Creative mumsnetters who know about printing or engraving please help!

[Wilbur]

I have bought a lovely old wooden box as a 40th b'day present for a close friend. I want to attach a short poem, and a message, to the inside lid of the box. My first thought was to get it engraved onto brass but this is v £££ as it's about 90 words in total. Does anyone have any clever ideas about how I can attach something permanently, printed on plastic or wood or something? Or a lightweight frame that would attach to the box? I want it to look classy, but not cost the earth. All ideas gratefully received.

Could you not get the poem written out neatly by a caligrapher on nice paper and put inside the box and just keep the plaque short and sweet, to save money.

Or get someone to engrave to and from etc directly into the wood. My dad does this with the wooden stuff he makes. It's kind of burnt in somehow.

Nice idea BTW. Hope someone is as lovely on my 40th...next March... hint hint to everyone who knows me....

Kbear - thank you. That's an idea about the calligraphy (and actually, I could do that myself as I did it at school). Right, will look at nice paper in Smiths later.