Small boxes make perfect holiday gifts. Here’s one that’s a cinch to build and costs virtually nothing. I call it a ring box, but it could hold anything: candy, dried herbs, small shells—whatever you fancy.

When I’ve given these boxes to friends, the first thing they say is that it’s amazingly light. (That’s because it’s hollow!)

You can make a ring box from just about any type of wood, but it’s best to use three contrasting colors. I made the base of my box from jarrah, a medium-toned wood. The lid’s bottom layer is wenge, a dark wood, and the top layer is spalted maple, a light-colored wood with interesting grain patterns.

If you only have common domestic woods on hand, I’d recommend using cherry for the base, walnut for the lid’s bottom layer and maple or birch for the top layer.

by Tom Caspar