Another opinion poll

[mizarchivist]

The Goal: create thoughtful, interesting, hopefully useful presents that are relatively not gender specific that I can make myself over the span of the next month. If not useful, at least pretty and arty without being entirely a dust catcher

Previous present types- clay-based (fairies/butterflies, decorated votive holders), knitted objects, framed art, unique cards. (What am I missing?)

I do have a few ideas, but nothing that makes me shout "Eureka!" as such. I'd be happy to hear from the peanut gallery on this one.

Comments

[cutieperson]

unless the plan has changed, we're going to cover boxes (old shoeboxes, other sturdy ones we can find, buying them at craft stores if necessary) with pretty paper and fill them with baked goods.
if the boxes are done well people are likely to keep them and use them.

[mizarchivist]

You don't think there's a surplus of sugary food already? It seems like a lot of my friends would find more sugar to be a burden. I'm happy to be wrong about that. I love baking *grin*

[caulay.livejournal.com]

As I told you last night, fresh baked goods (especially yours, you make very yummy stuff) would be appreciated by almost all of your friends (with a few exceptions).

[cutieperson]

uh, i'm the wrong person to ask that question of. i eat what i want, when i want :)
that said, baking does not need to include mass amounts of sugar. or, you could fill the boxes with hand-written recipe cards. toss in your favorites, leave them some blanks to start adding in their favorites.

[beah.livejournal.com]

Rather than baking, which makes the gift perishable, you could put together baking kits, like mason jars filled with neat layers of all the (dry) ingredients necessary for a bread, cake, etc., with a pretty tag listing baking instructions.

[broken-gizmo.livejournal.com]

Recover some notebook / journal type things to have nicer covers?

Etched glassware? I did this once, and it was a big hit.

Soup kits? (Fill jar with ingredients, make pretty lid, attach creatively-designed recipe card with ribbon.)

Hmmm. More thought required.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

there are many people on carb-restricted diets, so maybe baking isn't the best way to go. Although a crustless pie can be wonderful. . .how many carbs in a no-crust cheesecake?

I've made homemade ice cream before, it's a great gift, and everyone has a favorite flavor, so you ask around. Pretty simple, tasty, etc.

Another idea is to make people soup, freeze it and give it to them. This obviously doesn't work for yankee swaps or sitting under the tree, but most people we know don't have much time to cook for themselves, and while we're all picky about food, you could ask people things they like or try to figure it out.

Even though food is love, it doesn't have to be the only gift. I don't look for gifts, they seem to find me. People on my list are getting somewhat gendered gifts -- there was a great tie store in St. Louis that I found, and I bought a really nice "periodic table of the elements" tie for my chemistry Ph.D. twin, 2 really nice gold scales on a blue background for my housemate and brother, both of which are lawyers. Other people are getting fun boxer shorts, and practical things we'd never buy ourselves like a combination contact lens case AND glasses case, a stylized metal cat with a long tail to hold your ring(s) when you wash dishes or on your nightstand, a 'bracelet buddy' (modified stick that makes it easier to secure a bracelet 'cause you can only work with one hand when you do it).

Crafty things can include a recipe book of your favorite recipes (yay computers and kinko's) which can be as nice as you want if you want to add color, style and a nice cover; handmade cards with handwritten poetry/meaningful prose; pictures of you (preferably you and target of present) in a frame; etc.

[mizarchivist]

I'm starting to really like the idea of favorite recipe ideas. Especially of late, it seems like people keep asking "how did you make [foo]?"
Thanks, m'dear :)

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

Most assuredly works for me. I can volunteer some layout time, if you want.