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Description
Lasso & Boots Mini Music Box Add Text, Personalized Handmade Custom Wood Small Wind Up Music BoxOur Mini Music Boxes All of our music boxes are made from premium hardwood, no plywood or pressboard! We do not stain or paint any of our music boxes but apply several finishing coats of lacquer to show off the natural wood grain. The design shown on the first listing image will be engraved along with your custom text. Choose from 4 different woods (shown in the listing photos): Ambrosia Maple, Mahogany, Cherry, and Walnut. Please note that the wood
Our Mini Music Boxes
All of our music boxes are made from premium hardwood, no plywood or pressboard! We do not stain or paint any of our music boxes but apply several finishing coats of lacquer to show off the natural wood grain. The design shown on the first listing image will be engraved along with your custom text.
Choose from 4 different woods (shown in the listing photos): Ambrosia Maple, Mahogany, Cherry, and Walnut. Please note that the wood grain will vary from box to box.
- Ambrosia maple wood varies greatly and can be very light with little variation or very dark with grain contrasts and wormholes.
- Cherry wood is our second lightest wood and is fairly consistent.
- Mahogany is a darker reddish wood.
- Walnut wood is our darkest, please note that walnut wood may not show engraving as well as the other woods.
Mini Music Box Dimensions: 3-1/2" long x 2-7/8" wide x 2-1/8" inch tall.
Features & Benefits:
- Handmade in the USA
- Made from Premium Hardwood, no synthetic wood, no pressboard, no plywood, no MDF, etc., because of this, your box will last for years and years to come!
- Every box is unique, just like each piece of wood is unique! Since we use real hardwood, no 2 trees are the same, so no 2 boxes are the same!
- Add your text to make it uniquely yours.
- Choose your wood & song
Music
Our music boxes play tunes by turning the wind-up key on the bottom of the box. We have many songs available, see the list of songs available in the drop-down box for this listing and the song list at the bottom of this page. You can listen to Samples of each tune by going to the Listening Station at the top of the page. All of our mechanical wind up song components are 18 note movements. For traditional music boxes, we do not make mechanical song components. The only songs available are the songs listed. If you would like a custom song, please check out our electronic music box section.
To Order
- From the drop down boxes, select your wood type
- From the drop down boxes, select your engraving option. The top of your box will be engraved with the design shown and your custom text. In the box provided, note the text you would like engraved on the top of your box. If you chose to engrave both the top and inside lid, please note the text you would like for the inside lid as well in the appropriate box provided. (We do not have a specific limit on the number of characters, but keep in mind that the more characters you have, the smaller the font will be.) Please be sure to double-check all spelling and capitalization as we will engrave it EXACTLY as you have noted.
EXAMPLE:
Top Engraving: Robert Field
Inside Lid Engraving: We Love You - From the drop down box, select your font choice. A list of the font choices is shown in the listing photos.
- From the drop down box, chose the song you would like for your music box. If you would like the hear a sample of the song, you can go to the music listening station in the main menu.
- Leave any other info or requests in the Message box in your cart and proceed with checkout.
We select specific cuts for each music box, but if you have a specific preference, would like a lighter piece of walnut, an ambrosia maple piece with a lot of grain contrast, etc., please note your preference at check out and we will do our best to pick a piece to your request.
Songs
A Dream is a Wish |
A Whole New World (Aladdin) |
Amazing Grace |
Ave Maria |
Baby Mine |
Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast) |
Brahms Lullaby |
Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Lion King) |
Can't Help Falling in Love With You |
Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You |
Colors of the Wind (Pocahontas) |
Cannon (Pachelbel's) |
Davy Jones Lullaby (Pirates) |
Drive My Car (Beatles) |
Edelweiss |
Fly Me to the Moon |
From This Moment (Shania Twain) |
Fur Elise |
Game of Thrones Theme |
Greensleeves |
Harry Potter Theme (Hedwig's Theme) |
Here There Everywhere (Beatles) |
Hey Jude (Beatles) |
I Hope You Dance (LeeAnne Womack) |
I Just Called to Say I Love You |
I Will Always Love You (Whitney) |
Imagine (Beatles) |
Jesus Loves Me |
La Vie En Rose |
|
Let It Be (Beatles) |
Let It Go (Frozen) |
Memories ("Cats") |
Music Box Dancer |
|
My Favorite Things |
Once Upon A December (Anastasia) |
Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid) |
Pink Panther |
Pirates of the Caribbean (Theme) |
Somewhere Out There (An American Tale) |
Somewhere Over the Rainbow |
Stand By Me |
Star Wars Theme |
That's What Friends are For |
The Rose |
Unforgettable |
We Are the Champions (Queen) |
What a Friend We Have In Jesus |
When You Wish Upon a Star |
Wind Beneath My Wings |
Winnie the Pooh |
Wonderful World |
You Are My Sunshine |
You Are So Beautiful |
You Light Up My Life |
Your Song by Elton John |
Shipping
Upon completion, this item is shipped via UPS or USPS for US deliveries, and USPS International Shipping 10-15 Day for International deliveries. International customers are responsible for any customs fees charged by their country before their order can be delivered. International customers will have to provide an email address and phone number for delivery.
Ambrosia Maple Wood known as Ghost Maple, also has varying color and grain. Although normally light, ambrosia maple wood is known for its dark grain contrasts, adding brown, gray, and bluish highlights to the wood. Please note the wood grains for all woods will vary from item to item, and the worm holes (a characteristic of Ambrosia Maple Wood) will vary from item to item.
Shipping Notes
- Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
- Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
- Delivery to the USA:
- Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
- If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
- We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
- Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
- To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
- Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
4.8 ★★★★★
Based on 13 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 4
A Remarkable Book--I Want More Like It!
Format: Kindle
I stumbled on Remarkably Bright Creatures among my recommendations. As often happens, the premise intrigued me enough to read it even though I didn't know the author. Well, if Shelby Van Pelt often writes like this, I definitely want more of her books.
The friendship between Tova the aquarium cleaning lady and Marcellus the giant Pacific octopus is a definite selling point in this book. It's a great twist on the "A Kid and Their X" trope (the kind of thing you see in stuff like Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Free Willy, and so forth). This one, I am pleased to report, is far less cheesy and saccharine. Tova is a multifaceted character whose life may seem small in her estimation, and probably is if we go by what is a "normal" life in a small seaside town. Yet that life has been stuffed with complex emotions, unanswered questions, and a longing for "more" that I think everybody can relate to. At least, I certainly could.
As for Marcellus, he's multifaceted, too. A part of me did stick with his point of view, and story, because it is a story of a "remarkably bright," underestimated creature trapped and controlled in a world he doesn't understand. I have cerebral palsy and was diagnosed as level 1 autistic this spring; I'm still looking back and trying to heal from a lot of the latter's implications. So in a visceral way, yeah. I'm not a captive animal or mistreated, but I understood how Marcellus felt. What I liked even better about his story though, is that Marcellus' story doesn't stop there.
Marcellus actually has a life and a history that Shelby Van Pelt, Tova, Cameron, and other characters dig into. He's not just a captive yearning for freedom and mourning lost opportunities, as often happens with similar stories. He makes wry, witty, yet quiet, non-snarky observations about humans. He cares deeply for Tova because she took time to know him as a "person," but also because she's the only human who has ever stopped long enough for Marcellus to know as a real "person." Marcellus gets to be the conduit of real revelation and change for people inside and outside his world. That's amazing, and frankly, it's a lot more than many human characters get.
Remarkably Bright Creatures couldn't succeed with just Tova or Marcellus though, or at least not as well as it did, I think. The other characters pop off the page as well. Cameron is my favorite, precisely because I didn't expect to like him at first. By his own admission, he comes off as a burnout and a loser, and I admit, that's how I saw him to begin with. But as with Tova and Marcellus, Cameron is hiding a lot of layers, a lot of depth. He's got a great heart, but he's still a typical, kinda clueless 30-year-old guy (and I'm still a 30-something so I say that tongue in cheek). He's vulnerable but not pitiful; he plays the victim sometimes, but then he gets mad at being called out on that and wants to do better. He struggles and is a burnout, but he's got good, solid friends and some real interests and potential. In other words, I got really into his arc, especially once Tova, Marcellus, and even Ethan got involved.
As for Ethan, he's unexpectedly cool, as well. I admit some brownie points with him, as I love all things Scottish or Irish and he is of Scottish descent. But I also didn't expect a shopkeeper in his '70s with a gruff edge to be a Grateful Dead fan or to get along so well with a neat and tidy, tiny Swedish aquarium cleaner, so brownie points on plot and character there. In fact, Ethan's role in the story, in particular, went all kinds of unexpected places, so without spoiling anything, I'll tell you to keep an eye on it.
Finally, Shelby wins some extra brownie points for a lot of the "little" things that "pop" out at me when reading a book like this one. For instance, I love cats and love the reluctant yet affectionate relationship Tova develops with a stray cat. I love Marcellus' Collection and the pride and care he takes in it. I love and felt some heartbreak over Tova's reminiscing about the attic playroom that never got to be a playroom.
But I think the thing I loved most about Remarkably Bright Creatures is how remarkable Shelby showed readers humans--and creatures--can be, without getting heavy-handed or cheesy. There are some romances here, so to speak, but this is a relationship novel, and those are, have been for the past several years, some of my favorite ones.
There is some language here, so caveat emptor if that's not your thing. From a writer's perspective, I also wondered how much some threads or characters were actually needed. For instance, looking back, I understand why Tova had a brother, but I'm unsure how much he furthered the plot. Similarly, I understand the roles of Avery and Marco but again, am unsure how much they furthered the plot.
Also, I almost hate to say it, and I could be wrong about this. After all, I know about as much concerning octopi as the average person who watches Jeopardy (which I do). But while Marcellus' plot thread is great, and while I definitely understand suspension of disbelief, I did wonder along with Cameron how much those boundaries were pushed. I mean, I buy Marcellus getting out of his tank, and with the right Collection items, I guess Tova and Cameron could've figured out whatever they needed to know. But...there's a logical shard of me that isn't quite sure she buys how everything lined up, I guess.
All that aside though, Remarkably Bright Creatures is still a remarkable book. As often happens, I'm now eager to find more like it. And yes, it does get a hearty recommendation. At the very least, I'll want to take closer looks next time I go to an aquarium.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Great story and characters
Format: Kindle
I had to see what all the hype was about and after seeing the trailer on Netflix I knew I had to read the book before I watched the movie. I have to say, this was one of the better books I've read so far this year. It's not a fast paced read but it held my interest the entire time. The characters are very well developed and I really grew to like Tova and Cameron, of course Marcellus is the star of the show and is as witty as they come. If you're looking for a good read I highly recommend this one. The octopus is a difficult creature to care for so I sincerely hope the "octopus tank craze" doesn't start over this like the "clownfish tank craze" did when Finding Nemo came out. Leave it to the expert level saltwater hobbyist to care for them or better yet, leave them in the ocean. I have to mention too that this is the author's debut novel and for a debut novel it's very impressive, I'll look for others from her in the future.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026
★★★★★ 5
A remarkable story
Format: Hardcover
What a wonderful surprise this was! I thought Remarkably Bright Creatures was a story about a woman and an octopus, but it turned out to be so much more than that. This is Shelby Van Pelt’s first book, and I don’t think a debut has affected me like this since I read Hollow Kingdom, another story that unfolds through the eyes of an animal. The story has a bit of magical realism to it, in the sense that parts of it are told from the octopus’s point of view, but otherwise it’s simply a delightful tale about family and connections that had me ugly crying by the end of the book.
In the first chapter we meet Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus on display in the Sowell Bay Aquarium near Puget Sound. Marcellus has been in captivity for 1,299 days, and based on his life expectancy of about four years, he believes he only has a handful of days left to live. His dreary days in a small glass enclosure are broken up by secret nighttime excursions, as Marcellus is extremely smart and has found a way out of his tank.
Tova Sullivan is a seventy-year-old woman who has been working nights at the aquarium as a cleaning lady for the past two years. Tova knows how to remove the hundreds of fingerprints on the tank walls and can polish the floors to a brilliant shine. She’s also quite fond of the sea creatures she encounters each night, especially Marcellus, and the two have formed an unusual bond since Tova saved Marcellus one night after he escaped and became entangled in a bunch of electrical cords.
Next, we meet Cameron Cassmore, a thirty-year-old man who is drifting through life with no real purpose. Cameron lives in California, and one day his aunt gives him a box of his estranged mother’s things. Inside the box he finds a photo and an old class ring, clues that could lead to the identity of his father, a man he never knew. Cameron hops on a plane to Washington state, convinced the man he thinks is his father—a rich real estate tycoon—will be so distraught over abandoning his son, he’ll shower Cam with money. At least that’s the plan.
Finally, Ethan Mack is the owner of Sowell Bay’s Shop-Way, the local grocery store. Ethan has known Tova for years and secretly has a crush on her, but Tova is much too distant to notice his interest. When Cameron shows up at the Shop-Way looking for a job, Ethan directs him to his friend who manages the aquarium, which is how Cameron and Tova meet.
Tying all these characters together is Marcellus, a remarkably bright octopus with a penchant for stealing and hoarding the treasures he finds after hours on the aquarium floor, and who just might be able to bring two people together who need each other—but don’t yet realize it.
Van Pelt’s chapters alternate among all these characters and introduce a slew of side characters as well, each one vitally important to the story. At first, we don’t realize how each character is connected to the next, but slowly the author reveals her secrets until the stunned reader begins to understand the depth of these connections. Each character is given a detailed backstory that becomes very important to the plot. Tova’s story in particular was heart wrenching, as she has experienced quite a bit of loss in her life and finds herself mostly alone in her twilight years. Luckily she belongs to a group of women who call themselves the Knit-Wits, and the four of them meet weekly to eat, drink, gossip and support each other. Tova came to America from Sweden as a little girl, so the story is filled with details about growing up with her Swedish mother and father. Even the Dala horses her mother collected play a part in the story, and I found these little details added so much richness.
At first I couldn’t figure out how Cameron fit it, but once he arrives in Sowell Bay and meets Ethan and Tova, his story takes on new meaning. Cameron meets a woman named Avery who also plays a vital part in filling in some of the missing pieces about Cameron’s father, and I loved the way the author gave even the most insignificant side characters meaning and purpose.
Van Pelt infuses her story with so many emotional moments and themes. We see how the Knit-Wits are going through the aging process, as their numbers have dwindled over the last few years. Tova is facing being alone in her old age, with no children or husband to take care of her, and so she makes the rash decision to sell her beloved house and move into a retirement community. I don’t want to give too many details about Tova’s past and her losses, because I think it’s better to discover those revelations for yourself. Let’s just say that I felt Tova’s pain and wanted nothing more than for her to be happy.
And Van Pelt includes so many funny moments in her story that kept the tone light, despite some of the more heavy themes. There’s an ongoing bit about Cameron’s lost luggage that was hysterically funny, and Tova inherits a stray cat at one point, which was a delightful side plot. I also loved the story about the t-shirt that Tova uses to clean Ethan’s kitchen—you’ll just have to read the book so you can experience the hilarity too!
And of course, I can’t forget the star of the story, Marcellus the octopus. As the days tick by—each of his chapters starts with a marker (“Day 1,299 of my captivity”, etc)---the tension builds as Marcellus gets closer to his impending death (at least that’s what he thinks). Marcellus understands human nature more than most humans, and I loved the way he wisely intuits each character’s needs. Ultimately, this is a story about creatures—both human and animal—saving each other. The way Marcellus’s story plays out was absolutely perfect—heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.
This is a very special book, and I’m so glad I was able to finally read it. Highly recommended!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2024
★★★★★ 5
It was as good as I'd hoped.
Format: Kindle
Marcellus McSquiddles, the giant Pacific Octopus who has lived at the Sowell Bay Aquarium for going on four years, is often exasperated with the humans who stare at him all day. But there is one human who is different. She speaks to him and more importantly, she keeps his nocturnal escapes from his tank, a secret. Tova is a gentle woman, a widower and still dealing with the loss of her son, more than thirty years ago.
When someone new strolls into town, Cameron Cassmore, looking for his dead beat father, he and Tova's lives will become inextricably linked, if they're not already. And Marcellus sees all of this and does his best to assist, where he can, since for the most part, he notices that haumans can be rather dull. But though, sometimes, especially in the case of Tova, there a a few who are remarkably bright.
This was a sweet, genuine, heartfelt and beautifully written, fun read. Van Pelt has created a delightfully jaded and long-suffering, sighing character in the form of Marcellus and he and Tova's story is told in such a unique and imaginative way. I'd been meaning to read this for so long and I'm so glad I finally did.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2026
★★★★★ 4
Remarkable book
Format: Kindle
A truly moving story. I thought going it it might be a little too sugary sweet for me, but turned out to just have the right amount of of sweetness. Marcellus is truly remarkable, although he is a bit of a spoiler, revealing the bug twist way too early, which leaves to frustration while you wait for the rest of the cast to catch up. There were a couple of cliches and the ending felt a little rushed, but still it was an enjoyable read.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2026