I like it and I’m sure your friend will really appreciate it!

I think the paint on the front maybe could’ve done with being a little bit thinner, something about it covering up the wood grain seems a bit of a shame; inks/stains will get absorbed by the pores but still show the grain through

Another option to create some contrast on it is using a soldering iron to trace the edges of it, though obviously this can also damage your work if not careful so if you do try some pyrography do some test pieces to get used to it first