Painted Boxes (Homemade Christmas pt. 2)

Another one of my favorite things to create for homemade gifts is painted wooden boxes. Already made boxes, toys, and things like bird houses, and shelves are all available at Hobby Lobby and other craft stores. If you catch them on sale, they are very inexpensive. I bought boxes and toys this year that ended up between $3-$6. In the past I have painted a vintage looking tool box for my son-in-law that holds his rolled up house plans. A picture box for my son’s girlfriend at the time that I painted a scene from a hiking trip they took and included photos of them and of Andy as a little boy inside. And one year I created a feather box for my son. Feather boxes are one of my favorites to make.

What is a feather box? It is a box used to store fans, feathers, and smudging items. My son’s had a shell, tobacco, sweet grass, sage, and cedar, coals, a pipe, and a turkey feather for smudging, or praying. This year, I wanted to make one for one of my best friend’s daughter. She is eighteen and heading out on her own. She has grown up around me and my spiritual practice and met me at my apothecary many years ago.

I started with a box from Hobby Lobby (oh, how I wish I were handier and could build them myself!) and began to paint the outside. I added trees and mountains and painted a feather on the top of the lid. I used a shiny Sharpie to add her name. I placed a piece of fabric inside. Using a hot glue gun and ribbon, along with a few pretty turkey feathers from Popcorn, Sweet Potato, and Pumpkin (our resident pet turkeys), I created a pretty fan for her to use. I added a pouch of tobacco to use as offering.

This love for painted boxes started when I was six years old. I received for Christmas a box from my great aunt and uncle. It was a light green with a photograph of myself on the front. It was for my treasures, I was told. I used that box forever. I wonder what ever happened to it! Jewelry, photos, or letters…a painted box is one of the simplest and most wonderful gifts.