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Post by Kathy on Jan 19, 2006 22:23:22 GMT -5
Your gift basket does not have to be expensive to be pretty!
You can line the gift basket with common everyday items.
Here are a few lining ideas to help you get started on making a unique gift basket for any occasion!
Tissue paper, tea towels, hand towels, placemats, diapers, kitchen towels, baby blankets, piece of fabric,
shredded paper, newspaper, or colored paper, straw, Easter basket grass , newspaper comics raffia, colored towels, cloth napkins, cedar shavings and just use your own imagination!
Line your gift basket, then place your little collection of gifts in the basket.
Place clear gift wrap under the basket, bring it over the top of the basket, and tie it up with a big pretty bow!
Theme Basket Ideas will be listed below!
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Post by Kathy on Jan 20, 2006 2:34:05 GMT -5
Superb Tea Basket: Great for Elderly Relatives
In a basket of your choosing, add some exotic teas, strainer, china tea cup or mug, shortbread biscuits, napkins, sugar (wrap it in cellophane and tie a ribbon around it), book about teas, flowers etc.
The Fisherman
Add a bag of fishing tackle (hooks, lines and sinkers), a fishing magazine, a fish smoker, you can even throw in a can of sardines for the fun of it.
College Student Gift Basket
Use a basket or usable container with some or all of the following:
Pens and Pencils
Printer paper and supplies
Mouse pad
Washcloth and hand towel
Yummy healthy snacks
Phone Card
Gift certificate for a CD
Nail Clippers
Book light
Bath Gift Basket
Use a nice basket with some or all of the following:
Gel eye-pack
Epsom salts or bubble bath
Aroma therapy oils
Scented candles and holders
Pumice stone
Washcloths, scrubber or loofa sponge
Back cleaning brush
Relaxing music on CD or cassette
Rubber ducky
Kids Coloring Gift Basket
Use a rubber/plastic storage box with some or all of the following:
Assorted papers, coloring books
Crayons or colored pencils
Nontoxic markers
Assorted stickers
Paint box and brushes
Safe scissors
Photographer's Gift Basket
Use a basket or a camera bag with some or all of the following:
Film
Coupons for picture developing
Camera Filters
Lens cleaner
Lens cloth
Photo print paper
Picture frame and matte
Picture Album
Letter Writer's Gift Basket
Use a square basket or plastic box with some or all of the following:
Note paper or cards
Envelopes (choose a variety of sizes)
Letter opener
Pen or pencil
Personalized seal
Sealing wax
Return address labels
Rubber stamps to decorate envelopes
Stamps
Crafters Gift Basket
Use a rubber storage container with some or all of the following:
Glue gun and glue sticks
Acrylic paints
Assorted brushes
Craft knife
Craft supplies (this will depend on the craft they do.)
Craft patterns or how-to books
Craft papers
Scissors
Pasta Lover Gift Basket
Use a colander or bowl with some or all of the following:
Package of gourmet pasta
Tongs or pasta grabber
Package of sun-dried tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fancy olives
Spices: oregano, basil, garlic powder
Collection of your favorite pasta recipes hand-printed on recipe cards
Pasta cookbook
Jar of homemade gourmet sauce
Gardener's Gift Basket
Use a clay plant pot, bucket or watering can with some or all of the following:
Gardening gloves
Hand tools
Vegetable, flower seeds
Liquid fertilizer
Kneeling pad
Gardening book
Subscription for a gardening magazine
Plant markers
Heavy Duty Hand Lotion
Cat Lover Gift Basket
Use a cat bowl or pet bed with some or all of the following:
Catnip Mouse or other cat toy
Hair ball paste
Cat treats
Cat Brush
Scratching post
Gourmet cat food
Dog Lover Gift Basket
Use a dog bowl or pet bed with some or all of the following:
Rawhide bone
Dog biscuits
Squeaky toy
Dog shampoo
Brush
Collar and/or leash
Dogs come in all sizes so make sure you are buying for the right size dog. Also if it is for a puppy, chewy stuff is the best.
New Home Owner's Gift Basket
Use a tool box or tool tray with some or all of the following:
Screw drivers - Slot and Phillips
Wrench, Pliers or Vice Grip Pliers
Hammer
Assorted nails, tacks, screws, washers
Gift certificate for the local hardware store
Do-it-yourself Home Repair book
Other assorted odds and ends like:
super glue
light switch covers
light bulbs
duct tape
paint brushes
knobs and handles
Guitar Player's Gift Basket
Use a basket or gig bag with some or all of the following:
Assorted guitar picks
Tuning pipe or electronic tuner
Sheet music
CDs or cassettes of great guitar players
Guitar strings
Capo
Polishing rag
Guitar polish
Chord or lesson books
Skier or Snowboarder's Gift Basket
Use a small pack or canvas bag with some or all of the following:
Gloves, mittens and/or warm hat
Hot packs
Sunscreen
Lip balm
Moisturizer
Pass to the local ski hill
Hot chocolate
Ski, snowboard or sled waxes
Grandparent Gift Basket
Use a basket or reusable container with some or all of the following:
Scrapbook
Children's artwork
Gifts made by the kids
Framed family pictures
Videos of the family
Long-distance calling card
Candy, coffee, or tea
Handmade Christmas ornaments
Polar fleece lap blanket
Wine Lover's Basket
Use a wine cooling bucket with some or all of the following:
Wine Glasses
Cheese and Crackers
Cork screw
Bottle of wine
Holiday Entertainment Basket
Use a nice holiday basket with some or all of the following:
Holiday Napkins
Holiday Plates
Holiday Cups
Whole Mixed Nuts
Nutcracker
Cookies or baked goods
Holiday floral picks or ornaments for decorating
Cheese ball or Sausage stick and crackers
Fillers for Your Basket
Once you have obtained your items here are some fillers to put around them.
Piece of fabric
Shredded paper, newspaper or colored paper
Straw
Easter basket grass
Tissue paper or newspaper comics
Raffia
Colored towels or cloth napkins
Cedar shavings
Extra Items To Consider
For Christmas Baskets add:
Candy canes
Candles
scented or unscented, votive, tea lights or tapers
Pine cones
Cinnamon sticks tied with red ribbon
Greenery
spruce, pine, cedar, holly
Christmas ornaments
Decorated emu eggs
For any occasion add:
Potpourri
Hot cider, special tea bags, special coffee or cocoa mixes
Mandarin oranges, tangerines, oranges or apples
Unshelled nuts or packets of roasted nuts
Wrapped candy or baked goods
Small toys or puzzles
Sample hand creams
Lip gloss or Chap-stick
Finishing Your Basket
If you buy colored cellophane you can cover the entire container with it disguising what is inside.
Tie a ribbon around the whole thing or paste a ribbon on top.
Have fun!
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Post by dlangland on Jan 21, 2006 8:45:26 GMT -5
Oh, thank you Kathy for taking time to share your ideas. You have something for everyone here. I would like to starting buying things gradually as I find them so as to not break the budget all at once. Your lists will really make that easier. Deb  |
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Post by auntieemu on Jan 21, 2006 13:58:41 GMT -5
What I like about this is that around the homestead we can find things like pine cones, seed pods, sweet gum balls, etc. that can either be spray painted gold or left natural to add to the baskets. Also pecans, walnuts, etc. from farm add to the design - and if you are making it up for 'city cousins' or friends, knowing that everything came from your farm excites them.
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Post by Kathy on Jan 21, 2006 17:51:57 GMT -5
Something that seems to fascinate city or suburban friends and family is if you give them some homeharvested mistletoe.
I don't know if it grows as much in TN and the other southern states but in KY I had it up in my trees. It is parasitic so I tried to control it by harvesting.
Oh, You had to shoot it out of the tree tops to harvest-which was 1/2 the fun! ;D
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Post by starfire on Jan 21, 2006 21:35:15 GMT -5
I loved these ideas! ;D
It gave me some ideas to do this year!
Thanks!
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Post by auntieemu on Jan 21, 2006 21:41:16 GMT -5
Something that seems to fascinate city or suburban friends and family is if you give them some homeharvested mistletoe. I don't know if it grows as much in TN and the other southern states but in KY I had it up in my trees. It is parasitic so I tried to control it by harvesting. Oh, You had to shoot it out of the tree tops to harvest-which was 1/2 the fun! ;D Yes, so many people have never even see the "real thing" before - that would be a fun one to add. I have not seen any here on the farm in ages though - many years ago my BIL (now ex) dropped by and harvested all that he could find to sell to a local florist. I don't know if we have even a sprig left or not! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2006 22:12:49 GMT -5
Oh, You had to shoot it out of the tree tops to harvest-which was 1/2 the fun! ;D Really? Seriously?I think I'd be the one left behind in the woods after dark, still shooting at trees. --- Another idea for a basket is to get a firewood carrier and put wax-dipped pinecones and other kindling, long matches, a cast iron sandwich/pie maker (a cheap yard sale find, cleaned up and called "antique"), colored sparkle "dust" (a kid favourite), citrus rinds (to smell good in the fire), hot cocoa mix, etc. --- I love love love making baskets! When I was in high school, I worked in an upscale market and part of my job was to make gift baskets. Sometimes a person would call in and want, say, a coffee-themed basket. I would go around the store and make selections, then assemble the basket. Other times, I would take a shopping basket around the store with the customer and together we would pick out what to buy. Usually, those were little old ladies with lots of money and lots of time but whose husbands had passed away, etc. so they were really happy as we chatted and shopped. /VM |
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Post by Kathy on Jan 27, 2006 22:22:24 GMT -5
Oh, You had to shoot it out of the tree tops to harvest-which was 1/2 the fun! ;D Really? Seriously?I think I'd be the one left behind in the woods after dark, still shooting at trees. /VM Yup, that's how you get it out of the tall trees. My forest was so dense that the younger trees grew really tall but many weren't very large around-more like really fat saplings but 60' tall-all trying for a bit of sunlight.  That's where all the best mistletoe grew so we'd take guns and shoot it out. Any reason to shoot the gun that didn't include killing something.  I'm a softy on the killing side of homesteading.  Your ideas are great, I like the hearth basket idea. I've got tons of large pinecones here at the apt. When you dipped them did you add any scent to the wax? |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2006 16:58:32 GMT -5
I cheated...I was using up leftover candle bits so they were scented from the candle. /VM |
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Post by auntieemu on Jan 28, 2006 17:53:15 GMT -5
What a good idea via!
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Post by Kathy on Jan 28, 2006 18:27:36 GMT -5
I always have little bits of scented candles that I hate to just toss. Now I have a new thing to try!!
Plenty of pinecones and candle bits-it doesn't get any better than free! ;D
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Post by niki on Dec 9, 2006 6:45:41 GMT -5
Great ideas! Now if only I could think of a basket to create for my son. He's 23, living back at home and the only interest he seems to have is creating computer games. The only thing he wants for Christmas (and is not getting) is an Xbox 360. Would welcome any ideas!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2006 7:06:55 GMT -5
Well if he's an avid gamer, you should look into Game Fly, it's like Netflix for Video Games. I would make up a basket with a geeky/gamer T-shirt as the liner, put in some energy drinks, candy, unscented lotion (for sore thumbs), a Gift Card for a video game store (or blockbuster for a rental), a Video Game magazine (Wal-Mart has them), accessories for his existing game (Tell me what he has and I can help, Hubby's a game freak) There are lots of cool things for these types.
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Post by niki on Dec 9, 2006 7:22:54 GMT -5
OOOOOOOOoooh! Thanks MM! I will have to do a sneaky when he goes to work to see what games he has - or ask his sister LOL I think most of the games he plays are downloaded off the net. Love your ideas!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2006 4:41:05 GMT -5
Here are some websites with t-shirts and other little things for the Gamer, if you're pressed for time maybe a gift-card will work? www.jinx.comwww.thinkgeek.com <--- This one I LOVE but hubby's both a gamer and a computer geek (we're 24 and 29 BTW). If you go there, check out 'The Ex' it's a plastic human shaped knife holder (hilarious), marshmallow shooters (for cubicle wars) and the retro blue tooth (it looks like an old phone that you can talk on your cell phone with). After all, there are only 10 types of people in this world; those who understand binary and those who don't.  |
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Post by niki on Dec 13, 2006 18:42:11 GMT -5
Thanks MM! I'll be sure to check out those links...great ideas...too funny!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2006 8:26:21 GMT -5
I made six gift baskets with kitchen/food items. The baskets were from Goodwill as were the linen napkins. I scrubbed the baskets good with soap and water, then rinsed well and let them air dry. I lined each with a linen napkin, put in a pair of pot holders I'd made from recycled jeans, a jar of peanut butter, small box of crackers, block of cheese, package of nuts and two bags of assorted chocolate candies. I gave these gift baskets to single people who live here in our mobile home park. I wrapped them in celophane paper that I bought on sale after Easter and put them on their porches/steps this morning just before daylight.
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