| Gift baskets are always popular and a great | | | | you can do it. Use a large or huge bow. |
| idea to give as a gift. People love to | | | | |
| receive gift baskets. Making your own baby | | | | Assemble all your gift basket items, tools, |
| gift basket is cheap and easy. You can fill | | | | etc. Now line your selected gift container. |
| them with a variety of inexpensive items and | | | | Now stuff the selected filler into the gift |
| you have lots of choices. | | | | basket to give added height to your items. |
| | | | |
| You can easily customize each basket to your | | | | Place, layer and arrange your selected items |
| recipient. In this case the gift basket will | | | | on the filler in the gift container. Put the |
| be going to the new mom but will contain baby | | | | larger items in the back, the smaller items |
| items. | | | | in front. |
| | | | |
| I've put together a few great ideas for | | | | Fill in the holes or prop up with more filler |
| making newborn baby, baby or older baby gift | | | | (shredded paper, Easter basket grass, wrapped |
| baskets, complete with instructions on how to | | | | chocolates, napkins or holiday napkins etc.) |
| make them. You can make inexpensive gift | | | | |
| baskets or expensive gift baskets depending | | | | Also you can use 'picks' of artificial |
| on your budget. | | | | flowers to fill in space. Place your |
| | | | cellophane or other wrap under the gift |
| You can find many inexpensive items for use | | | | basket. Center the gift basket on the wrap. |
| in making your gift baskets or filling your | | | | Bring the cellophane or other wrap over the |
| gift baskets, at 'dollar' stores, craft | | | | top of the gift basket and tie it with ribbon |
| stores, party stores, discount outlets, flea | | | | and or a beautiful bow! |
| markets, close-out stores, etc. | | | | |
| | | | Use ribbon and bows to match your theme |
| For gift containers you can use: any type of | | | | colors. |
| basket, wicker basket, straw basket, bucket, | | | | |
| laundry basket, plastic container, toy dump | | | | Tuck a card in the ribbon and that's it! |
| truck or other large toy truck, tin, seasonal | | | | |
| container, large upside-down hat, or plastic | | | | You can find fabric or wired ribbon cheaply |
| storage container-put lid underneath. | | | | at Costco-- especially in the fall prior to |
| | | | Christmas but often throughout the year in |
| For gift basket liner you can use: tissue | | | | some stores. You can shred paper in a paper |
| paper, shredded paper, shredded newspaper, | | | | shredder. |
| tea towels, dish towels, hand towels, kitchen | | | | |
| towels, colored towels, colored napkins, | | | | If you're going to need a lot of cellophane |
| placemats, diapers, baby blankets or fabric | | | | you can purchase it wholesale through the |
| pieces. | | | | packaging specialty stores throughout the |
| | | | U.S. but should be easily found in craft |
| For gift basket filler you can use: shredded | | | | stores. |
| colored paper, straw, Easter basket grass, | | | | |
| crumpled newspaper comics, a bed of wrapped | | | | General tips: Try to use non-perishable items |
| chocolates or other wrapped candy. | | | | except for fruit for fruit baskets. Use |
| | | | freshly packaged food items, because even |
| For items in the container it'll depend on | | | | packaged crackers and cookies can go stale in |
| the specialty or theme of the gift basket-- | | | | a couple of months. You can find filler |
| here is a small random sampling to give you a | | | | flower 'picks' at garage sales for pennies. |
| few good ideas:a small book, inspirational | | | | |
| book, baby bath and body products, stuffed | | | | If you buy wholesale they are usually around |
| animals, toys, receiving blanket, baby | | | | a dollar each. Try not to mix chocolate or |
| rattles, baby powder, baby shampoo, baby bath | | | | other food fragrant items with non-food |
| wash, hooded towels, baby-shower type | | | | fragrant items in the same basket. |
| items, age-appropriate clothes, or a baby | | | | |
| birthday poem that you write or find. | | | | Also there's nothing like learning how to |
| | | | make gift baskets from a video or DVD for |
| For gift basket wrapping you can use tulle | | | | making cheap and easy gift baskets. You can |
| netting or I like to use cellophane wrap. | | | | view it over and over again and share with |
| You can buy it in large rolls. Look for | | | | your children, other family members and |
| specialty packaging outlets where you can buy | | | | friends. |
| it wholesale. Tie off the wrapped basket with | | | | |
| ribbon. Wired fabric ribbon is best if you | | | | You can even charge for classes with your |
| have it. | | | | new-found knowledge and/or start a home based |
| | | | business if you so desire. In any event, |
| For bows: You can use pre-packaged bows but | | | | making a gift basket for a newborn baby or |
| making your own bows is easy and the best if | | | | baby is cheap and easy. |