Custom Gifts That Are SUPER COOL and AFFORDABLE!

Seems nowadays the best gifts are the ones which are handmade with love. Gifts are very personal, especially given the occasion. They are also great to encourage someone or just make their day better. Everyone loves to get gifts and it truly feels even better to give them. 

Today, I'd like to share with you a few gift ideas that are not only really cool (at least to me) but affordable. We all have lots of friends and family which can get a little pricey when you're trying to buy presents for everyone. With the vast tastes out there, where do you even start? 

I have a few go-to items I like to use for special occasions. They all can be created and are made by hand to order. Ohhh, sounds expensive....don't leave just yet. You may be surprised! 

Custom gifts are everywhere, just google custom gifts and watch the page will fill with a ton of suggestions from shirts to mugs to whatever you can imagine. I'm sure you can find someone with the skills to create it for you. 

Ok..on with the list. Now, I'm not gonna lie, this is a small self-plug opportunity. 

Earlier, this year I started an Etsy shop and have had some tiny, very small success. With a total of eight sales(actually, 12 or 13 now Whoop!)...I tell ya..I'm killing IT!! 

One of my favorite things to make or personalize is coffee mugs. When I first started in this business I bought a huge box of mugs to practice and learn on. There is a slight learning curve, as there is when anything new. Such as ghosting, or placement issues, and of course, it wouldn't be complete without numerous printing issues. However, after suffering through the process, I believe I've got it for the most part. 

Anywho, back to the mugs. After learning how to use the machine and print and apply it correctly I was ready to design. Let's preference for the next part by also saying I am not a professional Graphic Designer. I just play one on social media.LOL!! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. 

So, yes I am no designer per se...but I have learned how to do a few things. When I first was learning I started on the free programs like Inkscape and Gimp. Once I got pretty comfortable with those I moved up to the big boy toys and bought Adobe Illustrator. Just a monthly subscription, it doesn't get too exciting there and they really don't give you any more options than that. 

After the switch, I found the program extremely difficult to use. Maybe, I am used to doing all the stuff myself and so having a program where you just click a button seemed just too difficult for my little brain. 

Like if you want to put text in a circle in Inkscape you need to first create a circle, and then create the text. Select both the circle and text and apply the text to a circle.  You aren't done yet, oh no! Now, you have to adjust the circle and text to fit and look right. 

With Illustrator you create text, select it, and under object pick envelope> make and wrap. Then pick which one like Arc, or Arch, Flag, Wave, etc.. and adjust the amount with the slider button.  

Now, I explained that to you because Adobe sounds much faster and easier but for me believe it or not, Inkscape was just more comfortable and easier to make things, for me. 

Ok, so back to the mugs. I ended up making a bunch for family and friends from church. 

This was my first design which I made using Inkscape. As of today, it is still my best seller! 



My passion is creating designs based on scripture and my belief in Jesus Christ. I try to take scripture or truth's from God's word and make them into visual art. Trying to display it in a way that would cause unbelievers and believers to seek God. 

This mug I call Which Way and was inspired by a message I heard from church. We all have a choice to make, with every decision. Which way are you going to take God's way or My way?  

Here is another design I made. I used Adobe for this one. The scripture I choose was Psalm 33:12. 





There are numerous other gifts you can make as well. It is really too big of a list to name all the items but I will list a few below. 

As mentioned above Coffee Mugs, T-shirts, Hoodies, Pillowcases, Koozies, Glass pictures, cutting boards, phone cases, coasters, and so much more. 

What equipment will I need to make these? 

You'll need a sublimation printer, sub-ink, sub paper, heat tape, protective Teflon paper, and a heat press. Plus, the design or image, and a product to apply it to. 

Right now, I just offer mugs, clothing items, and some vinyl items decals, window lettering, bumper stickers, stuff like that. 

You can check out my shop page on Etsy  For more examples of products you can create or buy as gifts. 

If you'd be interested in a video on how I make or create designs using either Inkscape or Adobe? Just comment and let me know. If I get enough or even one..LOL, I'll make one for you! 

Keep in mind though, I am not a super great designer and don't know it all! 


Thanks for reading, I feel this post was really pointless and meaningless. The fact that you are still here amazes me!! You should be find something better to do with your time. :) 

Just kidding...thanks all!! <3 b="">

Vintage, Country, Farmhouse..What's trending in Home Decor?

Hey Guys, 

It's been a grip since we chatted last and I apologize. Life has been very busy this last year or so. 

Ok, so I'm sure we have all (maybe, not all but most of us) seen the Fixer Upper type TV shows? Flip or Flop, Desert Flippers, Love it or List it? Is it just me or are we seeing a farmhouse style trend just blowing up in front of us? 

Yes, we can all agree that the style may not be for everyone's tastes but it sure seems to be the majority. I can't walk into a store be it Walmart, Target, Hobby Lobby, Etsy, eBay....you get the picture! There are vintage, farmhouse, country style signs, wall hangings, porch decorations everywhere. 

Here are a few examples that I made at home, they are made from reclaimed barn/pallet wood. Hand-painted and hand-lettered. Some boards I sand down to smooth out but for this Boo sign, I wanted it to look really old school vintage. So I left the board pretty rough. Nothing was sanded down and I think it gives it a more rustic, weathered feel. 

 For this sign I sanded it down, painted the base of the wood white, then went back and hand drew the letters and pumpkins. 

 Same with the Welcome to our home/state shape sign. The entire board was sanded, painted a white base and then I hand painted the black state shape and letters. 

The Mill wood sign has a hand-painted pastel base as the sunset. Then I used black to draw out the wind/water mill silhouette. 

These are some of my favorites that I've made so far. I really love the colors, they are so fall-e! 

To make these I used either a black or copper base on the wood. The give thanks has black hand painted letters, hello fall I used white for the letters, leaf, and nut details. 

Trick or treat wood sign has a black base but I was able to leave the wood grain as the letter color. Took forever but it came out great! 

Making these signs are super fun and pretty easy once you get the hang of it. It is a fun way for me to relax and unwind. I really enjoy making things that people want in their homes or to give as a gift to a friend. 

All you need to make these wooden signs are some pallet wood, paint, paint brushes, a pencil with a good eraser. If you want a certain font? I like to use transfer paper and trace my design on that. Then place that on my board and copy it to the surface. I try to always paint my base color first. 

Just remember to have fun and be creative! If you never want to try this at home, I'd be more than happy to make you one. Just visit my Etsy store! 

Good Luck, if you make yourself one? I'd love to see it! 

Loaded Country Frittatas

Recently, while volunteering at our local church we made these ( a little different) Frittatas for a Missionary Conference. I was so impressed with the recipe, I figured we'd try it out at home. 

Unlike me, you won't be making 200 of these bad boys like we did! However, for our recipe, we did double it and made about two and a half muffin pans of them. 

My only tip is making sure they are cooked fully because you are dealing with eggs.  So, the recipe may say cook for 20 minutes or so but with ours, we went about 25-28 minutes. Partly because ours were so loaded with goodies, it took them a little longer to cook. 

Let's get down to business! 

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, 

325 if using a convection oven

Cook for 20-28 minutes or until lightly browned 

1 can (12 fl. oz. ) Evaporated Milk

3 large eggs, beaten

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups (8 oz. pkg.) shredded cheese mild or sharp

2 cups chopped frozen broccoli, thawed and drained

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

cooking spray

For our recipe we added:

1 cup chopped up ham

or you can use

1 cup cooked, chopped up bacon

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine these ingredients. 

Add your eggs, and beat well. 

Then slowly add in the evaporated milk, stirring slowly. Mix well. 

Next, you are going to add all your chopped and diced ingredients. Add the bell peppers and broccoli. 

Lastly, add the shredded cheese and ham or bacon (which is optional but really makes them so much tastier.) 

Stir all ingredients really well and set aside. 

Completely coat, very well with cooking spray. These babies tend to stick and can be a pain getting out of the pan without enough spray. Don't use muffin tins because they will stick to them and are almost impossible to get off. 

Then, you'll want to grab an ice cream scoop or a 1/3 measuring cup. 

Fill each muffin cup just about to the brim. 

Cook in the oven for 20-28 minutes. I always set the timer for 15-20 minutes and then increase the time by 5 minutes each additional time and check them. You don't want them to burn. However, slightly brown is good. 

Once cooled remove from muffin pan by taking a plastic fork or knife and go around the edges of the muffin cups. Then I use a fork to gently lift them out and set on cooling racks to continue to cool. 

You can freeze them as well. :) 

Great breakfast for you or your family. Enjoy! :) 

**Product Review** Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum

Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum for Face and Neck, 36 Ml / 1.22 Fl. Oz


Buy Vivo Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum HERE!

Today, I'll be doing a product review for Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum. I have never tried this product before, which I purchased from Amazon with a discount code. I'm really excited to try this facial serum because being in my late thirties, I can definitely see signs of aging. This is a sponsored review, which I purchased at a discount. 
First, let me tell you about the product. Plus, what you can hope to see in your skin after using it. I have only been using it a short time but already I'm seeing wonderful results. 
What you'll notice first:

I love that has no smell and the softness of the facial serum. I didn't want anything that felt real abrasive, especially when applying around your eyes. It's such a sensitive area, to begin with. 
The tone and texture of my skin have really improved and is looking more radiant, and flawless looking. 
I love that Vivo Lei Facial Serum contains Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Wheat Germ Oil, and Palm Oil. Which aids in the repairing of the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 
Another favorite about the product is that it is non-greasy and lightweight. Great for all skin types whether that be oily, sensitive, combination, mature and dry skin. 
An added bonus is that it's rather inexpensive. Most cream or facial serums cost so much money and you never seem to get the results you're looking for in the product. 
Now, I think I've found a really great product and am excited to use it every day in hopes that with overtime use, I'll finally see the results I've been looking for. 

Two Coffee Recipes Plus Three Goodies To Try With Coffee!

Nothing is better to me than a nice cup of coffee. I swear, I could drink only that! If you follow me on Instagram (@jendevereaux) you'll figure out pretty quickly how much I love my coffee. Most days I have at least three or four cups but was thinking today, how can I make my coffee experience even better? 

So, today I have two unique coffee recipes and I've paired it with some really yummy goodies that are good with or without coffee. 

Let's get started:

Ingredients:

3 cups pure water

2 Tbsp. Arabic coffee

3 Tbsp.. ground cardamom powder

1/4 tsp. saffron

Directions:

1. Put 3 cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil. 
2. Add coffee and boil over a low heat. 
3. Turn off heat after 5 minutes and leave the coffee to clear. 
4. Pour coffee into a kettle and let coffee settle in the pot. 
5. Add the cardamom and saffron to the kettle of coffee. Bring to a boil once before serving in small coffee mugs. 

Ingredients:

1-1 1/2cups milk warmed up.

2 cups brewed coffee

Directions:

1. Heat 1 to 1 1/2 cups of milk in a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat. 
2. Whisking until milk is steaming and slightly foamy. 
3. Divide milk between two cafe au lait bowls or large coffee mugs, whichever you prefer. 
4. Divide 2 cups of coffee between bowls or mugs and stir. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 cup milk

Topping and Middle Layer:

16 oz whipped cream topping

Strawberry Filling Layers:

1/4 cup sugar

3 pounds fresh strawberries, sliced. Keep a few for decoration. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper as the handles and baking spray, set aside. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine the salt, flour, baking powder and whisk. Set aside. 
3. Cream together butter and sugar, mix well with mixture. 
4. Add eggs and vanilla and beat very well. 
5. With a mixer on low, slowly alternate between adding dry ingredients and milk.
6. Pour mixture into a greased baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack when done. 
7. Place sliced strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and set aside to slightly cool. 
8. Once the cake is cool, remove it from the pan using the parchment handles. Slice in half vertically then again in half horizontally. Place the bottom half back into the baking pan with cut side up. 
9. Spread half of the strawberries with syrup evenly over the cake, then spread half the whipping cream topping over the strawberries. 
10. Repeat with the top half of the cake. Finish with the remaining whipping cream topping and decorate with reserved strawberries. 
11. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. 

To get the round look in the picture. I did the same steps but in a muffin pan. :)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. instant coffee granules

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. 
3. In another medium bowl combine milk and instant coffee. Mix until the coffee is dissolved. 
4. Mix in the large eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. 
5. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Don't over mix. Lumps are okay. :)
6. Fill greased or lined muffin cups 2/3 full. 
7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 pound pre-made cookie dough

1/2 gallon ice cream

Directions:

1. Preheat waffle iron. Spray the top and bottom very well with cooking spray. 
2. Form cookie dough to cover the entire bottom of the waffle maker. Press closed. 
3. Cook 1-2 minutes on each side. 
4. Set aside cookie waffles to cool to room temperature.
5. Sandwich ice cream between two cookie waffles and Enjoy! 
6. To get the heart shape, cut with cookie cutter. :)

Directions:

1. Draw or print out a skull pattern. 
2. Cut out with an X-Acto knife. You want just the skull. Leave in the background. Just remove the skull pattern but make sure that the paper with cover the coffee cup and just the skull is open.  
3. Hold over the coffee of your choice and using coffee grounds, cinnamon, or my personal favorite chocolate and sprinkle over. To use chocolate, I just used my food processor to make it very fine.  

I hope you enjoy this new coffee and fun goodie recipes. If you try any? Come back and comment with a yay or nay. I'd love to hear your feedback and be sure to share with your other coffee lovers!