When the junk drawer spills over its allotted space, or the bedside table begins dropping spare change, pens, and collar points with every push of the snooze button, it’s time to pocket the debris and put it into something pretty. Enter M’s Handmade Boxes. Created with care and precision by her own hands, the boxes that Meredith Butler makes are works of art that double as functional storage space. These are exquisite pieces of handmade beauty that make ideal gifts during this holiday season – and any time of the year for that matter.
Meredith makes 17 different styles of boxes at the moment, with paper procured from around the world – Japan, Brazil, England, India, Nepal, Zimbabwe and the United States. She’s used everything from a vibrant Nepalese gingko pattern to maps of familiar places such as Boston, Venice, New York, Chicago, London and San Francisco. Birdcages and plum blossoms adorn practical tissue covers, while some of the square boxes look like gloriously-bound books – perhaps a nod to her work in a Library Preservation Laboratory. That experience informs the carefully-crafted and curated collection of boxes Butler has assembled.
Some tell us a story, some are simply soothing to see. Some have compartments, divided by further beauty, while some have insides that are more pretty than their outsides. An oblong box featuring Katazome Blue Leaves is lined elegantly with navy book cloth; a group of intriguing triangular containers can be made with tassels or ribbon. Each one is a unique creation as worthy of exhibition as they are of usefulness.
In a time of clutter and distraction, a pretty box is a sure-fire solution for gaining a sense of order, and maintaining organization with something beautiful. This is also a perfect find for those looking for meaningful work of beauty and art. When human hands have taken the time and care to conjure something full of delight, a bit of that spirit imbues each piece. The world needs more of that kind of magic.
{This weekend, Meredith will be bringing her handmade boxes to the CraftHoliday Boston event taking place at the Hynes Convention Center. A detailed schedule of her other shows, along with a gorgeous collection of her work, may be found at her website for M’s Handmade Boxes.}
