended to woodburn after stain has been applied. This is why I stained just the bottom of my box in a darker color. After the wedding when you add an "&" and last name to the inside of the box you can stain the top of it or put a gloss finish on it.
-duraClear gloss varnish by Americana (optional. Not demonstrated in Instructable)

* some supplies may not be pictured

Step 2: Prep the Woodburning Tool*

-tape woodburning tool to your work surface (I suggest taping it directly to the table etc that you are working on not how I taped it to posterboard. I had to be extra careful working that way (just my attempt to get prettier pictures).
-screw the rounded tip into the tool
-set tool on stand
-plug tool in
-turn tool on

*follow instructions of your woodburning tool

Step 3: Make Box Dividers

Cut a piece of balsa wood with scissors (or another tool if applicable) so it fits on the bottom portion of your box in the middle

Cut another piece of wood that size

Mark the place that the balsa wood meets the top of the bottom of the box. We will use that mark to cut this extra wood off

Cut both pieces of balsa that you just cut for the center of the box and cut off the extra using the mark you made (not pictured)

Step 4: Glue Balsa Together If Applicable

If you need to double up the balsa as I wanted to, use E6000 to glue corresponding pieces together (the two big pieces together and the two small pieces together). Keep pressure on them until they dry so they dry together solidly.

Step 5: Mark Center of Box If Applicable

If you just want to use this box during the wedding (not make it into a keepsake box) you can use a pen to mark the middle of the top of the box. This will help you use equal space for "Mr" and "Mrs" when you are woodburning and give you a clear idea of where the divider goes.

If you want it to be a keepsake box after the wedding then I suggest you do not do this step

Step 6: Start Burning That Box!

Your woodburning tool is probably heated up by now.

I did a light burn of "mr" and "mrs" to get the spacing I wanted down. I then went over it to make it darker. Then I burned the downstrokes a little more than the upstrokes to make it look a little more calligraphy like.

If you want it to be a keepsake box later, leave a decent space between "mr" and "mrs" so you can burn a "&" in there after the wedding (see next step). Also if you want it to become a keepsake box, do the burning so there is space for you to put the last name in there later. You want there to be room for the last name but for it to still look like its a completed project when it's at the wedding ( leave a space but not a HUGE space).

Step 7: This Is the Space I Was Talking About

If you want it to be a keepsake box, this is the kind of space you want to leave between "mr" and "mrs"

Step 8: Time for the Top of the Box!

Time to woodburn what you want on the top of your box (or time to add the picture frame etc)

For this design you can add initials of the couple

I.e. "C&E" would go in the heart for a couple getting married with a groom with a name starting with a "c" and bride with a name starting with an "e"

Step 9: Stain Your Box

Time to stain your box!!!

Follow the instructions on your box. Mine said:
Lightly sand your box (not pictured)
Apply stain with brush in direction of wood grain
Leave 5-10 minutes
Wipe off with soft cloth (I used a paper towel)
I just stained the bottom of the box where there isn't any woodburning details. stain your box according to the design you're thinking of.

Step 10: Adhere Dividers to Box

Just ring bearers box:
-use E6000 glue to adhere the dividers to the box

For it to also be a keepsake box:
-apply a few dots of e6000 repositionable glue to the dividers and let dry for 8 hours then stick to the box in the middle of the box (small piece on top. Large piece on bottom of box)

Step 11: Optional

Use cardboard and tape to make blocks of cardboard that can fit in the bottom sections of the box. These will help puff up the fabric (cheaper than using lots of fabric)

Be sure to make the blocks of cardboard slightly smaller than the space available so you can tuck the fabric you use around the cardboard box

Step 12: Add the Fabric

If you've added cardboard inside your box, cover it with fabric and tuck in the sides (not pictured)

If you haven't added cardboard (pictured) make the fabric you have puffy so it would hold the wedding rings at the level of the box that you want them to be displayed at.

Step 13: Put Felt on the Bottom

Cut felt to be the size of the bottom of the box and glue the felt on to the bottom of the box.

This will make carrying it more comfortable and if you turn it into a keepsake box it will help your box not scratch the surface you put it on.

Step 14: TAAAA DAAAAAA!!!

Your ring bearers box is done!!!!

Step 15: After Wedding...

Turn your ring bearers box into a wedding keepsake box by

1) taking out the dividers (and cardboard if applicable)
2) changing layout of the fabric
3) woodburn the last name of married couple and an "&" in between "Mr" and "Mrs" (idea demonstrated with blue writing)