Personalized Gift Baskets

Create Personalized Gift Baskets For Valentine’s Day

Personalized gift baskets are a great idea for the special men in your life? Maybe you’d like to show your husband, boyfriend or father how special they are with a homemade gift basket. Here are some ideas just in time for Valentine’s Day. :)

Start with a wicker basket. You can find gift basket supplies at most craft stores and you may even have luck finding a like-new basket at a thrift shop for very little money.

Spray paint the basket red for an extra touch. Check your paint supply before you purchase a new can because you won’t need much.

Use some material, a cloth napkin or a handkerchief to line the bottom. Try to have one large enough to hang over the sides. If you’re using a solid color, try white - it will look nice with the red. You can also try to use a pattern with hearts on it. Don’t use anything to feminine though, remember it’s for a man.

Now for the fillings! You’ll want something romantic, but also items that are personal for their likes and hobbies. If they enjoy movies, buy a romantic comedy on DVD. If they like reading, buy a book of love poems. Do they work on a computer? Purchase a specially made screen saver with your picture on it, surrounded by hearts. You can get it downloaded to a CD that you can add to the basket. Think of what they like to do and how you can turn it into something romantic. A little imagination goes a long way!! :)

Next, go to your favorite bakery and pick up some Valentine Day cookies. Try to get a nice assortment. For the final empty spots, you can use candy. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding Valentine candy in single servings that you can tuck in where ever it needs to be filled. You can also pick up little Valentine trinkets like a keychain or a mug to include in the basket.

Also - this basket can be easily adjusted for a woman.

Happy Valentine’s Day!! :)

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Personalized Gift Baskets For Christmas

If you want your Christmas gifts to have a personal touch and still be cost effective this year, create  personalized gift baskets for the special people on your list. With a little thought, some time and creatitivy you can put together a gift that everyone will be happy to recieve.

Start with a wicker basket. There are many shapes and sizes to you to choose from. Spray paint them green, red, silver or gold. See if you have any of these colors on hand before you buy them Use what you have first.

Find a complimentary color cloth napkin to line the bottom.  For a red basket, silver is nice and visa versa. I like the green and gold combination also. Try to find a large one so the corners hang over the edge of the basket.

Start filling it with Christmas items. Christmas ornaments are a great item to use in a gift basket like this. Look for Christmas mugs, pencils, pot holders, dish towels, trinkets, pins and other assorted items to give your basket a festive look. These items don’t have to be expensive.

Nest, think about the person you’re giving the gift basket to. What do they enjoy doing? What are their hobbies? Do they have a favorite movie, place or sport? Use what you know to fill the rest of the basket with items just for them.

If they enjoy camping, add in a new flashlight and some warm socks.
If they like cars, pick up the latest issue of a car magazine and a new key ring.
A bird watcher may like a pair of binoculars and a field guide.
An ice cream lover may appreciate an ice cream scoop and some new ice cream bowls.
If they play the lottery add some lottery tickets, a few interesting looking pencils and some special coins to use for scratching the tickets.

Last, fill in the empty spots with some Christmas candy. Tuck in a few candy canes and some chocolate here and there. Some Christmas cookies would also be a welcomed treat.

Happy Holidays! :)

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Personalized Gift Baskets: Snacks

Who wouldn’t love a personalized gift basket full of yummy snacks and delicious treats? :) Making one is simple and cost effective yet it will be an appreciated and welcomed gift. This would be perfect for a student leaving for college, a graduation, new neighbor or a thank you gift. Here’s some ideas to get you started.

Start with a wicker basket and spray paint a really fun color like metallic blue or hot pink. Line it with a funky looking cloth napkin. This will add to the festive look you’re going for. Now you’re all set to fill it with goodies!

Think about getting a little bit of different kinds of treats like candy, some cookies and something salty. You’ll also want to go for a variety of tastes and textures like crunchy, sweet, hard, chewy, etc. This will give the gift a nice blend of different snacks to munch on. Choose items from the list below and also include snacks that you know the recipient likes.

Bags of microwave popcorn
Individual bags of pretzels
Individual bags of potato chips
bubble gum
chocolate candy
hard, flavored candy
soft and chewy cookies
crunchy cookies
fruit

If the recipient likes to cook or bake their own treats, add some new kitchen gadgets into the basket.

You can also make some homemade treats to include. Try one of these simple recipes.

Homemade chocolate covered snacks:

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
An assortment of cookies, miniature pretzels and strawberries
Cover a tray with wax paper.
Place the chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for one minute and stir.
Dip 2/3 of each snack into the chocolate mixture.
Place on a dish and refrigerate, uncovered until the chocolate is firm.
Store in airtight container in cool, dry place.
Makes about 1/2 cup coating.

Microwave Fudge

1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place ingredients (except nuts) in bowl; do not mix. Microwave on high power for two minutes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold in the nuts. Pour mixture into buttered 8×8 dish. Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes until set.

Peanut Butterscotch Crispies

12 oz. butterscotch morsels
3 cups corn flakes
1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt the butterscotch morsels and peanut butter together, stirring until smooth. Add the corn flakes and mix well. Drop by tablespoon onto waxed paper.

All of these homemade treats can be put into small plastic baggies, wrapped with a ribbon and added to the basket. Make a few extra for yourself! :)

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