Homemade Gift Baskets

April 30, 2007

Homemade Gift Basket
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    A basket of themed gifts is a thoughtful way to let friends and family know how excited you are about their big day. During spring, great homemade gift baskets can be assembled for: Friends, Graduates, or Brides-To-Be.

For A Friend
Friends love helping friends. Imagine your friend’s delight when you surprise her with a customized homemade gift basket for her birthday, promotion, or big day at work. Some things to think about:

  • It seems everyone, from homeowners to city dwellers, wants a green thumb these days. Assemble a starter gardening kit with soil, seeds of her favorite flower, a book about beginning gardening, and gardening gloves. Place everything inside a painted planter from which she can grow her flowers and herbs.
  • Does your friend surround herself with inspiring people? Consider gathering a collection of handmade crafts made by personal or mutual friends. Maybe a cool pair of earrings from a co-worker’s side business, a landscape photograph taken by a neighbor, or a scarf knitted by your last intern. Place everything inside a simple glass container, such as a vase or fish bowl, so as to not detract from the beauty of each gift. Top with tissue paper or an interesting bow.
  • Tweak the above idea and consider giving a gift basket comprised of gifts made by you. This spring, give her a pastel-fabric journal, a beaded friendship bracelet or decoupaged placemats.
For Graduates
If you’re creating a homemade gift basket for the college bound, assemble an assortment of fun, memories, and function. Think about gifts like:

  • Things that will certainly be used once they set foot on campus. Pre-paid gift cards from online music stores, the college bookstore, or their favorite fast food restaurant are sure to be used.
  • Touches from home. Is there a favorite food, newsletter, or online service that could help with keeping in touch? Maybe a subscription to a photo posting site, for example?
  • Older, more functional items. In these uber-fast, technology-heavy days, heirloom-like gifts will add a nice feeling of surprise and timelessness. Give a dictionary, an engraved pocket watch, a brooch, a letter-opener or something with a feeling not of this time.
Finally, wrap your gifts in a functional “basket.” A backpack, slouchy purse, or laptop case are items to consider for the future grad. Top with a fabric bow or overflow the open zipper side with colorful tissue paper.

For The Bride
Buying from the registry is usually the way to go. But if you’re feeling like a renegade gift giver, a homemade gift basket could be a creative alternative. What about some of these ideas?

  • Assemble a sewing basket complete with straight pins, thread, thimbles, and scissors. Add the bride’s favorite yarn, fabrics, or craft supplies, too. Then customize the sewing basket on the outside with little touches that speak to the bride’s unique personality.ubr body cl img ar105
  • Another idea is to provide a collection of cleaning supplies. While it sounds boring, recent research has shown that household chores are a cause of newlywed distress. Give the bride a starter kit of great cleaning supplies, wrapped inside a convenient carry caddy. This way, she (or he) can carry all of their supplies with them from room to room as they complete their chores.
  • Couples everywhere are cooking together, so consider giving a great food resource: a subscription to a newspaper’s weekly food section. Food sections from Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco (not to mention Portland, Baltimore, Akron, and Reno) have recently been recognized as some of the best in the nation. Add the Sunday section from another favorite newspaper, along with a subscription to the couple’s favorite niche magazine. Place all of the subscription cards in a beautiful flower arrangement, or design your own flower bouquet from old newspapers and magazine pages for an extra touch.
As always with Home Made Simple, these thoughts are meant for inspiration; simply adjust our ideas to make them your own. Enjoy!

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