Recipe Gifts: easy creative gifting

I can't think of anyone who doesn't need a creative gift idea--something unique that will stand out, be both useful and fun, that nobody else will duplicate.

Today I'm excited to share with you some recipe gifts that are:

• creative and 100% unique because I designed them myself
• easy gifts because you just click & give

I personally really like giving recipe gifts.  This might be because I have collected recipes for so long that I get to be picky and only keep the best. But I think it's also because recipes are both useful and fun.  

I have incorporated recipes into these gifts, something you can have professionally printed (except in the case of the last one, which is print-at-home) that I think would be perfect for kids going off to college or work, someone with a birthday, or just a fun neighbor/friend/co-worker gift for Christmas or Valentine's Day.  I'll include links for easy ordering, too.  

I've got 4 gifts to share with you here (1 with 2 different types to choose from), and I'd love to know in the comments which is your favorite!  I can't wait to show you:

Mug Recipe Mugs

What They Are:  Mug recipes are single-serving recipes made with a few ingredients, a large mug, and a microwave.  I've designed these 15-oz. mugs with an easy, single-serving recipe right on it! 

French Toast in a Mug for breakfast!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup in a mug for lunch!

What to Know:  The ceramic mugs are dishwasher-safe as well as microwave-safe.  This 15-oz. size is perfect for mug recipes (including the additional ones below!).  

How to Gift:  Find the French Toast in a Mug mug here and the Loaded Baked Potato Soup in a Mug mug here, then follow the ordering instructions at the right.  I always wait for a 50% off sale (they happen once a month for 7-10 days), but you do you.  😁

Mug Recipe Cards

What They Are:  As you know, mug recipes are single-serving recipes made with a few ingredients, a large mug, and a microwave.  I created these cards as a small collection to include breakfast, lunch or dinner, and dessert recipes that can all be made in a mug!  Each 2-sided 5x7 greeting card has two recipes for a quick, single-serving breakfast you can make in a mug! 

breakfast-in-a-mug recipe cards

lunch/dinner-in-a-mug recipe cards

dessert-in-a-mug recipe cards

What to Know:   After receiving your professionally-printed cards, simply cut the cards in half and you'll have two recipe-card-size recipes.  Cards after cutting are 3.5 x 5.  Cards come in sets of 10, so you'll have plenty to gift and share.  You can see mine below.  (I gave these to the kids from our church when they graduated from high school one year.)

all 3 sets of mug recipe cards - front and back

all 3 recipe cards after I cut them, for a total of 6 recipes

How to Gift:  Find the Breakfast Mug Recipe cards here, and/or the Lunch/Dinner Recipe cards here, and/or the Dessert Mug Recipe cards here.  Follow the directions at the right to order them.  I like to wait for a 50% off sale, so check the price shown and see if it's 50% off currently.

Candy Cane Meringues Recipe Cards

What They Are:  Well, they just happen to be one of my favorite homemade treats at Christmastime, that's what!  This is a favorite recipe that I made to gift to friends at Christmas, and because I'd made them for a party one of my friends went to the year before and I knew she LOVED them, I decided to gift the recipe along with the meringues.  (She was thrilled!)

Note:  These are a great, festive treat for your gluten-free friends!  

my Candy Cane Meringues recipe card design

my Candy Cane Meringue recipe cards, 
front and back, after I cut them

What to Know:   After receiving the professionally-printed cards, you'll cut the cards in half to make two recipe-card-size recipes.  Cards after cutting are 3.5 x 5.  Cards come in sets of 10, so you'll have 20 to keep, gift, and share.  You can see mine above, although I personalized mine on the back, and yours will not have my name on them (nor "from the kitchen of").  

How to Gift:  Find the Candy Cane Meringue recipe cards here.  Order them following the directions at the right.  If the cards don't show 50% off, you can check back later to catch that sale.  (Just be sure you refresh the page.)  Cut the cards in half.  Make the meringues, then gift them to the recipients along with this cute recipe.

Quick Cakes Recipe Cards

What They Are:  Quick Cakes are a collection of mug recipes, similar to the ones shown previously, only they're all made using cake mix.  They're single-serving cakes.  I think having a variety (using several recipes) is fun for parties or large gatherings where everyone can choose the type of cake they want!  

What to Know:   Unlike the other recipe gifts shown here, these cards are print-at-home.  Each of the 10 recipes is approximately the size of a playing card, so a little smaller than a regular recipe card.  You can click the downloadable Quick Cakes Recipe Card pages here to see all 10 recipes, from strawberry shortcake to chocolate lava cake, and download following the directions there at the right.  After printing, you'll cut out the cards.

the Quick Cakes Recipe Cards printed, cut,
and ready to gift with a boxed cake mix

How to Gift:  After printing at home, cut out the cards, punch a hole in the top left corner, assemble with a book ring, then gift with a box of cake mix!

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.  If you're new to Forever and open your free account here to give it a try, you'll get a $20 welcome coupon towards anything mentioned in this post.

Which one do you think looks the most fun to gift?  Tell me in the comments.

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Christmas in July: meaningful gifts to click & give

I love Christmas in July so much that it's hard for me to remember that I didn't invent it.  

Really.  I love using the summer months when things are a little more relaxed and I'm not under any time crunches to spend time creating and planning for gifts.  And I've loved it for a long time.

Another thing I love is designing cute things for myself and then sharing them with other people.  So everything you'll see here is absolutely unique because I designed it using Forever's Artisan digital scrapbooking software program. 

I've got 5 Click & Give gifts for you that you can order today and be ready to gift in 10-14 days as well as 5 Click & Create gifts where you start with an easy, unique, creative item that's done for you, and then you add a little something to it. 

I have been working on this for a while, and I'm SO excited to share these with you!!

Directions for ordering everything you see here are detailed at the end of this post.

PRO TIP:  These items are on sale 50% off about once a month, so if it's not on sale now, check back in a week or two.  Keep reading to learn about the $20 welcome coupon, too.

FIVE CLICK & GIVE GIFTS

These creative, one-of-a-kind (because I designed them!) gifts will be easy to give with just a click.  They are ready-to-order (though you may want to keep an eye out for a 50% off sale).

#1  LETTER (CARD) TO SANTA

This first one makes a fun before-Christmas "gift." This cute 4x6 card is a fun idea to present to children at the beginning of the Christmas season.  These cards are ready to print to and be filled out.  The cards come in a set of 10 and come with envelopes for "mailing," even though you'll probably want to keep it!

This ready-to-give, designed-for-you gift is found here.

I think this would make a fun gift for grandparents!

#2 DISHWASHER MAGNET

This cute 3x4 dishwasher magnet is only a few dollars. Turned one way, it indicates clean dishes; turned the other way, it indicates dirty dishes.  

This ready-to-give, designed-for-you gift is found here.

#3 BIRTHDAY CARDS

I love how these cards turned out and have enjoyed giving them this year!  This fun card is perfect for anyone of any age.  The message inside reads "Age is merely the number of years the World has been ENJOYING you."  Cards come in a set of 10 and include envelopes.  They'll be shipped to you flat, as shown in my photo here, and then you'll fold them in half.

 

This ready-to-give, designed-for-you gift is found here.

#4 MUG-RECIPE MUG

This 15-oz. mug comes with an easy, single-serving recipe right on it!  It makes a fun and unique gift.  Great for college students, anyone living on their own, or anyone who needs a quick lunch or breakfast for one!  (The photos don't show the whole recipe, but if you click the links below, you'll see just the designs and recipes in full.)

This ready-to-give, designed-for-you project French Toast in a Mug is here.

This ready-to-give, designed-for-you project Loaded Baked Potato Soup in a Mug is here.

#5 NO SOLICITING SIGN

Credit for the message on this cute sign goes to my cousin's wife!  She is a woodworker (among other things) and burned this cute message into a wooden plaque for their front door.  The first time I saw it, I knew I needed one.  😂

This metal print is 10" wide and 8" high and has a Chromaluxe® coated glossy white aluminum finish.  Shadow Mounting hardware is included.  

This ready-to-give, designed-for-you project is here.

As you'd see it at my house.  😁

FIVE CLICK & CRAFT GIFTS

You'll start simple here by just ordering what I've created for you, but then there's a physical something you'll gift it with, too.  Some keep things pretty simple, and some get pretty crafty, so choose your favorites!

#1 CANDY CANE GAMES

This 7x5 card is a fun gift idea for families.  Two candy cane-themed card games are included on the back.  These cards come with envelopes and are ready to print.  The cards come in a set of 10, so you're ready to gift to 10 families or friends!  Gift with a box of candy canes and/or a deck of playing cards.

This designed-for-you project is found here.

Thanks to Laura and Laurie at Our Grand Lives for the two game ideas printed on these cards!  They're acknowledged on the front of the card, too. 

#2 DRY-ERASE MENU BOARD

This is one of my favorite things to gift!  Tabletop Panels are 8x10 and have an easel-stand back and a glossy surface on the front, perfect for a dry-erase marker!  Print this project at the Forever print shop, then gift with a dry erase marker! 

This designed-for-you project is found here.

Funny.  I just remembered that I did not technically design this dry-erase menu board.  I created one very similar to this one that was personalized with my family name and a quote, and then I shared it in a Facebook group.  Several people loved it and requested that a Create & Print template be designed by the Forever design team for anyone to personalize, so although this WAS my idea, it's a different take on my design.  This only matters because now you have two options for ordering this:   😊

1. If you would like to personalize your own menu board where it says "The Cromwell Family" shown above, you can do that here where you'll click the text box and enter your own text. 
2. EASY BUTTON:  If you would like to order the one I personalized with the words "Kiss the Cook," (in place of a personalized name) you can just place it in your cart here.  This goes up in the "Click & Give Gifts" category, then.  😊

#3 PERPETUAL CALENDAR BLOCKS

This would also make a fun gift for a crafter, I think, if you don't want to do the crafting part!  Just gift the 3 pages and the wooden blocks.

If you've never heard of perpetual calendars, you just arrange and rearrange sides of the blocks to give the current date along with a holiday or seasonal message.  

I've made three different styles in the past, but I've redesigned them in neutral colors for you!  You'll order the set of three 12x12 scrapbook pages, and they'll be professionally printed on thick, glossy paper so these will look sharp!

This designed-for-you project is found here.

See all the pages of the Perpetual Calendar Blocks here.  As you can see, the instructions are right on the page, and the last page includes instructions for the recipient on which blocks to use for which messages.  For this project, you'll need to order these 3 pages plus 21 2-inch blocks (or 1 3/4 if you prefer--that's what I used for my own) and some craft paint unless you want to stick with the plain wood, which also looks nice.

Or, here's a slightly different design from the one above.  You can find all three of the pages, instructions included, with details over at the right (once the project is opened) here.

These are the first blocks I ever made, which are obviously different from the ones you can order (above), but you can see how the dates and blocks look when displayed.

#4 SOAP TAGS:  We WASH You A Merry Christmas

Here's a cute and easy Christmas gift idea!  These tags are made on an 8x8 scrapbook page with cardstock thickness and are enough for 7 gifts.  Print additional pages if you need more.   Follow the directions shown.  

This designed-for-you project is found here.

I punched a hole at the top as shown after I cut out the tags, then tied the tag to the soap with ribbon. 

#5 MUG CAKE RECIPE CARDS

I have given these gifts a couple of times, and the recipients LOVE this unique gift!  These playing-card size recipes for single-serve cakes that can be made in a mug are cut out then gifted with a box of cake mix.  

This designed-for-you project is found here.

You have two printing options here for the cake mix cards.  

1. I designed these on glossy, thick 8.5x11 Artisan scrapbook pages, so you can order these like any of the other items shown and have them printed at the Forever Print shop for best quality.  This makes them a little more sturdy for repeated use as recipe cards.
2. You can click the three dots instead of the "add to cart" shopping bag icon to download a PDF version of this project and print it yourself.

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate, called an Ambassador, because I love Forever so much!  This means I make a commission from purchases at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.

A BONUS IDEA to CLICK & PERSONALIZE & GIVE

These are not designed by me like the rest of these gift ideas, but I just can't resist!

This is such a fun way to share special moments or memories:  a tea towel for the kitchen, or a beach towel!  If you have photos from this summer's family reunion, a special family recipe to share, or any favorite photos to share, just click, personalize, and give.  

These two are beach towels (cotton/poly 30"x60") 

Find the Collect Moments template here.  Both text areas are personalizable.

Find the 6 Photo Gallery template here.  The text, photo layout, and color are customizable.

And these two are tea towels for the kitchen (waffle weave cotton/poly blend, 16"x25")

Find the Recipe Keepsake template here.  The background color is customizable.

Find the Sweet Strawberries template here.  The text is editable.

They're not as "click & give" as the other items I've shared, but "click, personalize, and give" is pretty close!  😊

ORDERING DIRECTIONS

Which gifts look like just the thing for the neighbors, friends, and family you'll be gifting to this year?  Here's how to snap up these unique, easy, and creative gifts.

1. Open a free Forever account here if you don't already have one.  (Newcomers will receive a $20 welcome coupon--just be sure you check your email for a message from FOREVER, then verify your email address and check your email again for your coupon.  It's good for 60 days.)
2. Next, come back to this post and click on any of the links provided for the items you'd like to order.  Once the project opens, you'll see a description of the project at the far right.  For projects with multiple pages or sides, you can click through them all using the thumbnails along the bottom (or bottom left.
3. There will be some little buttons along the top, between the description and the project preview itself (which looks like the photo or image I've shown here).  Click the little shopping bag icon to add the project(s) to your cart.  
4. Place your order!  This is a great option for saving 5%.  (Again, 50% off sales happen on every product about once a month, so you can wait to order if you prefer.  If you are ordering more than one type of project [mug vs. scrapbook page] they may or may not be on sale at the same time, so just choose the best overall price so you only have to pay shipping once.) 

Merry Christmas!  And Merry Christmas-in-July!  Don't forget to save this post for next year, too, by Pinning it using the image below.

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Be in the Pictures: "This isn't about you"

Last year, I took a lovely trip with my sister to one of her favorite places on earth.  Because it's a beach, it's automatically one of my favorite places, too, even though I'd never been there before.

One day, we were on a small ferry to an island where one of the ferry employees offered to take our picture.  We said, "Sure!" as we laughed a little about our very, very windblown hair.  

She took the picture and then told us a very short story that has become one of my favorite stories about pictures.

The Story:  This Isn't About You

She told us that her daughter recently wanted to take a photo of her, but she declined because she didn't think she look very good that day.  

Her daughter said, “This isn’t about you.  It’s about when you’re dead so that I have pictures of you to look at."

We laughed, mostly at the bluntness of the statement, but I really appreciated the reason behind the argument.  

Eventually, photos and videos and maybe even some audio recordings will be all we have left of someone special.

When we had this photo taken on the ferry, neither of us were trying to be a part of a beauty contest or have something airbrushed to make us look ten years younger.  (Why do we do that?!  Age is something to be proud of because we've earned it!)

We were just enjoying time together as sisters in a beautiful place where we had a completely delightful time.  Together.  And, hello, there were wild horses on that island behind us!! 

Just Do It

Just do it.  Be in the pictures.  Don't worry about if your hair is everywhere or you have wrinkles or gray hair ("sparkles") or if your eyelids are heavier than they used to be.  Guess what.  This is what I looked like at 52.  And this is something great that I did when I was 52.  So I should have some pictures of it!

It's about the moment, not about some ridiculous ideal that nobody can really live up to.  

I know it can be hard to get over ourselves in this world so focused on appearances, but to the people you matter the most to, they don't see anything but YOU.  The person they love.

The Two-Part Challenge

This is hard for most of us, I know.  This two-part challenge is for me too (although I've nailed part 2!)  

PART 1:  Look beyond appearances to the MOMENT and what's MEANINGFUL in a photo!  Look at the memories.  Begin to see something you'll cherish 5 or 25 years from now.  See something that those who love you will cherish even beyond that.

PART 2:  Celebrate memories.  Share your pictures.  Get them off your phone!  They don't get seen there.  Shared photos and memories and stories make life meaningful and have a whole host of personal and interpersonal benefits like these.

Then, get started preserving and sharing them in pages.  It doesn't have to be hard or complicated.  There are two different options at that link to fit your time and interest, and both of them are printed in highest quality bindings, papers, and inks to last generations.

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NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.

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