Each year, I bake gifts for my friends and family.  This year I thought I would reinvent a way to share the recipes in addition to the treats.

First, I had to find my holiday favorites from prior years.  I typically make five or so items each year for gifts.

To simplify the project, I made an early decision to create recipe cards using a standard 4x6 inch size which is the same size you get from picture kiosks or inkjet printers.  I did this for convenience and availability only.  Here are a few easy steps.

Step 1:  Format your page size to 4x6 inches at the start to avoid reworking the size later or use my template (right click on link and select "Save Target As" to save this file on your computer so you can add your favorite recipe and photo). Step 2:  Type up the recipes you plan to gift in half of your 4x6 inch page. You may consider using two thirds of the 4x6 inch page if your recipe is long to be sure they are readable.
Step 3:  Find or snap a photo that best represents the recipe. Step 4:  Place your photo opposite the recipe. Step 5:  Save the page into a jpg file. This is the same file type that your camera uses which makes it easiest to print on a variety of printers. Step 6:  Print them on your choice of printer.

That's it!  You can put this into the package you are giving or attach it to the outside.  If you want to give a variety of recipes together, consider putting them together with a small hole punch and some ribbon.

If you use a Kodak All-in-One Inkjet Printer the ink is affordable enough for you to make recipe cards for everyone on your holiday list!

Enjoy your holiday baking and check out other ideas online.

- Diedra Kirk

Being a designer has its perks (even for people who know you). As I mentioned in my blog about Diwali last week - I print and send my own invitation cards. Over the years I've also created my own Holiday cards, Baby Shower cards, Birthday invites, etc.

I am super picky about the way I want my cards to look and feel and how the color matches something, etc. While I will never admit that I have a control issue here or that I do things at the last minute - I will say that I have a strong dislike for office stores/print centers, especially for short run prints (50-75). I usually start out saying that's how the cards will get printed but end up doing them myself at home. I love my printer and the quality of prints - but boy do they get expensive. Without touting the new Kodak All-in-One printers too much I have to say I am so glad the prints cost significantly less and the quality is up to my standards!

Here are some cards I created for Diwali and baby showers. Creating your own cards these days is so much easier with all the design and imaging software available. And one can customize by adding glitter, ribbons, layering paper, etc.

Here are a few cards that I've created for Diwali and Baby Shower invites.





With the Holidays just around the corner I hope you will tap your creativity and make your own cards. If you just don't have the time, here's a pre-designed template to get you started. Add glitter to the outside and handwrite your message inside or use a document creation software to write your own messages on the inside.

Tip: Use the borderless printing option on your printer if available, else trim off the white border of your cards. Get nice glossy cardstock 8.5"x11" double sided paper to print on. They will fit nicely into 5.5"x4.25" envelopes available at any office supply store.





- Shruti Goradia

I love advent calendars. I had one when I was a kid that I opened year after year until the windows became creased and ragged.

Even though I love the advent calendars you can buy that have chocolate inside *yum* I wanted an advent calendar that was more personal. So I designed this Photo Advent Calendar, that you can print out and customize with your own pictures! I created the house illustration with 24 windows to open and the photo template to go behind it.

Making one is really pretty simple. Download the front "house" panel and back "photo" panel pdf's and print them out. I used a Kodak All-in-One Inkjet Printer so the prints come out dry and I can start cutting and gluing right away. Patience sometimes goes out the window when I am crafting.

front "house" panel pdf | back "photo" panel pdf

Using an exacto knife, cut three sides of each window so they can be opened.

Then you want to choose 24 of your favorite photos and print them out small to match the boxes on the back panel. Note that the top windows are pointy on top, so make sure the photo subject matter doesn't get cut off for those windows.

(If you are particularly handy with photo software you could open the back panel pdf up in a program and add your photos to the pdf and print the back panel out with pictures already added.)

Glue your photos to the boxes on the back panel and then glue the front panel to the back one. You can find more detailed shots in the Inkjet Project Gallery.

Now you can open a window for each day of December and see a new picture until Christmas!

If you don't have enough time or energy to pull together your own photos for a Photo Advent Calendar, here is a special release Oscar and Stewie back panel you can print out and use! 24 days of pug and kitty mug shots! That oughta get you in the holiday spirit!

Oscar and Stewie back panel pdf

- Jenny Cisney

Diwali (Divali/Deepavali) - the festival of lights is one of the biggest festivals in India - celebrated across the country by Hindus. While being almost universally celebrated across the country - every region and community brings its own flavor to the celebrations. It is the time when India is at its festive best - decorative lights hang in households and commercial spaces alike. Diyas (oil lamps in earthen lamps) burn bright, colorful rangoli patterns adorn the entrances to households and mithai (dessert) is consumed in abundance.

Wikipedia does a great job of explaining the mythology, customs and celebrations about the festival.

I came alone to this country to attend graduate school. My first, living on campus with a final project due the next day was the worst Diwali I'd ever spent - homesick and stressed out - not celebrating at all. Crying over the phone to my parents, I realized that it was up to me to bring the 'light' into my home away from home on Diwali.

The next year I invited some friends over.  We cooked together, each making a dish, laughed and reminscied about Diwali at home. Fast forward to 2007 - this year I will be hosting my 8th Annual Diwali party. I have since gotten married and expanded my circle of friends. The number of attendees has grown up to 30+ people.

I have some Indian decorations and I have creatively used what is available here to make up for some others that I don't. My husband and I put up holiday lights, distribute candle lights all over the living room (instead of the diyas), put up the torans (decorative door hanging) and dye rock salt to 'create' rangoli. The evening of Diwali we go to the Indian temple to attend the Puja and come home to perform a mini-puja. On the closest Saturday to Diwali, we have an annual party where all the attendees bring an Indian dish and dance to Bollywood music, play cards and join in the festivities.



I usually send out home printed invitation cards and make my own 'gifts'. Diwali is the time to shop and give gifts in India - jewelry, clothes, cars, cameras, etc. The most popular gifts are 'envelopes' (with cash in them). The 'envelopes' are works of art in themselves - most are store bought - but some are homemade and well appreciated.

On this day of Diwali, I want to share envelope designs with you that you can print at home. They are Indian-inspired but will work for gift giving everywhere. (Standard A7 envelopes that will fit cash). You can enhance them by adding glitter, ribbons, crystals, etc.  Click on each design below to view the PDF file.

If you are feeling lucky or you just want to take your best shot... check out these three contests for your chance to win a Kodak All-in-One Inkjet Printer.

WHO: Brickfish

HOW: Find another use for your old, ink-hungry printer! Create a flower box, make an ottoman, prop up your trailer, design a fish tank, it's up to you! Then, blog it, take a photo, draw it or videotape it! Your clever idea could win you a radically new KODAK EASYSHARE All-in-One Printer allowing you to save lots of green without sacrificing quality! Visit http://www.brickfish.com/Lifestyles/KodakPrinter to enter.

WHAT: Best Blog: 1 winner, chosen by Kodak from the top 20 blogs that receive the highest score, wins a KODAK EASYSHARE 5300 All-in-One Printer!
Best Image: 1 winner, chosen by Kodak from the top 20 drawings or photos that receive the highest score, wins a KODAK EASYSHARE 5300 All-in-One Printer!
Best Video: 1 winner, chosen by Kodak from the top 20 videos that receive the highest score, wins a KODAK EASYSHARE 5300 All-in-One Printer!

WHEN: October 12, 2007 12:00 AM (PST) - November 23, 2007 11:30 PM (PST)

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