Handmade Gift Box Decorating Ideas

Wrapping a gift is another opportunity for me to make something by hand. To choose colours, tie a ribbon and add a small detail that makes it feel personal. The box can become part of the gift itself — something to keep for little treasures and memories.

In this post, I’m sharing ideas for decorating handmade paper pulp boxes, starting with deep brown, a soft blue ribbon and delicate botanical details. It’s a combination that works for Christmas and other occasions, with plenty of room to make it your own.

If you’d like to make the box from scratch, you can find my paper pulp container tutorial here:

To add a matching lid and turn it into a gift box, follow my lid tutorial here:

For this version, I painted the box dark brown, keeping its handmade texture visible. I then made little botanical sprigs using beads, wire and metal leaf charms. The ribbon is handmade too: I used leftover fabric and painted it blue. Finally, I tied the fabric ribbon around the box, securing the sprigs in place to bring everything together.

If you’d like to see how I put this look together, watch the step-by-step video below.