This is a blog filled with wonderful surprises that I am giving to you ... FOR FREE, just to help you get your Visiting Teaching done each month. It's a present for you every single month! Make sure to check out my other blog too at http://visitingteachingtips.blogspot.com for other Great Visiting Teaching and Relief Society oriented ideas!







Sunday, October 17, 2010

Tutorial for Making a Cute Tissue box cover

This is my tutorial for Making a cute Tissue box cover.  This one happens to be fitting for the current upcoming holiday, but you could do it for any holiday or occasion or just to have a tissue box that would actually match your house.  So here goes....
I hope the pictures are basic enough that you can see what to do.  Here is a simple rundown.

Carefully take apart a box of tissue. (remove and set aside the folded tissue) Cover the box, using two pieces of the same print of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper.  If it is a heavy card stock it will look great, but will be harder to glue.  A lighter weight scrapbook paper is preferred.  I used a glue stick and coated the printed side of the tissue box and covered all of it.  I seamed it on an edge which you will have to do.


Press firmly or pile some heavy books on it for 10 - 15 minutes, so the glue gets a great chance to adhere to the tissue box.  Turn the box over to the inside, and trim off the scrapbook paper following the pattern of the box.

Fold the box back together with the sides first and glue. Fold and glue the bottom of the box. Insert the tissue that you had set aside and then fold the top of the box down and glue it.  You will need to hold the box for a few minutes to ensure that the glue has a chance to hold.


Your box could be finished at this point, or you could do what I have pictured and I cut out a cute border to glue around the box to make it even more cutsie!  Another idea would be to print out the name of the person that you are going to give it to on a strip of contrasting paper and glue it around the box.  There you have it.... a Cute Tissue box!!!  Whew, I wish I had thought of this years ago.  No more pet peeve!

Also, if you use a very heavy card stock, then you could use the disassembled tissue box for the template and draw around it on to the scrapbook paper. ( I suggest two sided as it would be cute on the inside and the out.)  You would need to score the folds using a pen and ruler to get them straight and fold it the way the tissue box is folded.  Easy huh?

Please either comment below or email me as it is nice to know that you like what I come up with as far as ideas and fun stuff!
Enjoy  Katie G.

One more thing to add to the gift.... MY VERY OWN POEM TO PRINT

I think you will figure out that laughter is the best medecine when you read the poem that I made up tonight to go with this little gift.  I have been laughing my head off.  I hope you do too.  Let me know if you like it!


Printable recipe cards to go with the Soup exchange

I am making up a bunch of cute things to give out at the Soup exchange that I am doing, and thought I would share.  Here are three pages of tabbed fall recipe cards.  The reason I am tabbing them is so that the different soups will be able to be found easier, as I find that my recipe cards kind of get stuck together after a while so... with tabs they can be seen and separtated easier. I was also thinking that they could be tab coded with the left tab for Brothy soups, the Middle tab for Creamy soups, and the tab on the right could be for favorites or whatever else you would want it for. 


Once again... how can I relate this to Visiting teaching?  Ok.... do you have a great soup recipe that you might like to share with someone you Visit Teach, or maybe even that you would be taking to a Relief Society night meeting?  Here you go.....  What I will be doing is printing out a bunch of these cards so the the ladies can write down their favorites off of the master that will be displayed on the table.  Fun idea huh?

Enjoy and happy cooking!!!  Katie G.

Be sure to scroll down for the invitation idea that I have below of the Soup label to invite friends over for a soup exchange.

Friday, October 15, 2010

More wonderful ideas for gift giving and for Halloween!


 While I was looking for something else, I stumbled on a great tutorial for a darling bread box.  It is made from Scrapbook paper and is so very cute. 

Here is the link to the blog that you can find it at.  http://www.technostamper.blogspot.com/2008/10/bread-box-mini-tutorial.html 
This second blog uses stamps from Stampin Up too.  Both are very cute!!! Great ideas for sharing the fruit breads we make this time of year.











I  found these darling Halloween ideas and thought I had better pass them on too at

Boo-nana Bread

Christine T from West Virginia emailed me and said that she was going to use my header idea for her Banana Bread.  She changed the header from Caramel Boo-corn to "Boo"nana Bread. I thought that was a great idea so I wanted to pass it on to you.  I also told her that I would make another header for a Gallon Bag so here it is .  Enjoy, Katie G
If you have any great ideas please email me and let me know!!!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Soup exchange


Soup exchange soup label invitaiton to fill in the blanks.
 Don't use this one if you want to send out as an invitaiton
because it has some typos.  Use the blank version below.
 I have been really busy this past month, trying to catch up with some fun things to share with you sisters to do with those you Visit teach, for Relief Society Night activities, or even just neighborhood friend activities.  I think you are going to really like this one.  My daughter got me thinking about this one as she and her friends in Park City, do freezer meal exchanges.  I thought that would be such a great idea, but hard to do with a very large group.... so.... I have this neighborhood Lunch Bunch group and I thought I would take another turn at hosting it at my home.  I decided to do a soup exchange since it is beginning to be fall weather, and soup is something that warms up everyone.  Anyway... I created a soup exchange and made an invitation that looks like a soup label.  I also created the directions of how this exchange would work to eliminate any misunderstandings about what constitutes soup. (Homemade is the only soup and it isn't home made from Costco, or from Campbell's, but made from scratch in the home.)
This is the one that you should use to print and send out.  You
can use the top one to show you how you can fill in the
gold label with the date, time, place etc.





I thought that this was such a fun idea that I wanted to share it with you.  Please feel free to share my blog ideas with your friends, neighbors, ward members, because I believe that these ideas should be shared with everyone.  They will create fun times, and friendshipping experiences, which is what it is all about.  Enjoy and if you use this, please drop me an email or comment so that I feel loved!  Best regards and have a SOUPER time.... Katie G.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Visiting Teaching Motto Bookmark

This is my very own motto, that I loved so much when I first started blogging about Visiting Teaching about 4 years ago.  I  thought it was about time that I took James E. Faust's quote and put it into a bookmark. 

This isn't the official R.S. motto, as that is Charity never faitheth."  When I was reading the talk that this quote came from, which can be found on my other blog, I loved so much the message and decided that this is how I felt about Visiting teaching and added it to my blog at that time.

I made these is fall colors, so that you can give it out anytime this fall, or even in the winter.  I made each one different so they will be fun for you to pick which design is your favorite.

Enjoy!  Katie G.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

You have been Boo'd

I love Halloween, partly because it is my birthday month, but because it lots of fun.  I love to decorate my home and even dress up in my old age, to greet the trick or treaters.  I must be crazy, but I am sure having fun.  So... I created my own "You have been Boo'd" flyer to go out when you take treats to your neighbors and friends.  You are welcome to use mine if you like.  You might want to start with those you visit teach!  ( but don't count that as your visit!  Ha, ha!)   Enjoy!!!  Katie G
P.S. I had forgotten about my other storage blog that goes with this one, and accidentally started posting this Halloween handout in that one.  I thought I had better remind you too since I am the one who created it and forgot about it.  Here is the link to see the things that are in it!  http://visitingteachingsurprisedocuments.blogspot.com/





My Sweet Son Andy, who is my computer guru, came over and fixed what was wrong with my internet that would not let me insert any photos on my blog.  It took him less than a minute.  Am I ever grateful for him, and you should be too.  What is this blog without all the images that I put on it for you to download.  Thanks, Andy!!!!  Happy Halloweening.... Katie G.


I have been asked about whether or not people can  use popcorn with the caramel recipe and I have said yes but....if you use it with puff corn, I can guarantee you that it will be gobbled up so fast, your head will spin.  Everywhere I have ever taken it, people love it.  There is a recipe on the back on one of the different brands bags of puff corn, but it just isn't like my caramel, but it is pretty good too. I recommend my caramel recipe.  I also recommend that you try the puff corn and see if you agree about how yummy it is.  One tip though.... caramel corn can really set up fast, and you want to be able to keep it as soft as possible.  You could cook it about a minute or two less, but what you need to do is to put it immediately into plastic bags, so it stays as soft as possible.  Oh and with popcorn... you can never get all the hard kernels out, and you about break your teeth chewing into one.  Puff corn is so soft it will about melt in your mouth and the chewieness will come from the caramel.  SOOOOOOO Good.  Here are a couple of different brands of puff corn that I found on the internet:

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Bookmarks,Service and President Monson

Ok, ok, I do like bookmarks.  I love creating them, and I love even more giving them out to others.  So here you go.... if you want another cute bookmark for whatever occasion, go to my Visiting teaching tips blog or here is the direct link to that particular post.... http://visitingteachingtips.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-have-i-done-for-someone-today.html Enjoy!  Love, Katie G.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Two Printable Note Cards

"You are Loved" and "Thank-you" cards by Katie G.
I had occasion to need some greeting cards to give to some people this week.  I thought that I would share them with you as well.  Print them off on a white sheet of card stock.  You will get two cards per one 8 x 10 and when you cut them in half, where the white space is between them, they will fit into a note card size envelop.  I buy my note card envelopes from Office Max or Office Depot, but I have seen them from time to time at Walmart.  The top card I am giving to a friend who has had a death in her family, but you could use it just to let those sisters you visit, know that they are loved. 

My sister who lives in another state sends a card faithfully to a sister that she was asked to Visit teach years ago.  This woman, does not want Visiting or Home teachers, but she was still assigned to my sister.  I admire my sister Becky who has for years, sent a letter or card and message to this sister every single month.  We spoke of it once over the phone and Becky said, "I will never know if keeping in contact with this sister in this way will ever impact her or get her back into activity in the church, but she will know that there is someone who cares for her."  Becky went on to say, "I don't know if she even reads my letters or cards, or just throws them in the garbage when they arrive."

The bottom card is a thank-you card that I was sending to the woman who hosted our Young Women's Alice in Wonderland tea party.  It turned out so lovely and this woman spent so much time in decorating, setting up, cooking and on.  I wanted to send her a customized card and you will notice that the image on the card is a public domain image from one of the illustrated versions of Alice in Wonderland.  I thought it was perfect, but the card is perfect for a Thank-you for anyone.

I hope you enjoy this printable.  Please comment below if you use it as I do like to feel like my efforts are appreciated.  Share the Love!  Katie G.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

A new Halloween Surprise for you!


Happy Halloween Surprise box template

Halloween template
Well, I have been wanting to draw up my own template for a cute and easy printable gift box.  I have used and posted others, but I wanted to see if I  could do it.... and I did!!!!  It took me the whole day to get it right, but I finally have a cute template for you.  I have printed off several of these and they are adorable.  I put the directions on the printout, but when I put them together, I thought that if I were to file the edges of the Happy Halloween tag, it would look even cuter.  It certainly did.  I then filed the edge of the sticker and it looked even better too. So I took it even one step further and sanded the box folds, and yes, it looked that much cuter!!!  I think I will now tie a cute bow on the top and find something yummy to fill it up with.  By the way, if you didn't already know, Xpedex sells all different kinds of cellophane and plastic bags from really tiny to pretty large.  I like the looks of the cellophane ones the best, but rather than put your goodies right into the box, and tie it shut with a bow. ( You could leave the box flap open and that would look really cute.)   I would line the box with a baggie... oh yea, even a sandwich baggie would work.  I will take a photo of the finished project in a couple of hours, but for now... here is the templates for side one and side two.  Enjoy!!  Katie G.
Inside of box.

You know what they say about old friends and antiques? They grow more valuable with time.

Glad that you dropped by my blog!

This blog and it's contents go hand in hand with my Visiting Teaching Tips and handouts blog found at http://visitingteachingtips.blogspot.com/ If you by accident get to this blog first, make sure to go back to the other one and see all that there is for you there. This is sort of my overflow or stroage blog because I can't keep everything there, so I add my creations to this storage unit and that is my Visiting Teaching Surprise for you. Sometimes however, I do put in things that I think you would enjoy even if they aren't specifically related to Visiting Teaching, but my vision in life is that if I take all the time to make things, I may as well share them and get more use out of them. Sorta like hand me downs but brand new "Down loads". I hope you enjoy these freebies. Drop me a note to say hello in the comments under the downloads posts.