Customized Gift Baskets

You can turn any basket into a great special occasion gift - baskets with a personalized "theme" will always be a big hit. There are so many different ways to decorate a basket, there's really no limit to what you can do with a simple basket, some ribbon, and a few decorations.

Suggested Materials:

Wicker basket with handle
Hot glue gun
Ribbon
Dried or silk flowers, leaves, etc.
Thin wire
Wire cutters
Needlenose pliers
Stuff to put in the basket

Tips for decorating:
Use silk flowers for baskets to be used in a bathroom - they'll be less susceptible to water/moisture damage than dried flowers.
Decorate the basket with ribbon! Measure a length of ribbon to go around the lip of the basket. Twist it into a narrow rope and glue it around the rim. You can also wind matching ribbon around the handle, securing the ends with dabs of hot glue.

I like to buy silk flowers that have multiple stems and then separate them, snipping off to the lengths I want with wire cutters. Use wire to hold in place, and hot glue where needed.

Line the inside of the basket with plastic wrap, tissue, straw or colored confetti. Then fill the basket with stuff!

Gift Basket Ideas:

New Pet Baskets:
The New Puppy Basket - Fill basket with dog toys - a ball, a few squeak toys,- rawhide chews, small training bisquits, collar, leash, name tag, etc. The New Kitten Basket - Fill basket with cat toys - "jingle" ball, squeak toys,- a bag of catnip, cat treats, collar, leash, name tag, etc. (Extra special idea for cats and dogs: A coupon for a pre-paid spay or neuter.) Customize for other pets: birds, iquanas, rabbits, etc

Breakfast Basket - Fill a basket or a large juice pitcher with gourmet pancakes mixes, 2 or more gourmet coffees, jams, spatula, wooden spoon, mugs, maple syrup, maple candies, and your favorite breakfast recipes

For a sick friend - Include a large soup cup, can of chicken noodle soup, crackers, spoon, Chicken Soup for the Soul book, cough drops, vicks vapor rub, video of a comedy movie, tea bags, chap stick, kleenex

Lovers' Basket - NOT just for newlyweds! :)) Include several scented candles, a cassette tape with romantic music, a good bottle of wine or brandy, two glasses, a bottle of massage oil, some good chocolates, and a cardboard note to hang on the door that says "Do Not Disturb". Include a card with instructions to read "Close the door, turn off the phone. Enjoy together your precious time alone."

Tea Time Basket - Include some interesting teas, and a small jar of honey. Add homemade jams or jellies with crackers or a small loaf of homemade bread and a copy of If Teacups Could Talk. Decorate with ribbon and an interesting kitchen utinsel attached to the handle (a teaspoon or honey dipper perhaps...).

Gardener's Basket - For the gardener, fill the basket with packets of seeds, garden hand tools, gloves, plant markers. Decorate with flowers!

Gift for teacher - Fill a basket with fun pencils, "reward" toys, erasers, Post-It notepads, Award pads, etc. Decorate the basket with a "school" theme - instead of ribbon around the rim, glue on a row of pink erasers, alternating with some cute large plastic clips.

Coffee Lover's Basket - Get a bunch of the small packets of flavored coffees for the coffee lover to sample. Add some chocolate dipped cinnamon sticks, butter cookies, a special coffee cup, a jar of homemade Hot Chocolate Mix. Dip a spoon in melted chocolate - allow it to harden, wrap in cellophane and tied w/ a pretty ribbon. Attach the spoon to the handle. (This is my favorite kind of basket... Can you tell I'm a coffee lover?)

"Pamper Me" Bath Basket - Fill a basket with some homemade bath salts, lotions, etc. (visit the Formulas page for bath recipes...), along with lufa, scented candle, and a cardboard note to hang on the door that says "Pampering, Do Not Disturb".

The Ultimate Chocolate Basket: A pkg of hersheys bars, triple fudge brownies, better than sex chocolate cake, red velvet torte, chocolate truffles, german chocolate brownies, 3 different types of fudge, chocolate syrup, yoo-hoo in the can, a few boxes of chocolate pudding, and chocolate covered pretzles, chocolate/fudge butter cookies, homemade hot cocoa powder and a box of cocoa krispies.

The Baby Basket: A boo boo bunny. A baby's first christmas ornament, a small canister of powder, baby lotion, diaper rash oitnment, baby wipes, washcloths, receiving blankets, a teething ring, a bib and a night light.

The Fantasy/Sci-fi Role players basket: 3 different types of chocolate candy. A 6-pack of the gamers favorite beverage. A gift certificate for their favorite photo copy store. a couple of sets of dice. some miniatures or the new suppliment they want. i also include a couple of pencils and a note book.

The Wearable Art Basket: An Ironing board cover, some iron ons. Fuseable web, some pretty fabrics for applique, an assortment of fabric paints and pens. Rinestone studs, and the metal studs, a box of bandaids and a candy bar.

The New Mom's Basket: A large bottle of asprin, a picture frame or photo album. A cassette of favorite music, a package of burp cloths, hand cream, chocolate and coffee.

The New Car Basket: A fire extinguisher. A steering wheel cover. Some annoying fuzzy dice. an air freshener. A bottle of car wash, tire cleaner, spot remover and car wax.

The Baker's Basket: A recipe for something that you made that someone liked, along with all the premeasured ingredients (within reason) and a pack of recipe cards - perhaps a bottle of extract or some food colouring