Gift Baskets

I LOVE putting together gift baskets!!! Some of my favorites are laundry baskets full of baby laundry soap, Spray and Wash, diapers, clothing, and other misc. baby stuff. I gave a new-dad-to-be a handy dad's toolbox--a tackle box with essentials--a binky (pacifier) diapers, tape (dad's always rip the diaper tape off!), extra bottle nipples, teething ring, burp rag, bibs, clothes pins, and a gas mask. He loved it!! LOL! On a recent wedding we attended I prepared a grocery bag for the new couple. A canvas bag filled to the rim with all those starter groceries that cost so much! Ketchup, mustard, Cream of soups, spices, I even through in some homemade jams and pickles. Even a big package of toilet paper! Again, they loved it! I've done the movie night theme basket, and Ice cream baskets-(bowls, ice cream toppings, scoop.) Last Christmas I just filled baskets with homemade goodies that I had canned over the summer--jams, pickles, tomato sauce.

I once made a basket for a friend to introduce them to herbal and homeopathic remedies. I included lavender, ylang-ylang and peppermint essential oils. Some olive and almond oil to use as a base. Also some kelp and wild yam (this friend was female) and some Rescue Remedy. I decorated the basket with dried lavender and sage. Great looking basket and it smelled good, too. I've also made a candle basket which included a little booklet on which candles to burn for a particular effect. You know, like burn pink candles on a Thursday evening for love, white candles on Sunday for purification, etc.. The most expensive one I ever made was for my sister. It was filled with vitamins, colon cleanser, natural weight loss capsules, a book on positive thinking affirmations and a subliminal tape on weight loss. She loved it. Baskets are such a personal fun gift - fun to give and receive.

I really like putting gift baskets together. I haven't made that many, but I have put together ones for bath and then one for a person who need office supplies. I usully pick up a little plastic basket from the dollar store! I can usually have one filled for under 20 dollars, but the idea and creativity go a lot further than that.

I love making up baskets. I just made one up a couple of weeks ago for a friend to take to her friends wedding. I wish I had my pictures developed but here is a description and when I get the pictures back I will add to the discussion. A. I made 2 of the washcloth gift sets from the discussion at http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/854859.aspx and put clear 3 oz bottles from the travel section at wal-mart. B. I made a pancake in a jar mix and a chocolate chip cookie in a jar mix. C. I make homemade soap so I added two of them one in a man's scent and one in a woman's scent. D. I had three white roses so I placed them in there to make it look pretty. E. Then I took the shrinking wrap that goes over the basket and sealed it up. My friend said they loved it and it was the most unusual one she got.

i have never tried to make my own gift baskets but it is something that i would like to get into and try to accomplish when i get more time on my hands i do not like having to rely on stores to carry what i need i like being self reliant and i try to make everything that i need as much as possable i want to be able to make my own baskets it does not sound like it would be all that hard to do i just have to find the time to learn how to do it haha