Not Just a Mom: My Go To Gifts

This month's Not Just a Mom we're discussing our go to gift ideas.  I hope to get inspired by this post as I don't always feel like I'm a great gift giver.  

I hope you'll head over and check out my co-hosts posts too and if you wrote up one of your own please link it up with us below. 


The first thing that came to mine when I thought of gifts was... scrapbooks!  

I often make scrapbooks for gifts-- any "special" occasion like weddings/ new baby/ new house, retirement or BIG birthdays (I made one for my husband's grandfather's 80th or 85th) etc. I make up blank pages in the color theme of said occasion (based on the shower or wedding invitation, the nursey colors/ baby wishlist) and make sure I keep all the spots to hold photos at 4 1/4 x 6 1/4 so they can just tape the photos in place. I usually include a tape runner if I remember too.  I scoured through my blog and found a few sample pages I'll show here but if you want to see any of the albums in their entirety you can click for baby here, here, here, or here and for wedding here).




You can tell from the watermark that this photo is from my old blog!




Since this was for my sister and she's crafty I knew I could veer from 4x6 photos





I often make handmade gifts too-- one year I gifted a set of personalized tumblers to my sister's family




some seasonal flags to my sister in law (the gardener).




I've made fleece blankets and pillows for nieces and nephews



A HUGE hit with my mom one year was the papercraft rose 3-d frame I pulled together.



 I've made ornaments of all kinds, personalized clothing for my nieces and nephews, and many signs/ home décor items too. 




I've made jewelry for my mother and sisters and I've gifted off handmade wreaths & floral crafts too. 

All that said; I don't always personalize gifts.  These past few years (now that pretty much ALL my nieces and nephews are tweens/teens) we've begun gifting off money and gift cards.

My favorite gifts are for friends and my sisters when I can gift off jewelry, spa items, or baskets of hair goods/ nail polish/books/ etc. for a little pampering "me" time.  I really struggle with gifts for men though and tend to stick to food items.

I've gifted off spices and rub mixes for marinades, pulled together a favorites food basket (coffee, or this peanut butter themed one for my step father last year that was a HUGE hit!)




I hope you'll join us next month when we share our dream travel destinations! 


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Comments

  1. Your cards and scrapbook pages are always so beautiful- I love getting personalized cups and things too!

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  2. Wow, you have made some wonderful gifts! Your friends and family are very lucky. I love the scrapbooks with the spaces left to be filled in.

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  3. Great gift ideas! I frequently make scrapbooks as gifts, too, especially at Christmas time. But I usually make them complete with photos looking back over the whole year or after an event like a wedding earlier in the year.

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    Replies
    1. I have gifted them complete with photos a few times too (and honestly I like that better!) but sometimes I just don't have any photos of the people I'm gifting it to.

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  4. Love these! The mother's day frame is my favorite.

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  5. A scrapbook is such a great idea for a gift.

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  6. Scrapbooks are such a fantastic gift for any occasion. You have given me an idea for my fellas birthday in a few months.
    The gifts you make are fantastic, I really like those tumblers.

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    1. Oh I am so glad!! I find guys can be so hard to buy for.

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  7. I love a good gift basket, especially ones that are put together by the giver, rather than the premade ones.

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    1. Yes, I almost always make my own gift basket so I can tuck a few homemade treats in there as well.

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  8. Some great ideas here! I received a scrapbook yesterday for Mother's Day. Such a precious gift....of time and memories!!

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  9. Oh my gosh, how thoughtful of you to make scrapbook pages for someone where they just tape in the picture. That is so sweet!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! It's so well known now that the bride or mom- to- be expects one and have told me a few times they would have been so disappointed not to get one!

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  10. I love how most of these are handmade. They make the best gifts.

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  11. You'll love my post this upcoming Friday after seeing your photo album pages. What a fabulous idea for a gift too!!
    OXOX
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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  12. What a kind and loving gift...a scrapbook...I know you think long and hard about color, design and photos! That rose 3-d frame you made your mom is gorgeous!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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  13. These are all so thoughtful and beautiful, Joanne.
    A scrapbook is such a marvelous idea for a gift.

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  14. I absolutely love that you gift scrapbooks to people. It's such a thoughtful gift, and a treasure of a keepsake that can be passed down from generation to generation.

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  15. so many great ideas. i love the scrapbooks.

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  16. You are SO creative. I love your scrapbooks. How thoughtful. You have so many great ideas...I love the personalized mugs, garden flags and ornaments...something for everybody. I think I've shared with you that my aunt is a Stampin Up demonstrator. The cards she sends us are amazing...and my mom and Gma have learned so much from her that their cards are so cute too. I never throw away cards...but especially not from them!

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    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you! Stampin Up was how I first got into card making and scrapbooking.

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  17. You have given so many great, creative gifts, Joanne! I know your recipients appreciate your thoughtfulness.

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