Making Your Own Gift Basket: Step Four - Basket Assembly

Building a base

First, create a ‘base’ with your choice of filler in order to raise the gifts for best viewing.

If you have a tall, heavy item, you will need to place it first in the basket bottom to keep the basket from tipping over; your filler would go around it. Fill in to just below the top of the basket, leaving room for shred.

In choosing your filler, keep in mind that it will need to support the weight of the items. (Shred will not be supportive enough. Even if your items weigh very little, most likely you would need a good quantity of shred as filler and that can get expensive.)

Filler Suggestions:

* Newsprint – wad it firmly, but not too tightly

* Floral foam or Styrofoam – cut to fit your basket

* Cardboard form – cut/fold a piece to make a platform or turn an old box bottom upside down

* Certain gift items, such as kitchen towels or baby blankets

Next, if you haven‘t used gift items such as towels for filler, you will need to hide your base. Most professionals use shred, making a layer no thicker than an inch. There is a wide variety of types, sizes, and colors of shred. Choose the one that best complements your overall theme, as well as your colors.

Shreds: (all of these can be found at www.papermart.com)

* Tissue shreds

* Crinkled shreds, paper or metallic

* Fine cut shreds, paper or metallic, mirrorized or iridescent

* Angel hair shreds

* Cello shreds (‘Easter grass’ for example)

* Wood excelsior shreds, natural or colored (‘straw’)

* Floral moss

(Other sources for shreds include local crafts stores, as well as other online crafts supplies sites.)

You don’t have to purchase shreds, especially on a limited budget. You can make your own or get creative with other things that would serve the same purpose.

The main purpose of the filler and the shred is to lift and stabilize the gift items for a pleasing presentation. Professionals prefer to place everything on a level with the top edge of the basket. This creates more excitement than just piling things down inside the basket.

Arranging the Contents

Now, you’re ready to arrange the gifts. Create a general placement, starting with your largest item, placing the other items around it to see how they fit, and rearrange to best effect, before securing in place.

Basic arrangements professionals use:

* Symmetrical (probably the easiest): the highest point is in the center.

* Asymmetrical: the tallest item is on the left or right.

* Or, if you want to have an actual front and back to your basket, the smaller items can be placed at the front and taller items at the back.

In both arrangements, you begin with the tallest item, followed by the next smaller sizes down to the shortest, a stair step effect. For the symmetrical, the items would be placed all the way around your center piece. The asymmetrical would flow from one side to the other.

Securing the items in place

If your largest item is seated firmly in your base or in the bottom of the basket, that’s probably enough to secure it. If you’re using a basket with a handle and your item is taller than the handle, it’s probably a good idea to secure the item to the handle. Curling ribbon would be the simplest way to do that. Use a neutral color or a complementary color. (Some professionals use floral wire.)

Position the middle size items, then tuck the smallest items between the side of the basket and the other items. Some can be tucked tightly between two items. (For example, in a bath or spa gift basket, use washcloths.)

Decorative touches can also be used to secure or stabilize the gift items.

[Unless you’re planning on mailing your gift basket, there’s no need for extensive securing of the items. You just want them to stay in place and look pretty when you present your gift.]

Decorative touches

Unless the gift items themselves are fairly decorative, such as pretty candles or figurines or stuffed animals, you should add a few touches to catch the eye. Follow your theme when choosing these decorative touches.

Decorative suggestions for inside the basket

* Silk flowers

* Small knick-knacks reflecting the theme or the personality of the recipient

* Ornaments (not just Christmas ones)

* Pretty wrapping paper on not-so-pretty packages

* Small toys or stuffed animals

Example:

A spa basket for a lady at Easter would be lovely in spring colors. Silk flowers, like daisies, could be tucked in here and there. A few baby chicks or a bunny would certainly be appropriate.

Just simple touches are best. Don’t clutter your space and take away from the gifts. That’s why most professional gift basket designers call the decorative touches ‘enhancements.’ They are meant to enhance the overall look of your gift.

Finishing touches and wrapping the basket (optional) will be presented in the next post.

Gift Baskets for Four-footed Family Members

Small and cuddly or big and boisterous, they have a special place in our hearts as well as our lives. There have been many cats and dogs throughout my childhood and adult life. Some were more special than others and are remembered with love and laughter.

Most of them were mixed breed; a few were purebreds. Two beloved pets died just last year, within months of one another. One was a Morkie (Maltese-Yorkie mix) and the other was a Rotweiler. Their loss left a big gap in our lives.

My three-year-old nephew doesn’t understand why the little Morkie is no longer there to play chase with him around and around the dining table. Toto was nine years old, but she could still put on a burst of speed and outrun a little boy.

My nephew’s grandma now has a miniature poodle that really lives up to her name, Honey. She’s so quiet most of the time you don’t even realize she’s right there. At times she’s quite frisky, but still quiet. She loves a certain small teddy bear that belongs to my nephew and snatches it every chance she gets. She also loves to eat. I really enjoy the fact that she can eat like a horse and never get fat!

I’ve been searching online for something special for Honey. From my own gift shop I have a carrier in a warm pink color that would really complement her charcoal gray cuteness, but I don’t think she personally would appreciate that as much as she would enjoy toys and treats.

So, of course, I’m checking out my gift basket shopping sites—either to purchase or find ideas for making my own gift basket for Honey (and may include a little keepsake and a few treats for her owner).

As usual the containers caught my eye first. One is a white box with black paw prints all over it. Another is a bone-shaped edible basket. (A variety of edible containers are available.) A truly useful one is a decorative doggie ‘cookie jar.’

Then, again, since Honey is a poodle the Poodle Valentine's Basket might be a good choice.

Since Honey likes the little teddy bear so much, I may opt for the Valentine’s basket with chew toys and stuffed animals; it also includes goodies for the owner. Hmmm….one gift for two recipients….not a bad deal.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Honey and D.D.!

Making Your Own Gift Baskets: Step Three

SELECTING THE CONTENTS

[If you already have specific items in mind, you might consider this step before choosing your container, especially if one or more items are bulky or somewhat heavy. You would need to select the container that could hold them safely.]

BEFORE you go shopping, there are several things to keep in mind when selecting the contents.

1. Your Theme

Whether your theme is an occasion, a holiday, or just based on the recipient’s favorite things, this will be the deciding factor as to what you put in your basket. Gift baskets that are a mixture of themes can work well also, as long as you keep the recipient in mind.

For example, if you’re planning a get well gift basket for a ten-year-old child, it’s unlikely that you would include an expensive bottle of perfume. As the child begins to feel well enough to be bored, puzzles, coloring books, crayons, or similar quiet activities would really be appreciated.

2. Estimated Size of Finished Basket

Consider the size of the container plus the contents plus the decorative touches plus the wrapping. It all adds up and can surprise you.

3. Size of Items in Proportion to One Another

Most of the contents should be in a general range of sizes. A good balance is to have one large item with several medium-size items and several smaller items. Use the large item as the focal point with the smaller items to fill in the spaces and make it more pleasing to the eye. Keep in mind that some items will need to be decorative to enhance the beauty of your gift.

Still using the child’s basket as an example, consider including a teddy bear or a dinosaur, depending on the child’s interests.

4. Colors of the Items and the Containers

Your theme would be your guide to selecting colors, such as typical holiday colors. (Reds and pinks for Valentine’s Day, for example.) Think in shades of one color or a family of colors, or a combination of colors that complement one another.

If you know what the recipient’s favorite colors are, then by all means choose those colors that would really please them.

If there are items you really want to include that would clash terribly with your color scheme, then simply gift wrap them in a color to match.

Beautiful colors make a good first impression and contribute more to the pleasure of receiving a gift than you might think. Would you enjoy getting a gift in a brown paper bag more than the same gift in a bright red tote bag?

5. Number of Items

Let your budget and/or the size of your container be your guide here.

6. Total Cost

If your budget is limited but you want to give good quality items, then choose just one expensive item, a few lesser expensive ones, and several inexpensive ones.

Remember those spaces you’ll need to fill in. Don’t forget to include the costs of other supplies, such as ribbon and wrap.

In the next steps, we will be learning basics of assembling everything, including the final decorative touches.

Keep in mind that we’re not trying to be a professional gift basket designer. This is a personal gift from you, made by you, with the recipient in mind. You simply want the end result to reflect the time and care you put into choosing the gifts and making it look as lovely as possible within your abilities.

Origins of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is considered to have its roots in both Roman and Christian traditions. Archaeologists unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. 

Many different saints were named Valentine.  Three of the saints by that name were executed on February 14, but there is no definite evidence as to which one the celebration has been named after.

In my opinion, the most likely candidate is the temple priest who performed marriages in secret. Emperor Claudius had ruled marriage unlawful for single young men because supposedly they made better soldiers than married men. When Valentine was caught performing such marriages, the emperor ordered his death. He was executed on February 14, 270.

In 496, February 14 was marked as a day of celebration by Pope Gelasius in honor of St. Valentine.

It is also claimed that a celebration was created on this date to ‘christianize’ the ancient Lupercalia festival, celebrated on February 15 in honor of the god Lupercus. It was considered un-Christian because it was a Roman “lottery” system of pairing up men and women. Instead, Pope Gelasius had the young men and women pick the names of saints to emulate for the year. Valentine became the patron of this Church feast.

Notes of affection, which often included Valentine’s name, were sent to young women by young men.

Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love, young people, happy marriages, bee keepers, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, lovers, plague and travelers. In pictures Valentine is represented with birds and roses.

Making Your Own Gift Baskets—Step Two

The Container

After you’ve decided on a theme--whether by occasion, topic, or recipient, or a combination of those three—you now need to choose a container.

Pretty much anything will work as a container. I use the term ‘gift basket’ in a general way. Just be sure that it will hold the size and weight of the items you plan to include.

Personally, I love to make gifts as unique as possible. Use your imagination and be creative. Of course, if the recipient happens to love baskets, they would really appreciate an actual basket.

Where to look:

• Around the house

• Dollar store

• Wal-Mart

• Online sites such as Amazon.com or The Container Store

• Flea markets

• Yard sales

• Craft shops

Choose the container to complement the theme and the recipient. It also helps to have a general idea of the type of items you will include.

Examples:

• Get Well – a cardboard box decorated as a ‘first aid kit’

• Mother’s Day – a clay pot or planter; pretty tote bag

• Father’s Day – tool box; football-shaped rattan basket; toy golf bag

• Easter – actual woven basket; egg-shaped container

• House Warming – cardboard box decorated to look like a house; wooden crate made to look like a picket fence

• New Baby – diaper bag; Radio Flyer little red wagon

• Wedding – boxes in 3 different sizes (small, medium, large), stacked and decorated to look like a wedding cake

• Spa – cosmetic case; pink metal ‘bathtub’

• Snack foods – extra large popcorn box; bucket; decorative tin; small hamper

• Thanksgiving – wicker cornucopia

• Christmas – tin Santa sleigh, red or white

I like to choose containers that are practical as well as decorative. When the contents have been eaten or used, the container still serves a purpose—as well as being a keepsake.

Having decided on the container, you are now ready to select the contents—whether they are to be food items, bath products, toys, useful gadgets, or a combination.

Making Your Own Gift Baskets—Step One

Reasons for making your own:

If you can say yes to any of the questions below, then your answer could be to make your own gift basket. Whether you’re creative or ‘all thumbs’ there’s a version of a homemade basket for any level.

• Would you like to give an especially nice gift but only know of small items that are suitable for the recipient?

• Is your budget rather limited but you don’t want your gift to reflect that?

• Is there no particular, single item that would be suitable?

• Is your recipient somewhat hard to buy for and/or has unusual tastes?

• Want to give some of your tastiest goodies but want to ‘dress them up a bit?’

• Have close friends with large families and you just can’t afford to get something for everyone?

One of the great things about a gift basket is that it is a collection of items, not just one gift. Also, the possibilities for the contents are endless. You’re only limited by your imagination. Even the container you choose is a gift!

Getting started:

Now that you’ve decided to make that basket, the first thing you will need to do is decide on a theme.

It could be one simple theme or a combination of themes. Also consider the individual’s interests and specific likes and dislikes.

General list of themes

By occasion:

• Anniversary

• Birthday

• Congratulations

• Friendship

• Get Well

• Good Luck

• Holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter….

• House Warming

• Just Because

• New Baby & Baby Shower: baby boy, baby girl, unisex

• Sympathy

• Thank You

• Wedding & Engagement

By topic:

• Assortment

• Baked goodies

• Beauty/Spa

• Cheese/Wine

• Chocolates/Candies

• Gourmet foods

• Snack foods

By recipient:

• Men

• Women

• Kids

• Seniors

Example:

Let’s say it’s for a lady’s birthday. This lady loves scented lotions, soaps, and a relaxing bath. Ta da! Excellent idea: a spa basket, decorated with birthday designs, with a card (homemade or store-bought) that is relevant to the entire theme. (I was the recipient of a basket of age-defying products….oh, my!)

Of course, you could go online or to your nearest gift shop and purchase a spa gift basket. But if you know this lady’s favorite scent or that she’s allergic to certain ingredients, then it would be a better idea to select the items yourself, keeping those things in mind.

[I’m allergic to lanolin and floral scents. One gentleman, courting me long-distance, sent me two different baskets with floral-scented products (rose and lavender). Sweet thought but unfortunate choices.]

Beginning to get any ideas? When you have a basic plan in mind, then the next step is choosing a container.

Coming Soon

Coming soon will be the first in a series on making your own gift baskets. Each post will focus on a different aspect of creating and making your own: deciding on a theme, choosing a container, selecting the contents, decorative touches, even packing and shipping info.

For project ideas, you can visit online craft sites, such as FaveCrafts Quick and Crafty. Also find gift tag designs and how-to info.

For detailed, step-by-step instructions for specific projects, check with your local library for books on gift basket making. Or purchase such books online. Several good ones are available at Amazon.com right now. Used paperback versions are available, starting at $2.23, for the best-selling The Perfect Gift Basket: How To Make a Fabulous Gift Basket for Any Occasion.