Style

Gift Giving

Jenny and I have always given specialty cakes for the Christmas holidays. Past years have included Maple Butter Cake, Coconut Cake, and Chocolate Midnight cake. This year we have a delicious Holiday Angel Cake. It pairs light, Fluffy Angel Food Cake with rich chocolate and dried fruits and nuts to create an enjoyable contrast of taste and texture.

Tip: Make up a half dozen of these precious little cakes and give to neighbors and friends.

Holiday Angel Cake Recipe

Here’s a generous mouthful of confectionary fluff to share with friends and family this holiday.

Ingredients:
Box of Angel Food Cake mix from the grocery store
Melting chocolate in white, milk, or dark
Chopped dried apricots
Golden raisins
Pumpkin seeds
Shaped coconut

Directions:
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Chop your larger fruit into small pieces.

Pour melted chocolate over the top of the cake, and sprinkle with the toppings.

Tip: Be inventive with your topping choices. If you know someone loves a certain dried fruit or nut, you can cover the entire cake with that topping. Try cherries, walnuts, pineapple, and candied dried violets for a tasty version.

Presentation:
This cake looks pretty with its translucent fruit toppings served on a pedestal with a cup of black coffee or aromatic tea.

Tag:
Find the tag from our download page and print it out. Punch a hole for the ribbon for a very special holiday tag the recipient will want to keep.

Wrapping:
Clear cellophane and ribbon with the tag attached make for a festive presentation. Add a plate or cardboard cake round to the base to provide a sturdy foundation for the cake.

Delicious Holiday Sweets Gift Bag

Cellophane and sweets! What a delicious combination! Use this holiday tag when making up treat bags of sweets or confections for the holidays. I found these pizzelles at the grocery store and added a soft dusting of confectionary sugar. Download the tag and cut it out. Place the sweets in the bag and fold the top of the cellophane down about 1 inch. Place the paper tag over the fold and layer with ribbon around the outside. Staple all three elements together through the top center of the tag.

Tip: Write out your tags with “to” and “from” prior to stapling to the bag. Find a special lavender pen for a lovely color-coordinated look.

EMAIL TO A FRIEND | PRINT PAGE

Blank or lined
mini books

These little acrylic covered date books can be found at craft and office supply stores for under $1.00. Simply slide our paper inside the plastic casing to create dozens of thoughtful but inexpensive little gifts for everyone on your list.

Print the download and cut to the size of the book.

Gift boxes —
Box it beautiful!

I love making holiday paper, and this season is no different. Check out our coordinating patterns to wrap small gifts or cut and piece small sections of paper to dress up small white boxes. I like party boxes and mug boxes for all types of gifts. Check out all the great sizes at Michael's Crafts and the Container Store, and then use paper, scissors, and double‑stick tape to hold your embellishments in place.

Download the Gift Boxes.

Tip: Add a marker to the binding by cutting a length of ribbon 9 inches long and pressing it into the spine of the book with a 2-inch straight pin hidden between the bound pages and the spine.

Journals— Perfect little stocking stuffers!

Little journals and sketchbooks always make great gifts. Use our downloadable book jackets to create your own.

What you'll need:

Empty of lined mini books no larger then 81/2 x 51/2
Cover from our download page printed on matte double-sided brochure paper
Mod podge
Bone folder

Directions:
Print the download and cut to size of book.

Size piece to book, and gently fold paper over spine (use the bone folder on a flat surface to crease the paper at the spine).

Brush exterior of book with mod podge and fit jacket over book.

Let dry thirty minutes.

Gift tags

Inspired by my favorite Bristol glass shapes and painted designs, these tags are perfect, fanciful ways to present a gift. Simply download and cut and attach with color coordinated rickrack or embroidery floss.

Download the Tags