Archive for ◊ September, 2009 ◊

29 Sep 2009 Family Recipe Scrapbook

Recipe albums are a great gift for both the new bride, especially if the gift comes from her husband’s family with recipes for all of the dishes he grew up with and for the college graduate setting up their first home. Recipe scrapbooks can be given to aunts, uncles, cousins, children etc. A 6×6 scrapbook works wonderfully. You can also use an 8×8 scrapbook and have the recipes on paper, instead of index cards.

I think it’s a great mix to combine photos and recipes. For example, a group family photo at the beginning of the album is a great way to start off the album. If you’ve asked for recipes from multiple family members, put a photo of the recipe submitter on one page and the recipe on the opposite page.

It’s also a great help to have a shopping list. Consider the actual recipe on one page and a shopping list on the opposite page. I very often take a recipe to the market with me and shop off the recipe page. By creating the list, the recipe book holder just needs to remove the shopping list page and take it to the market.

Another idea is to create a bit of history with your recipes. If you’ve had several family members contribute recipes, consider having the recipe on page, photos on one page and a bit of information on the author on a 3rd page.

22 Sep 2009 Gifts Shops Online

We now know the advantages of receiving gifts but the idea of purchasing and sending a gift to a loved one, friend or colleague can make most people nauseous. Now there are no worries because of the many gift shops online.

One of the main advantages of shopping for gifts online is, like any other commodity, the variety of mediums one can choose from. Whether you want a gift or gift basket sent to USA, Middle East, Europe or South East Asia it is all possible and quite easy while shopping on the internet. While much gift shopping occurs in Asia, India, China and other eastern countries, the majority of the marketplace lies in the western world. There are scores of websites in N. America and Europe that offer high quality and inexpensive gifts and gift baskets to the masses.

Now we know how to give and receive gifts and gift baskets, so let’s get into the science behind it. While shopping online for gifts, most stores will have your general gift ideas such as baby gifts, corporate gifts, wine & fruit baskets, holiday gifts, hand delivered gifts, and many other items for you loved ones, friends and colleagues. Baby gifts will always subtle pink & blues with necessities for newborn and their parents. A corporate gift will express your professionalism with a splash of your personality.

A majority of the gifts and gift baskets you will run into online will be comprised of cookies, wines, fruits and chocolates along with some decorations to highlight moods and styles. Thank you, congratulations, breakfast, sympathy, coffee and tea, spa, wedding and birthday baskets are some universal gifts that one may come across at most of these online shopping stores..

15 Sep 2009 Scrapbook Ideas, Projects and Crafts galore

I personally have been the recipient of many lovely cards created for me by my daughter. The thought, time and effort put into these lovely objects add to my pleasure. I asked her to make me a craft/scrapbook box.

Most scrapbook topics should be creative, fun to make and reflect the artist’s personality. There are a host of topics that many people choose, but the sky’s the limit.

Many people choose to make scrapbooks about big events in their lives, such as a wedding, honeymoon, birthdays, newborn babies and children. However, don’t stop there, create whatever you enjoy. For instance creating a scrapbook on the seasons, or if you love a holiday such as Halloween or the 4th of July, Christmas, Birthdays, any holiday or reason will do. Ideas for scrapbooking are endless. You are only limited by your imagination and the craft and scrapbooking project, ideas, articles and books you find.

There are many products that cater to scrapbooking, such as entire kits that include the book, some ideas on creating your scrapbook, and the bubble quotes seen in cartoons to add a funny comment above a picture. Always keep in mind that a scrapbook is an extension of you and your loved ones.

So have fun, be creative and take pleasure in the joy of scrapbooking.