I love etsy.com.  Not only can you find just about anything handmade or vintage there, but you also get an ever-changing crop of treasures to choose from.  Talent and creativity simply oozes from the screen with each click of the mouse.  The personal touch is ever-present and having a “convo” with each shop owner is simple – you can ask questions and even order custom products.

However, I think what I love the most is getting a package like this in the mail.  Not only did I receive the one-of-a-kind products I ordered but I also got a hand-written note from the seller, revampboutique.  See it tucked in there?  Also, a few weeks ago I ordered some darling burp cloths (click here) from funkylaundy and asked them to be sent directly to my friend who just had a baby.  Not only did the seller include a personalized note from me but she also took it a step further and gift wrapped them.  So sweet!

It would be a treat to buy from revampboutique and funkylaundry again.  No doubt about it.

My latest purchases?  Some dishtowels from sweetwaterscrapbook that highlight their “Authentic” line and some place mats from kainkain.  Seriously, I could choose anything from her because her shop is so fabulous.  In fact, I’m even willing to pay the international shipping to get her unique designs.

If you’re wondering what I’m going to do with the custom knob that you see in the above photo then just stay-tuned.  I have plans.

I always think of you as being so very balanced and sensible, such an excellent woman.

I love that quote because I like to think of myself as balanced and sensible.  If you haven’t read the book it comes from, Excellent Women by Barbara Pym, then I encourage you to pick it up.  It’s quaint, not flashy, but very endearing.  I bring it up because I know that I have talked about gratitude journals on my blog before but I’m going to do it again because gratitude is a tool that I use to try and keep myself “balanced and sensible.”  I can’t think of a more empowering gift that I could give to someone that is important to me – especially the “excellent women” in my life.

And that’s why we’re going to talk about gratitude journals again as we think about the upcoming gift-giving season.  Not only are they a way to share gratitude for those whom are important to us through the gift itself, but it is the kind of gift that only gives back to the recipient – and I love that idea.

The first Gratitude Journal I created was for a BPS workshop and I used the MyBook “Changeable Photo Planner.  I just received the 2010 version of this book from my friend Lisa and I encourage you to try one for yourself.  It is a planner with “sheet protectors” inserted each month so you can scrap a page or just add some photos to every month of your 2010 life.  It comes in two sizes and can be used as a traditional planner but also as a scrapbook like I did with my Gratitude Journal.

Maybe you want to record your family’s sports activities or travels for the year.  Perhaps you want to document a change that you are going through or a new baby’s life.  Just think of a theme and let that be your focus for one year.  Journal about your theme in the daily spaces, add some photos and you have an instant scrapbook that you will probably find is incredibly meaningful because of the daily thoughts that go in it.

Order one from Per Annum (click here) in time for the new year and you are on your way.

A couple of years ago we did a different version of a gratitude journal in our church women’s group – it needed to be less expensive and ultra simple.  The amazing thing about it was that even people who weren’t very crafty were able to participate in the project and many people used them as gifts that year for their sisters, friends, mothers, and other “excellent women” in their lives.

This particular version needed to be simple and easy for non-crafters to complete so I started with a small store-bought 5″ x 7″ spiral-bound notebook.  I found them for only $1.00 in the school supply section and if you keep an eye out, you’ll be able to find great choices as well.

Because I used a store-bought notebook, I needed to adapt the design to the notebook itself instead of the other way around.  I used coordinating papers as monthly tabs and simply divided up the number of pages in the notebook by 12 months and placed a circle tab at each month.

The cover was simple because the pattern on the notebook was already fun and easy to work with.  I added a title and one flower as the embellishment then finished it off by tying a few ribbons to the spiral binding.

Tip:  In order to get the ribbon through the spiral binding, use a toothpick to push one end through the spiral.  The natural bite of the wood will grab the ribbon and help you thread the ribbon quickly and without fraying the ends.

The inside cover of my notebook had a pocket built in and I loved this feature.  I placed a quote in the front pocket along with a brief statement from me that explained what the journal was for.  I also added an excerpt about the value of gratitude journal writing in the pocket to reinforce my thoughts and feelings about the gift.

That was it.  I let the notebook do the work and I simply embellished it and took the concept of the gift to a personal level.  The project only cost a few dollars and came together very quickly.  Even an inexperienced crafter was able to finish one in about 20 minutes.

Not only did I love the meaningful feature of the project itself but I was given an unexpected gift while helping the women in our group to complete their journals.  Whether they were seasoned crafters or gun-shy of anything involving adhesive, they were all successful with this project.  I was surprised when non-crafters were helping others with their project – for the first time feeling like they had accomplished something crafty.  They were proud of themselves and proud of the opportunity to share this project with those that were important to them.

Gratitude is magical.  It is powerful.  There is nothing quite like the way we feel when we open our hearts to gratitude – and sharing that principle with those around us creates the same effect.  Do I talk about gratitude journals a lot?  Yes.  But it’s only because I believe in them and I want you to give them a try as well.

Enjoy!

Halloween is approaching so of course we need a spooky download or two.  Here’s one that would look great on a card, a party invite or scrapbook page but I’ll show you what I did with it:

please click on image to download pdf

For a large, dramatic “gallery style” effect, choose a frame that is larger than 8 x 10 (mine is 16 x 20 and I got it 40% off with a Michaels coupon but I think 11 x 14 would be ideal) and have a mat cut for it that has a 6″x6″ window.  This is a great way to get a custom-framing look without the cost of a custom frame.  Notice how I have the window offset towards the top.  I had them cut the mat so that the top and two sides have the same amount of mat space and the excess is all at the bottom.

I inked the edges for a Halloween effect.  Then just insert the download behind the window and tape it in place for instant holiday decoration that can easily be changed out for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Valentines and….well, you get the idea.

You can also do this project easily using a smaller frame and cardstock instead of a mat.  I used an 8 x 10 frame and simply cut my printed cardstock to fill the frame.  Instead of just trimming the image, I then placed a metal-edged ruler down on my artwork and tore along the the ruler to create distressed edges.  Then I used pop dot adhesive to mount the artwork to the cardstock – again, having an even amount of space on the top and sides and more space on the bottom.

This is such a simple but unique way to decorate for each season that I have decided that I am going to do holiday downloads that fit the 6 x 6 and 4 x 4 sizes all year so that we can all easily celebrate whatever holiday is coming up.   How does that sound?

A fabulous gift idea would be to get the frame and mat all ready for someone and then teach them how to download and print out the new artwork all year from my blog so they can swap out the phrases themselves.  Easy, meaningful and a gift that gives all year long!

Enjoy the download and now it’s time for our winner.  Email me your address Karen (kolette@kolettehall.com) and I’ll send out some of my holiday stamps!

Karen

Hey Jim….Not a boot camp kind of gal…runner turned biker after knee replacement….with colder weather here in the east, time to go back to the gym and spinning!!!
my tip…set goals and stick to them …it pays off I am down 32lbs!!!!

Jim has figured out that I am blogging about boot camp and said that he was going to check it out this weekend so I thought that in honor of him and all boot camps out there that we should do a giveaway.  Yea!

All you have to do is give Jim a shout out here in the comments – maybe share an exercise tip with him…yeah, that’s a good idea.  Show a little love to Jim from Jim’s Gym and I’ll pick a random winner of one of my holiday wood stamp sets.  How does that sound?

Leave your comment by this Sunday, October 11 by 6 pm and we’ll have a winner Monday morning.

Wow!  What a great response we’ve received regarding the fabulous ideas for taking meals to people.  Thank you, thank you for posting!  If you have any more ideas then please continue to post so that we all have a place to go for our info.  I have learned TONS and don’t feel so much like a fish out of water any more now that I have an arsenal of easy, tasty recipes and tips right here ready for me – you all are awesome!  I had Jason randomly pick two winners of my stamps giveaway for us and here they are:

Daniela
Submitted on 2009/04/04 at 10:14am

I just found this recipe on Carla’s blog…I am always looking for new ideas and this would be perfect:

1 pkg. frozen cheese (or meat) tortellini
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, italian seasoning
1-2 c. mozzerella cheese

Directions:

Boil tortellini according to pkg. Toss with melted butter. Mix bread crumbs with parmesan, salt, pepper, & italian seasoning to taste. Gently mix bread crumb/parmesan mixture with tortellini. Pour into baking pan (spray with PAM or coat with oil, etc). Drizzle with pasta sauce, sprinkly mozzerella cheese over all. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes.

I would include a note with a recipe and my number if they have any questions or need anything else. I would bake the dish in something that they do not have to wash or return. I would include something to drink.

and

Some of the foods I like to send are soups – Santa Fe Soup and White Chili. I will make this up and then send it in Freezer bags so they can warm it up when they want it or put it in the freezer for later. I have grilled boneless chicken breast and taken it with salad mix and dressings. Should they not want to eat it then, the chicken is great on the salad when it is cold.

Winners please email me directly (kolette@kolettehall.com) and tell me where to send your prize.

Because of the fabulous collection we’ve created here on this blog regarding meals, I also wanted to thank Carmel – our reader – who started this whole thing by asking her simple question last week.  Carmel, please send me your address because I have something for you, too!  I appreciate you reading, commenting and sending us in this direction.

This goes for all of you – whether you are a commenter or a lurker (I know you are out there) I thank you for following my blog, sending your support through cyberspace and being interested in what seems like just an ordinary life to me.  Thank you!

In the spirit of thanks – I was planning on snapping a photo of my tulips that are just starting to open up in the middle of my daffodils this morning for my 365 Days of Gratitude when low and behold – I saw this!  We live on a golf course that supposedly was some kind of wetlands years and years ago but I have never had any ducks come to visit us before.  I ran for my camera and got this shot as this partnership was getting up and walking away.  I wish I could have gotten them from the front but they were headed off to their next destination – didn’t they know that I have a project I needed them to pose for?????

I’m not a farm girl, although I like some open space.  I am allergic to just about all animals, including my neice’s bunny “Pete” from 1985.  In spite of that – I loved having these visitors right outside my office window this morning.

Today I’m grateful for ducks.

What a weekend!  Such fabulous meal ideas!  You’ve gotten me excited enough to even print some recipes out – and I am not a recipe collector, to say the least.  So many of these are manageable and easy – and the ones that seem a little tricky are so intriguing that I have to try them (baked French Toast, for one).  I also had to look up the meaning of some of the terminology from our international friends.  I feel so exotic now!

I really like the theme that has run through so many of your thoughts about “pay it forward” and “pass it on.”  I haven’t really thought of that before – finding inexpensive dishes to take the meals in and then let the recipient know they can “pass it on” or even keep it for themselves.  It’s a heartfelt gesture and a way to go green.

So, with that to inspire me this week, I have created a little tag to go along with the meals or desserts that you graciously give to those in need.  Here are some of the ways that I have learned (from you!) that a tag like this can be used:

• jot a note telling the person how much they mean to you
• regarding the dishes: tell them to “pass it on” or enjoy it for themselves
• write down an inspirational quote
• tell them a funny joke to lift their spirits
• write down the recipe for them
• list heating instructions for the food

See, there are lots of things you can do with this tag that will be “just a little something” extra to make an great meal even more extraordinary.

please click on image to download pdf

Share the love, spread the care…and keep the food coming!  Remember – comments on my last post will be eligable to win in my latest giveaway – I’ll draw a winner for my stamps on Wednesday.  Don’t worry, I have asked some people to go back and post their recipes – I will only count each person once in the giveaway.  We have quite the collection of great ideas going – thanks goes to our reader, Carmel for asking the question in the first place.

Enjoy!

______________________________________________________

Note from Kolette: The download is working now.  Thanks for checking back!

I received this comment from Carmel after I posted about how to send a meal to someone in need (click here for the previous post – the comments have lots of good thoughts as well).

I would really like to know peoples ideas for a good meal to send to others. I often get stuck for inspiration – how many lasagnas does anyone need?       Carmel 3/26/09

It really got me thinking because yes, we have received a lot of lasagna in our day.  Now one thing is for sure – we love lasagna but it made me curious about your ideas for good meals that can be used for delivery to families or people in need.

Not only would I like us to create a collection of ideas and recipes here in the comments but tell us some of the things we should keep in mind when delivering a meal to someone – tips or other ideas that I didn’t talk about in the post or things to why your meal idea is helpful to a family or individual.

a sample of some of the stamps you could receive

Leave a comment with your thoughts about this and I’ll randomly pick a winner to receive a prize: dinner for a week from me!  Just kidding – how about something a little easier to send you: a few of my “Post Script” clear stamp sets.  Now that’s a juicy prize!  Post your comments before Wednesday, April 8 at 8 am PST and I’ll draw a winner.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Our neighborhood ROCKS! Seriously. After we had little Coleman, we received many meals from friends and neighbors (which is like a dream come true for me). We have also had lots of meals brought in over the years while Jason has been in the hospital, etc. So you might say that I have learned a few things about what is the most helpful when it comes to taking a meal to someone in need.  Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE any meal in any form coming to our home but today I thought I would share my Top 5 Tips of “How to Deliver a Meal to Someone in Need”:

1. Disposable Dishes
2. Disposable Dishes
3. Disposable Dishes
4. Disposable Dishes
5. Disposable Dishes

You got it – it doesn’t really matter what is brought or when it’s brought – it’s all about the containers.  In this day and age of “Gladware” and Ziplocks and aluminum pans with those plastic lids, it is so much easier to send food over to someone in disposable container.

One of the hardest things for me after receiving all these delicious meals was having to return the dishes.  I finally asked a friend to help me do it because as a new mom it was too much to even think about.  My friend was thrilled to help out and have a “real” job that she could do (which is a great lesson in itself – when people ask what they can do to help then let them)  but it was also so great to just be able to toss the containers that some of the food came in instead of having to return dishes.

Here’s how you do it – don’t worry about being “pretty” – this is a function over form kind of a deal.  Make it simple for the person to enjoy the meal both during and after it’s over.  My favorite idea that someone had was to put the salad she made in a large Ziplock bag – it was fabulous to just dump it out, eat it up and toss the bag.  I loved that so much that I did it myself while taking a meal to a neighbor who was sick yesterday.  Now I know that she doesn’t have to worry about bringing me back a container.

I have to admit, though, that I am not the best at taking meals to others.  I don’t enjoy cooking so it’s kind of a stressful thing for me.  For those of you out there like me, who aren’t as good at whipping something up in your kitchen, here’s what I do when I want to help with a meal for someone in need.

Buy something pre-made.  This can be going to Cafe’ Rio and ordering some entrees, picking up or having a pizza delivered, or just heading to the grocery store to see what they have already cooked and ready to go.  Our grocery store almost always has roasted chickens – hot and ready right there at the front.  Grab a loaf of French bread, a bag of lettuce and some cherry tomatoes and you have a meal.

Take & Bake meals for us - but a great, quick option to give to someone in need

I shouted for joy when a local deli started offering “take and bake” options.  Many stores have these as well.  What could be better than a pan of lasagna ready to go?  Keep it simple.  There are more options to helping someone with a meal than slaving away in the kitchen all day.  Give yourself a chance to surprise someone with dinner when they don’t expect it but might need it most.

And for those of you who are already cooking dinner for your family – keep some aluminum pans on hand and consider making an extra pan of those enchiladas and sending them over to a neighbor’s house…maybe because you know they need it or maybe just because you want to surprise them with something kind.

Or simply forget the extras and just send the entree…or better yet just give dessert!  Every meal that we have received over the years – whether it was a full spread that we could eat for three days or a plate of food just for that night, it was appreciated.  Deeply appreciated.  Don’t make it too hard – just give.  Whatever your method or reason is – go for it.

Just try to make the containers disposable.

Looking for a quick gift that is totally personal?  I did this for a few of the women in my neighborhood that I do some work with and the response was unanimously “Oooohhh!”  That means “thumbs up” in case you weren’t sure.

Here’s what I did.

1.  Create a playlist of your favorite songs – could be songs that remind you of the person or just songs that you love.  I used songs that related to the strength of women in general.  It’s a mix to empower and uplift my friends and tell them how great they are.

2.  Burn a CD of your playlist.

3.  Create a cover for your CD if you want.   Even a simple piece of cardstock stamped or printed with the “title” of your CD works great.

4.  Now comes the fun part – wrapping it so that your gift is elevated from a simple CD mix (which will be loved in itself) to a work of art.

5.  For Christmas, I love to attach an ornament to my packages.  I look for them at after-Christmas sales to use for the next year.  Think FLAT – you’ll have better luck wrapping and stacking if the ornaments are more flat instead of round.

6.  You can always make ornaments of your own but I like to have a stash on hand that I don’t have to make because the holiday season can be overwhelming as it is.  These snowflake ornaments are exactly what I needed for each package but here’s how I added the personal touch.

Using a 7gypsies metal tag, I mounted each person’s initial to the tag (for the “Giving Well” alumni – you already know how I feel about using names an initials on things!).  I then tied a ribbon through the tag, knotted it above the loop and tied it to the wire on my ornament.  Voila!  A totally personalized ornament that started as an ordinary store-bought one.

7.  In “Giving Well” this year I talked about telling the recipient the story behind the gift as a way to connect with them and make giving more meaningful.  To do this, I have created note cards to have on hand for all of my gifts.

Cut cardstock into 4″ x 6″ rectangles.  Use small scallop scissors to trim one end of each card.  Mount a 1″ strip of patterned cardstock across the top of each card.  I used We R Memory Keepers flocked paper for some added texture.  All I have to do is pull out a card and jot down a note for the perfect addition to my presents.  (By the way, I also made a stash of these to use as recipe cards with a little kick – I write the recipe horizontally).

8.  Tuck a card into each gift and tie a large ribbon around the CD – tying the ornament into the bow to secure it.  I like to look for deals on wide ribbon throughout the year and at after-Christmas sales.  You would be amazed at the impact that real ribbon (wired or not) can have when you are wrapping a gift.   It just makes people feel special to get a package using real ribbon.

There you go!

So, whether you try it this year or start planning for next year, creating a sense of care for the recipient through the package itself is part of the art of giving well (including last minute gift cards!).  These are the things of the heart – that personal touch that says, “You’re important enough to me that I am going to give you something beautiful!”

And if you’re anything like me – wrapping the gift will become as much a part of the creative process that we have inside of each of us as crafting a project might be.  Enjoy!

__________________________________________________________________

Post Updated December 19:

Comment from Megan H. :

Kolette, Would you mind sharing the songs you included on your playlist? Thanks and Happy Holidays to you and Jason.

Thanks for your comment, Megan.  I hadn’t shared the list on the post because since I am a Mormon, I used Christian music and I knew that it wouldn’t apply to everyone.  I will share my list here – most of them are found on iTunes and if you are religious (or not, for that matter) you might still enjoy them.

1.  One Good Woman – Cherie Call
2.  I Will Not Be Still – Kenneth Cope
3.  A Woman’s Heart – Jenny Jordan
4.  Amazing Things – Julie de Azevedo
5.  Because I Believe – Jenny Phillips
6.  I Know That My Redeemer Lives – Linda Rowberry
7.  Daughter of a King – Jenny Phillips
8.  When All Is Said and Done – Katherine Nelson
9.  Come Take Your Place – Hilary Weeks
10.  No Ordinary Girl – Cherie Call
11.  True to You – Jenny Phillips
12.  The Things I Know – Doug Walker
13.  The Maker’s Touch – Jenny Phillips
14.  Come In – Hilary Weeks
15.  Beautiful Heart – Brian Rhodes
16.  I Stand All Amazed – Katherine Thompson
17.  Stronger Than the Storm – Jenny Phillips
18.  One By One – Hilary Weeks

Thanks and happy holidays!

Kolette

My Mom's Birthday Celebration Project - a Sneak Peek into our Life Well Crafted workshop

TAKE NOTE: MONTHLY REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR “A LIFE WELL CRAFTED” – only $18/month

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We’ve been in celebration mode in our family for the last couple of weeks.  Jason’s sister Kendra got married this last weekend, I have been working on the countdown project for my mom’s birthday (you’ll get the whole project idea and more in our BPS class A Life Well Crafted – click here to register).

…and to beat the holiday rush, I’ve been given a baby shower (my first one was at Creative Escape – thank you, everyone!).

I have been so touched by the sense of excitement that is surrounding the arrival of this little guy to our lives.  People are coming out of the woodwork to celebrate with us.  I guess that’s what happens when you have a baby after 16 years of marriage!

The first shower was for all of my mom’s friends – she kind of thinks that since she had to attend one of our procedure days for the invitro process that this is her baby, too!

This shower was given by a woman who we knew when I was in high school.  Her name is Ila Kofford and she and her husband were empty-nesters who lived in our neighborhood.  Back when I was 17-years-old I started my first business.  I created handmade dolls that could be customized to match the recipient’s eye and hair color.  Plus, I made the clothes in their color choice as well.  I called my business “Kolette’s Collectables” and Ila ordered a doll for every girl in her family.

It might seem like a small gesture but it had a big impact.  She gave me the confidence to run a business and I truly believe that her influence is one of the reasons why it made sense to me years later to start my own scrapbooking and design company – she laid the foundation for that belief in myself as a business owner.

Now, twenty years after “Kolette’s Collectables” started, she found out about this new baby of ours and wanted to have a shower for me.  She is probably in her seventies by now and one of the amazing things about her and this shower is that she has recently had some severe back trouble and is unable to walk downstairs.  She didn’t tell me any of this, simply continued on with the shower plans.  She knew that if she told me, I would insist on changing the location of the event.  Because of the number of people who came, we had to have the shower downstairs in her home.  She couldn’t walk down to enjoy the party.  Instead, she answered the door with nothing but cheerfulness, sent everyone downstairs, and had her daughters serve the lunch.

My heart broke when I realized what was happening.  I love Ila for many reasons but her selfless service is such an example of a great woman.  I spent quite a bit of time with her after the shower, showing her the gifts and just being with her.  That was my favorite part of the whole day.

I will never be able to adequately express my gratitude for the sacrifice and love that she showed me that day.  Her example of joyful service and love is remarkable.

But after that day I know one thing for sure…I want to live my life more like Ila Kofford.