TOTM ~ Gifts From The Heart; Expressions of Love

[Cookgirl]

I made wine charms a few years ago. It's really fun!

[foodtvfan]

Here are two gift baskets ideas:

APPLE CRISP GIFT BASKET
• a basket, or large bowl, or box wrapped in Christmas wrap, or baking dish
• 6 to 8 apples
• cinnamon and/or nutmeg in a spice jar
• apple crisp topping mix in jar or small plastic bag
• handwritten Apple Crisp recipe on a recipe card such as Apple Crisp or your favorite
• raisins/nuts (optional)
• potholders
• baking dish
• other apple recipes with non-perishable ingredients

SOUP GIFT BASKET
• basket, or box wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, or large bowl, or soup pot
• Beef and chicken soup base mix or bouillon cubes
• homemade dry onion soup mix, Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix
• handwritten recipes on index cards
• nonperishable ingredients (canned beans, etc.)
• box of crackers
• seasonings
• soup ladle
• soup bowls
• soup spoons

You don't have to include all the items in the lists.
I ran out of baskets so this year it will be boxes, bowls, or baking dishes for my 'baskets'.

[mums the word]

Foodtvfan- Love your idea for the apple crisp basket and wish I had thought of that last year. Check out Apple Crumble in a Jar and the photo - I made this last year for goody baskets. I never thought of packaging it with a dish, apples and any tools needed to make it, but I think that is an awesome idea. Thanks!

[foodtvfan]

mums the word wrote:
Foodtvfan- Love your idea for the apple crisp basket and wish I had thought of that last year. Check out Apple Crumble in a Jar and the photo - I made this last year for goody baskets. I never thought of packaging it with a dish, apples and any tools needed to make it, but I think that is an awesome idea. Thanks!

Thanks for the apple crumble mix Apple Crumble in a Jar in a jar. Great idea.

[Bonnie G #2]

Molly53 wrote:

Bonnie G #2 wrote:
Love these ideas; being from wine country I'd really like to come up with some ideas for wine baskets.

What about a bottle with wine and any of these: a good corkscrew, a couple of pretty wine glasses, beautiful napkins, wine charms (HOW TO MAKE WINE CHARMS ~ EASY) and a wine stopper (EASY WINE STOPPERS)
Fill in the basket with:
Herbed Goat Cheese Spread (will need to be refrigerated until gift-giving), with
Swedish Hardtack - Knackebrod or Beaten Biscuits
Wine Jelly
Oreo Truffles

Love those ideas and I'm off now to check out the wine stopper and charm links, I LOVE those ideas

[foodtvfan]

Here is another gift basket idea:

RICE MIX, ORIENTAL GIFT BASKET
•large oriental bowl
or box wrapped in gift wrap (red print preferably)
•rice mix
•raw rice (Bulk Food)
•recipes on index cards,
or recipes printed from computer, rolled up
and tied with red ribbon)
•soy sauce
•sesame oil
•chop sticks
•oriental bowls
•oriental spoons

[foodtvfan]

Another idea:

DINNER AND A MOVIE GIFT BASKET
•basket or box covered in Christmas Wrap
•popcorn
•potato chips
•nuts
•homemade munchies
•Christmas or gift card with $$ to rent a movie
•Christmas or gift card with $$ to buy pizza

[foodtvfan]

GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS
•Photocopy a collage of family photos on paper and wrap smaller gifts with the copy or glue to a pretty box for a keepsake.

•Use old Christmas cards for your gift tags. Cut out rectangles from the old card fronts, fold in half, punch a hole and attach a piece of raffia or a skinny silk ribbon to tie it to a gift bag or tape it to a package. Or one-hole punch in the corner and tie to gift; write to and from on plain side.

•Wrap kitchen, tea, coffee or cooking related gifts in pretty tea towels, or if you are buying kitchen gadgets for someone place them in an oven mitt and tie a gift tag to it.

•Garden related gifts can be placed in a pretty flower pot and wrapped with colored plastic wrap, fabric or tulle. Gather at the top and tie with a matching ribbon.

•Place a small amount of rubber cement on the back of seed packets; allow rubber cement to dry; stick the packet to a gift bag or card for a neat gift.

[foodtvfan]

STATIONERY/OFFICE SUPPLIES in a gift box or cardboard box covered with gift wrap or gift bag:
- address books, pen
- family address lists (collect and print on computer)
- homemade address labels, shipping labels
- stamps
- calendar (with some dates to remember already posted)
OR
- large calendar for New Year with large squares (desk top size)
- corner bookmarks (cut off corner of an envelope and decorate with stickers or ribbon)
- homemade stationery with address printed
- greeting card holder by month (pockets hold cards)
- pocket size two-year calendar for purse
- office supplies, post-its, paper clips, etc. from Dollar Store

[Molly53]

Those are TREMENDOUS ideas! Keep them coming.

[foodtvfan]

Here is how you can make a personalized
GIFT JAR LABEL
What you will need:
•a creative software program like PrintMaster
•printer
•plain paper for drafts
•Avery label ((2-1/2 x 3-1/4 inches for a standard pint mason jar)
•clean, glass jar with lid
•scissors or paper trimmer
•jar of contents as desired
•ribbon
•fabric embellishments

1.Measure the jar to determine the size label needed
(2-1/2 x 3-1/4 inches is good for a standard pint mason jar).
2.Create a new label document in the software using the template provided for the label size you are using. Name the document and save it to your file.
3.Add clip art images, text, borders and other elements to your design as desired. Save document after each step.
4.Print a draft copy of your design to proofread.
5.Cut out draft copy and check it against the jar for fit, readability and other design details. Make any necessary corrections and proof again as needed.
6.Print It! When you are ready to print the final label, adjust print settings, load chosen label into the printer; print.
7.Finish It! When the printed label is completely dry; trim it to size if necessary.
8.Peel off the label and attach in the desired position on the jar. Press down all over to secure.
9.Fill and embellish the jar as desired.
10.Cut a circle of fabric the size of jar lid plus enough fabric to cover the entire lid with extra overhang with pinking shears. Tie the fabric circle on the jar with a piece of ribbon or raffia.
Or just decorate thejar as desired.

[mums the word]

foodtvfan wrote:
Here is another gift basket idea:

RICE MIX, ORIENTAL GIFT BASKET
•large oriental bowl
or box wrapped in gift wrap (red print preferably)
•rice mix
•raw rice (Bulk Food)
•recipes on index cards,
or recipes printed from computer, rolled up
and tied with red ribbon)
•soy sauce
•sesame oil
•chop sticks
•oriental bowls
•oriental spoons

I did something similar to this for my niece's wedding shower and it cost me about $20 but looked super expensive. I included red and black oriental placemats, won ton soup bowls, ceramic (Chinese) spoons and some nice oriental sauces from the grocery store etc. I wrapped it in cello and used a bow with chopsticks through it for some oomph. People went crazy over it because it looked so sharp but it was so simple to do. Then I separately wrapped a non-stick wok to go with it which I bought half price at Sears. She loved it.

You have some great ideas, please keep posting them.

[Molly53]

The wok would have made a nice container for the rest of the items, too.

I love expensive-looking gifts (that aren't)!

[foodtvfan]

SALAD GIFT BASKET
•basket or large glass bowl or wrapped box
•homemade salad dressing mixes
•homemade salad dressings such as Superb French Salad Dressing
•recipes printed or small salad cook book
•small bottle olive oil
•small bottle vinegar
•jar of homemade croutons
•salad seasonings, pepper grinder and whole peppercorns
•salad tongs
•salad forks
•set of pretty salad plates or bowls
•salad ingredients, Parmesan cheese(add at the last minute before delivering gift)

[mums the word]

Molly53 wrote:
The wok would have made a nice container for the rest of the items, too.

I love expensive-looking gifts (that aren't)!

Yes, however, it was a non-stick pan and I wanted to avoid scratching the coating. My "container" was a large white square bowl which was really cool too.