Review: Too good to give away?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2013
This is a wonderful little book filled with fantastic ideas on gourmet gifts, but at the same time...almost too good to give away.  These aren't the cheesy recipe-in-a-jar sort either--these are truly gifts worth giving that anyone would appreciate.  (If they don't...well maybe they just don't need a gift at all anyhow!)Gourmet isn't the word for it--her chai tea sachets alone are worth the purchase price.  The rest of the information is equally as valuable.Jill Swanson hasn't just given us recipes and directions though.  She's also become our shopping assistant, giving us fantastic sources and saving us immense amounts of time sourcing everything from fresh raw olives to containers to package homemade vanilla extract in.  While the wonderful world of the internet has given us all immense possibilities for shopping hard to find items, it still takes time, with numerous false trails to suck away even more hours as we search for the obscure things that those who are devoted to DIY gifts and crafts may declare as "absolute MUST-HAVES".Better yet, these ideas aren't only good ideas for the Martha Stewarts of the world (face it, she's impossible to measure up against!)  These aren't gifts that only those with more money and time than sense can manage either--homemade vanilla extract, along with several other ideas of Jill's, are economical ideas to give a gift that is better-than-money-can-buy without breaking the bank to buy your supplies, making the holidays a little less daunting when faced with friends & relatives that are more financially stable and difficult to find something appropriate (and affordable) to give a gift to.Heck, who doesn't deserve giving themselves a gift or two during the year anyhow?  Some of these "gifts" are things that I would enjoy right here at home with my  husband, no other recipient is necessary!  Maybe that's what makes the ideal gift, something that you would love being given yourself.