Unique Diy Gift Baskets
Copyright � 2009 Cherie Kuranko "InkSpot" All Rights Reserved.
�CoUUUUnique gift baskets can be created for individuals, couples or entire families. Design your basket around a theme that interests the people the gift is intended for. This is the most important step and a lot of thought and observation should be put into this before starting a gift basket.� Here are a few ideas and links to the do-it-yourself (diy) projects to help get your�idea juices flowing.
Campers Gift Basket Items:
Fire Starters:
DIY Recycled Candle Fire Starters Smore Goodies:� Marshmallows, Chocolate, Chocolate Graham Crackers
Packets of Hot Cocoa and Hot Apple Cider
Homemade Roasting Sticks:�
Learn How to Whittle a Roasting Stick Fish Scaler:�
Learn How to Build Fish Scaler Hemp Twine�& Sprigs of Holly, Fir Boughs or other decorative greenery
Fishing Style Basket
Make & arrange all items neatly in the fishing basket, providing enough smore goodies and beverage packets for the amount of people in the family you are giving the Campers Gift Basket to. They can use the fire starters to get the fire started easily, homemade roasting sticks to brown up some marshmallows and just in case they catch a fish to fry over the campfire they will need the fish scaler.�
Use hemp twine to tie the roasting sticks together in a bundle, then tie in a sprig or two of holly or fir bough to add a woodsy, outdoor feel to the basket.
� DIY Fish Scaler Photo
Copyright � 2009 Cherie Kuranko "InkSpot" All Rights Reserved.
Homemade Jam/Jelly Basket Items:
1/2 Pint or Pint Sized Jars of Homemade Jams and Jellies
Bagels
English Muffins
Scone Baking Mix or Fresh Scones You Bake Yourself
Fabric in a Print that Matches the Gift Theme; (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthday, etc.)
Old Silver Spoon or�Baby Spoon�from Thrift Shop
Hemp Twine or Raffia & Sprigs of Holly, Fir Boughs or other greenery
Homemade Jam Tags (Paper and Colored Pens)
Flat Bottomed Gift Basket with large handle (Heavy duty basket to hold weight of jam)
Remove a ring from the top of jam jar to use as a pattern for size.� Using pinking shears, cut out fabric circles that are about 2" larger in diameter than the ring. Then simply place the fabric, print side up, evenly on the top of the jam jar and replace the ring snugly. Next tie a piece of hemp twine or raffia around the top of jar.
Create homemade jam tags for each variety of jam you have in the basket. You should use a mixture of at least six different varieties. You can use any paper you like for the tags and neatly print the name using colored pens, adding cute dots to the letters or any form of writing that looks unique. Punch a hole in the tag and tie your jam tags onto the twine or raffia of each jar.
Clean the silver spoon you bought at the thrift store really good. Then bend the handle of the spoon so it serves as a small dipper-type jam spoon. It will kind of resemble a ladle when you are done. You may also use a baby spoon, which quite often are already bent in this curvy fashion. The baby spoons work better with the 1/2 pint jars and the larger spoons work better for the pint-sized jars.
Tie it with a few sprigs of holly or other greens to the handle of the basket. Arrange everything neatly in the basket and if you like you may also add herbal teas as a beverage to go along with their homemade jam smothered muffins.
Here are three great jam recipes to get you started:�
���� Crab Apple Butter���
���� Pumpkin-Orange Jam����
���� Plum Butter�Jam
Healthy Snacks Breakfast Basket Items:
Homemade Granola BarsHomemade Cereal Trail Mix���
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds���
Instant Oatmeal & Dried Fruit Chunk Packages���
Herbal Teas
Oranges
Quart or Snack Sized Zip Lock Bags
Small Plastic Beverage Containers
Basket of any Size & Type (A large basket that will hold enough goodies for everyone in the family)
This basket is perfect for the early bird who rushes out the door without eating breakfast. It gives them a quick, healthy alternative and encourages them to get a little energy booster in their body before leaving the house.
Prepare your dry ingredients (see Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Homemade Cereal Trail Mix recipes above)�and then pack them into individual size zip lock bags. For one person the "snack bag" size might be a more appropriate option.
Open a box of bulk granola bars in different varieties.�Add these individually to the basket or toss one in with each bag of seeds or trail mix.
Fresh squeeze your oranges into orange juice and pour into the plastic beverage containers. Be sure to use containers that won't leak. Keep juice refrigerated until you are ready to give gift away. It?s best to make orange juice the day before or day of gift giving for maximum freshness.
Using the linked recipe for Instant Oatmeal & Homemade Dried Fruit, prepare the packages and put ingredients into zip lock bags.
You can decorate your bags with markers or large stickers that you can draw on and write down the name of each item. Decorate your basket with sprigs of holly or other greenery.�Tree moss can be collected, dried and shaken to get rid of any dirt and then placed in the bottom of the basket as well. It gives it a nice woodsy appearance.
Add some herbal teas to the basket and arrange all the other healthy breakfast snacks. Your unique gift basket is complete.
Take Me Out to the Movies Basket Items:
Popcorn
Boxes of Candy
Red or Black Licorice
Buy�DVD or Movie Tickets (Be sure gift receiver has a DVD, otherwise stick to the tickets)
This basket is�a DIY basket for those who aren't so crafty or just don't have the time to put into all the details. However, it is still a unique idea and super quick to put several together in a snap. You can buy your items in bulk and then put several baskets together very cheaply.
Find inexpensive popcorn bowls. You can often find bowls that say popcorn on them or you can go to the dollar store and find large, round brightly colored bowls for around a buck. You will need one for each basket you intend to give.
Buy a bulk box of the microwave popcorn, getting enough to have about 4 individual packages per bowl. Purchase the big boxes of candy like you can buy at movie theatres. These can be found at lots of stores and are inexpensive to buy. Add a pack of red or black licorice to each bowl for everyone to share.
Next, purchase a DVD/VCR or Movie Tickets. You can buy a DVD to fit a certain theme; romance, traditional Christmas or whatever you think the gift receivers will enjoy. Keep movie ratings�appropriate if young children will be viewing the movie. If the person does not have a DVD or VCR,�then you should opt for purchasing a gift certificate that will pay for�each person in their family.�They can either use the food items at the movies or for a television movie night at home later.
Arrange all items in the bowl and use colored plastic wrap or wrapping paper to wrap it up and keep it from accidentally spilling out. Use a wide ribbon to tie the top closed or hemp twine with sprigs of holly, boughs or other greenery. If you like, add a homemade card with movie theatre related drawings and such on it to personalize each basket.
Add some popcorn balls using
Grandma's Popcorn Ball Recipe.Green Cleaning Products for the Home Basket
Couple toothbrushes (New or gently recycled toothbrushes)
Sponges or Scrubbies
Containers & Ingredients to make
Green Household Cleaning Products
This is a great idea for anyone on your list who strives to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Also good as a baby basket so the home is cleaned with healthy cleaning products good for baby. Click here to see a�list of recipes for DIY green cleaning products.
Copyright � 2009 Cherie Kuranko "InkSpot" All Rights Reserved.
Find More
Tooth Brush Articles
