• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Gardening Index
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Garden Sanity by Pet Scribbles

Holiday Gift Box DIY: an easy decoupage craft!

This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Any supplies used may be given to me free of charge, however, all projects and opinions are my own.


November 21, 2013 By Laura

Pin
Share
Post
78Shares
Easy DIY Holiday Gift Box: can be made in 15 minutes! Great for gift cards, jewelry or candy!

Crafting for the holidays need not take up large chunks of your time. Here’s a simple gift box craft that only takes 15 minutes to make!

Holiday Gift Box DIY!

DIY Holiday Gift Box: an easy craft you can make in 15 minutes! Perfect size for gift cards, jewelry or candy!

You can use this box as part of your Christmas decorations, or as a gift box to hold a small present like jewelry, candy or a gift card!

Presenting a gift card in a box like this takes your gift up a level or two, and gives the recipient a keepsake box they can enjoy for years to come!

Let’s get started!

Just a note before we begin: While these may seem like a lot of steps, you’re moving from one step to the next while something is drying. And you can always speed up drying with a heat gun, which I often do!

Supplies:
Paper maché round box, 4″ diameter

round paper mache box

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics Elegant Finish Paint in Festive Red
Vintage holiday sheet music printed out on copy paper
Mod Podge, Antique Matte finish
Decorative scrap paper (enough to make a 4-inch circle)
Foam brush (for Mod Podge)
Paint brush (small) for metallic paint
Acrylic Sealer (matte or glossy – your choice)

Step One: Paint the box lid with one coat of the Festive Red metallic paint. (This is a water-based metallic paint that covers paper maché boxes beautifully and has a pretty sheen!) Let dry.

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics Paint in Festive Red

Step Two: Print a free graphic image of vintage holiday sheet music onto an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of copy paper. (I used a free graphic found here. Spray lightly with acrylic sealer on both sides. Let dry.

About the vintage sheet music graphic: If you don’t like the one I used, simply search for “deck the halls sheet music free” and you’ll have a wealth of possibilities to choose from. Just make sure the graphic is free for personal use, and not someone’s copyrighted artwork. My rule of thumb? When in doubt, don’t use it!) 

Step Three: Apply Mod Podge to the bottom of the box and place the box (Mod Podged-side down) onto the back of the decorative scrap paper, as shown:

Mod Podge paper to bottom of box

Turn the box and paper over, smooth out with your fingers, and set aside to begin drying. Cut around the box to remove the extra paper.

decorative paper decoupaged onto box bottom

Step Four: Cut out a section of the sheet music (larger than you need) and decoupage onto the side of the box.

Mod Podge Antique Matte and vintage sheet music
Mod Podge onto paper mache box
Roll the box (since it’s round!) back and forth, applying gentle pressure, to help remove any air pockets. Smooth out with your hands.
roll the round box back and forth to smooth out any air pockets

Step Five: Cut around the outside edges of the box to remove the excess paper.

Cut away excess sheet music paper AFTER decoupaging onto box: much easier than measuring for accuracy!
(This is a much easier way to get the paper cut to the size you need without having to measure!)
Deck the Halls sheet music decoupaged onto paper mache box

Step Six: Sand the top and bottom edges of the box where box and paper(s) meet, which will smooth out the edges. (I use a basic emory board when sanding paper maché box edges.) Wipe dust away with a tissue.

Step Seven: Using the side of a brown marker tip (see photo), rub along the top and bottom edges of the box, over what was just sanded.

Use the side of a brown marker to quickly "antique" the edges of the box.

Step Eight: Fill the inside of the box with decorative shredded paper and a small present!

Easy Holiday Gift Box DIY: made in 15 minutes!

Step Nine: Embellish the top of your gift box with seasonal embellishments. I used natural-colored raffia ribbon wrapped around the box, with green jingle bells.

Raffia ribbon and some jingle bells provide a pretty (and simple) embellishment!

And that’s it! A lovely handmade gift box in 15 minutes, minus the drying time!

DIY Holiday Gift Box close up

If you have a little more time, you can do the following . . .

Optional Steps: 
A. Paint the inside with one coat of the same metallic paint. Let dry.
B. Apply Mod Podge (antique) to the side and bottom of the box. Let dry.

Antique Matte Mod Podge detail


I hope I’ve inspired you to try some quick crafting this holiday season! 

DIY Holiday Gift Box: an easy decoupage craft you can make in 15 minutes!

Want to see more quick crafting projects? Sure you do! 

Check out the Craft Lightning Holiday Edition! All week, my craft blogger friends have been sharing their own quick crafts, and you can see them all by clicking on this button:

And you’ve got to visit the two crafty gals who organize these Craft Lightning sessions, as they are experts when it comes to creating wonderful crafts in a limited amount of time: Angie of The Country Chic Cottage and Carolina of 30 Minute Crafts!

Happy (quick) holiday crafting!

Pin
Share
Post
78Shares

Filed Under: Crafts & DIY, Winter Crafts Tagged With: 15 minute crafts, 30 Minute Crafts, Christmas crafts, Craft Lightning Holiday Edition, gift box idea, Holiday Crafts, mod podge, paper mache box, quick crafts, The Country Chic Cottage

Previous Post: « Paper Maché Acorn Boxes: Easy Paint DIY
Next Post: Holiday Decorating Ideas: Gingerbread M&Ms Topiary Craft for Christmas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angie Holden

    November 21, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    Adorable as always Laura! Thanks for participating!

    • Laura / The Shed by Pet Scribbles

      November 22, 2013 at 12:58 am

      Thanks Angie! I love the challenge – and the satisfaction – of crafting quickly! 🙂

  2. Carol TheAnswerIsChocolate

    November 22, 2013 at 1:24 am

    Beyooteeful!

    • Laura / The Shed by Pet Scribbles

      November 22, 2013 at 1:11 pm

      Thank yoooooo! 😉

  3. Lisa Hall

    November 27, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    Laura, this box is just beautiful! What a great idea and so thrifty!
    I bought some old hymnals and music books at an estate sale awhile back to use as ephemera in arts and crafts projects and this would be a perfect way to utilize those. Thanks so much for the inspiration, going to pin this one!

    • Laura / The Shed by Pet Scribbles

      November 30, 2013 at 10:18 pm

      What a great idea to use some music from old hymnals! Definitely let me know if you make some of these – I’d love to see them! And thanks for sharing this too!

Primary Sidebar


Welcome to Garden Sanity by Pet Scribbles. I’m Laura, an artist and self-taught gardener. Gardening is therapeutic for me, peaceful and calming. I write articles and film videos centered around my own gardens, with plenty of plant suggestions and gardening tips. I’m glad you’re here and happy to share my garden inspiration with you!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© 2025 • PET SCRIBBLES LLC • PRIVACY POLICY