2011 has been a really rough year for our family, primarily as we were nursing my Grandma through terminal cancer sadly losing her in May. One of my best friends lives in Brighton and one day she sent me a little present to let me know she was thinking of me and trying to cheer me up. My lovely present was a Willow Tree Keepsake Box. I had bought friends and family Willow Tree figures in the past but this was the first item from the range that I recieved myself.

The Willow Tree range is designed by Susan Lordi and the original inspiration was: "Willow Tree is an intimate, personal line of figurative sculptures representing qualities and sentiments that help us feel close to others, heal wounds, or treasure relationships." Willow Tree figures show their emotion through the body gestures alone as the faces are totally blank.

The keepsake box is a small square box which is about 7.5cm (3") in size. The lid simply lifts off and isn't attached in any way which I expected really. The box has the same kind of texture as the figurines which is a special sculptured clay that still holds the appearance of the knife marks used to sculpture. On each side of the box you will find a small raised star which is a really simply but lovely effect.

The lid of the box features two raised willow tree figures sitting knee to knee looking as though they are in the middle of an in depth conversation. Even though the figures have no faces they are clearly different with the way they are sat and the different hairstyles. Between the two figures at the top of the lid you will find another star shape.

In the base of the box you will find some script writing which states "Forever true, forever friends". I think that is a really lovely touch and is very meaningful and personal between close friends. Though I know that it is clearly a printed message in every box it really did feel very personal to me and means a lot to hear that from your friends. As a rule I am not a mushy kind of friend, but going through a bad time it meant the world to me.

The box is a beige colour all over with just different colour on the hair, faces and stars. Inside the box is a grey colour and the black print really stands out against that colour background.

I decided to use the box to store the jewellery that my Grandma left me in her will so that I always knew it was somewhere safe and though it was from a friend it is something that will now always remind me of her. I have since bought one of these keepsake boxes for one of my friends and she loved hers as much as I love mine. I think it is a lovely present and it is something different rather than giving a figurine as a gift but still holds a special meaning.

The price of the Willow Tree Keepsake Box is currently around £14.00 on Amazon, though when I bought one as a present it was just under ten pounds so the price does seem to vary at times.

I can't recommend this box enough, it is a lovely present to give or receive and it is just beautiful in every way.

Thank you for reading my review