Just bought a ring and have a plan

[hmrambling]

Any idea of how and when during the trip you'll pop the question?

We'll be flying in on a Monday night, but won't be able to hike the Canyon until Tuesday. I would like to find Shoshone Point Tuesday night and ask her around sunset.

[snow]

I am really excited for you! I remember the first couple posts you made about your fiancée-to-be ♥

[hmrambling]

I dropped the ring off at the jeweler and it is being sized. Hopefully I got the right size and it turns out great.

[C.C.]

I am excited for you two as well and eager to learn how the trip turns out.
The best of luck :3

[Ejoriah]

Very excited for you! I love all the care you're putting into the planning

[ducharme8]

How romantic everything sounds!

The ring is stunning!!!

Good luck and please do keep us updated!



Lisa

[hmrambling]

I got a call from the jeweler and it is sized and ready to pick up. I plan to go tomorrow and pick up the ring. Then I need to put it away for safe keeping until next year's Grand Canyon trip.

[Sparkling72]

I sent you a PM... I live in Phoenix and can give you advice on where to go and not go

[hmrambling]

I've been researching DIY ring boxes. Some of them are so awesome. I'm thinking about making a ring box. They have some on etsy, but I think it would be cool to make my own. I'm thinking of how I can make a flat ring box that I can put in my pocket for when we go hike the Grand Canyon.

[hmrambling]

I made the ring box. Just finished it. Gonna leave it rustic. Not gonna stain it. https://vid.me/HtJR

[80anthea]

That's a pretty box. Love the rustic look.

[Karura]

That box and ring look really lovely! <3

[Honour]

That box is a pretty cool idea. Love it!

[Mims27]

That's really pretty!

[hmrambling]

That video makes it look like a real struggle to open. If I had the phone on a tripod and had both hands free, there would be zero problem opening it. It was late and I wanted to share the completion of the ring box. (So I made the video while trying to hold the phone with one hand and open the box with the other.)

I originally planned to cut the wood myself and start from scratch. However, last night I decided it was too close to our trip to go in search of the right branch to make the ring box from. I went to Michael's and found this:



The package above had 4 pieces of birch in it. I took the two pieces that best fit together, drilled the hole for the dowel, and tapped the dowel into the birch. I broke the dowel off in the first hole I drilled, which is why you see two drill holes on the top if you look closely. I was a lot more careful when I tapped the dowel in when I drilled the second hole for the dowel, so I didn't break the dowel off on my second attempt.

Then I began hollowing out the hole for the ring. To hollow out the ring hole, I used a Dremel with abrasive cutting wheels and sanding attachments. A spade drill bit or hole saw would have left a pilot hole on the bottom of the ring box. I didn't want a pilot hole on the bottom of the ring box because I would have had to fill that in with wood filler.

The process of trial and error took about 4 hours. It would have taken a fraction of the time if I would have used a spade drill bit or hole saw, but as I already stated, I didn't want to fill in a hole on the bottom of the ring box.

I sanded the top and bottom of the ring box after I recorded the video so now the top and bottom are very smooth to the touch.

I debated etching our initials or a heart on the top of the ring box, but decided against it.