Crafty Gift Baskets

I personally like making gift baskets more than I like receiving them. I love coming up with new ways to make them. Get in the habit of collecting cool baskets when you see them on sale. Don't forget to look at dollar stores and thrift stores. I've seen many brand new baskets in thrift stores with the original tags still on them. I found five great baskets in new condition at a yard sale two houses away last summer. Or you can make you own baskets.

Once you have your basket put in a liner of fabric, tissue paper or cellophane or hand stamped butcher paper. That will fill in the gaps and make an opulent look to your basket. Then nestle your items into a square or circle of tissue paper or cellophane and then into the basket.

Or if you want to make the filler part of the gift, use dishtowels or doilies or bandanas instead.

Here are 10 Gift Baskets to spark your imagination:

1. Magician's Gift Basket: For all you budding magicians. Today I saw Harry Houdini's handprints at the Grauman's Chinese Theater and I also saw the Magic Castle on the hill behind Grauman's. So I have magic on my mind.

For that new magician, how about a basket with the book Magic for Dummies, a new deck of cards (try the all pink cards by Bicycle Playing cards), some silks, a box of sponge balls, a ring, some soft rope, a few coins and a how-to video.

2. Sabbat Basket: Every pagan holiday has a theme. For Yule for example, you can make a basket with kindling to start the Yule log ablaze, long matches, holly and ivy to represent luck and fertility, and a sunstone to aid the return of the sun.

3. Getting Out of Jail Basket: A get out of jail free card, a CD with Free Bird on it, the Guiness Book or World Records (so they can bone up on current events), a Martha Stewart style poncho, and a copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

4. Divorce Basket: A dart (I still miss you but my aim is getting better), sexy bra and panties (so your ex can see what they are missing), a little black book, a coupon for a manicure and pedicure, and a T-shirt that says 'free at last'.

5. Chemo Recovery Basket: Two warm hats; one knitted, one crocheted, a great silk scarf or necktie, a fleece lap quilt, a damn-it doll, and a great pair of bedroom slippers with their favorite animal or cartoon character on them.

6. Bachelorette Gift Basket: A hand-knitted condom purse, a pair of sexy nylons or fishnets, a vibrator shaped like a tube of lipstick, garters, some scented lubricant, a tin of Altoids and a feather tickler.

7. Domestic Goddess Basket: A retro style apron (think Betty Crocker or Lucille Ball), a big wooden spoon and crockery mixing bowl, a colorful feather duster, some old fashioned hair curlers, a box of bonbons, and a vintage copy of Lady's Home Journal or Good Housekeeping.

8. Green Thumb Basket: A watering can, seed packets, bulbs, a gardening magazine, a seed catalog, pruning sheers, and a sunhat.

8b. Kid's Garden Basket: A few seed packets (try Mammoth sunflower seeds, radishes, zinnias, squash or pole beans), a hand trowel and garden fork (perfect for small hands), a sun hat, gardening gloves, and some tomato seedlings.

9. Crafters basket: Pick an art or a craft and make a gift basket to go with it. It could be a knitter's basket with needles, yarn, a how-to video and scissors, or it could be a painter's basket with oil or acrylic paints or watercolors, small canvas boards, brushes, a palette, and a sketchbook. How about a calligrapher's basket, a rubber stampers basket or a scrapbookers basket?

10. Birdwatchers Basket: A birdhouse and the correct seeds for the birds in your area (ask at the local bird store), a bird identification book, binoculars, a sketchbook and pens/pencils to record spottings, and a hummingbird feeder.

1. Envelopes and postage stamps

2. Nail clippers and emery boards

3. Little plush animals

4. Socks, panties, and other clothing that rolls up well.

5. Toothbrushes, make-up, mousse, hair spray, perfume, lipstick

6. Postcards

7. Cellophane or tissue paper

8. Dried flowers/botanicals

9. Rubber stamps and inkpads

10. Embossing powder

11. Heat gun or glue gun and glue sticks

12. Small decorative boxes

13. Eyeglass cases

14. Hand mirrors/compacts

15. Juggling balls

16. Books

17. Diaries/Journals

18. Designer pencils

19 Collapsible hats

20. Stockings and garters

21. Office supplies

22. Stickers

23. Poetry booklets or individual poems rolled as scrolls.

Find out your friend's or relative's hobbies and a whole new idea list opens up:

Aquarium Buff's Basket, Archery Basket, Golf Basket, Make-up Artist's Basket, Goth Basket,

Jewelry Makers Basket, Gourmet Chef's Basket, Faux Food Basket, Jokester's Basket.

Have fun and see what you can come up with.