Remember how a while back I posted about how in this economy Americans are crafting more now than ever? I really think this is the good that is coming out of something bad. Any shift that gets us more people oriented and less "thing" oriented is good for all of us.
We moved into a new neighborhood in October. Our next door neighbors are awesome. Tomorrow is neighbor Laurie's birthday. I wanted to share what I made for her in the off chance that you're looking for an easy and inexpensive gift.
I made Laurie a cake. Ok, not super unique but everything is by hand or uses secondhand-this or bargain-that and I hope that makes it special for her. I have this cookbook called Cake Mix Magic. I love it because it only includes cakes, bars and cookies that have a boxed cake mix as its base. Laurie's cake has about 6 or 7 basic ingredients. Not brain surgery and you can whip up a cake in a snap.
About two years ago I got the itch to make Bundt cakes and to collect Bundt-type pans. My 13 yr. old daughter is also enjoying using those shaped Wilton cake pans. No way would I buy all that new. I scour thrift stores pretty regularly for certain things and I've found about a half dozen Wilton pans for about $1-3 each rather than about $13 for a new one at Michaels. I have Pooh, lips, heart, and I can't remember what else. I do have a couple new Bundt pans (the real Nordicware brand) in different shapes but I've also bought about 3 at the thrift store. Again, a pan that costs $30 new for $3 secondhand? Yup, I'll take it!
So, when you look at Laurie's cake, look beyond the obvious and see a $3 glass platter with roses (thrift store purchase today) as the cake plate (I will, of course, tell Laurie to keep it so that adds to her gift), a Peach and Blueberry Pudding Cake (thank heavens for frozen peaches in February!) using a thrift store $3 Bundt pan and made with a basic white cake mix as the base, my ribbon is from a spool of colored (burgundy) toile (I get a spool of about 25 yds. for under $5 and I use it for gift wrapping – I have about 6 colors purchased from a local craft store and they go a very long way) and I have my hand-made tag just like the one I posted about earlier today but this one uses the Trio Flower punch. It's a hodgepodge of bits and pieces and I think it all came together in a gift Laurie will like. At the very least, it's a gift from the heart.
I guess the message is to look beyond a material gift and make someone something, wrap it in something pretty and it'll go much further than anything you could buy (I hope!).
Special recognition to my husband, Doug, who is the master at Saran Wrap. I literally called from the kitchen while he was watching a TV program "Doug, can you come Saran Wrap this cake!". He's great at guacamole, doing dishes, garage organization and Saran Wrap (I always fold the plastic wrap where it ends up sticking to itself and I have to throw that piece away and start over – I'm useless in that department).
I hope Laurie is not reading this blog so the surprise isn't ruined! I'll deliver it early before she goes to work. Maybe she can eat cake for breakfast!
