Quick Recipe Housewarming Gifts

Sometimes, an invitation to an occasion where you'll need to take a gift, comes at a financially embarrassing moment. Not wanting to show up with no gift, and not wanting to back out of the invite, some of us are forced to use our imagination - and little money - to come up with a magnificent offering the recipient will love.

Recipes are very popular, and if you've ever had anyone compliment you on a dish you've prepared, the recipe in its craft form, can be the perfect gift. One way to give recipes as gifts is to print and frame them. Use your computer's print program to position the recipe - and a photo if you can, then print on hand-selected printer paper. You'll find all sorts of printer paper themes at a store that sells computer and office supplies. Frame the recipes in a frame that will match the recipient's kitchen and they'll look beautiful on the wall.

Hand print recipes on 3x5 cards, pieces of printed paper, or just print them out on paper from your printer. Now arrange three or four of the cards onto a piece of laminate sheet. Place another sheet on top. Run the sheets through a home laminating machine to make impressive place mats. You can use a background sheet of paper, placing the recipe cards on top, or just arrange the recipe cards in a pleasant manner between the two clear pieces of laminate paper. A set of four will cost you little but will fit in with most decor themes.

Print recipes out on banner paper and you have a unique border for above chair rail midway down the wall. The border can look even nicer when you use colored banner paper and add colorful touches, with your printer, to the recipes. Adorn the recipes with printed strawberries, corn cobs, green beans, tomatoes or other foods. Watered down white glue serves well as the wallpaper glue for the border.

Use fusible web, found in a sewing supply department, to make recipe tablecloths, too. Use the fusible web to attach the paper recipes to a piece of fabric suitable for a tablecloth. Include a plastic cover to protect the tablecloth. You'll find the clear plastic, for the cover, at most stores that sell cloth.

Plates, with recipes printed on them, are nice gifts, and you can make your own version. Choose a nice plate from a dollar theme store and use decoupage adhesive, found at craft stores, to affix the recipe(s) to the plate(s). Be sure to use the decoupage to stick the recipe to the plate, and once again to cover the top of the card and protect it. Purchase a plate holder so that the recipient can stand the recipe plate anywhere in the kitchen.

An even easier and cheaper craft is made by just laminating recipes you've written down or printed. Trim the lamination close to the recipe card, then find a nice box to gift the cards.

Recipes gifts are fun, easy, inexpensive and impressive. They're the perfect answer to finding yourself a little short on cash when it comes time to gift. The recipient will love the gift you choose to make, and if you tell her you made it, might impress her even more!