'Tis Better To Gift (Basket)

A few years ago, I started a gift basket business. I only did it for a few months before circumstances caused me to stop but I really enjoyed it. And even in that short period I ended up breaking even, so I considered the business a success, despite it being so short-lived.

So when it came to collecting donations for a silent auction for the Wildlife Center's upcoming fundraiser, Jewels in Flight, I offered to make a few baskets. And that's what I've spent the evening doing.

I still had lots of the supplies left over from my business, like the baskets, stuffing, cellophane, bows, etc, so I didn't have to buy much of that.

For the actual contents, I started by asking my friend Liz, who has her own business, Utter's Delights Gourmet Preserves, if she would donate one jar of each flavour for the cause. She agreed, which was very generous of her, considering she had already made a gorgeous wildlife-themed quilt for the auction!

Since Liz makes two general category of preserves—fruit jams and pepper jellies—I decided to create two theme baskets. One is Sweet, Light, and Smooth and the other is Rich, Dark, and Spicy. I put the Fresno Pepper Jelly, Raspberry Habanero Jam, and Habanero Pepper Jelly in the latter, along with some other rich-flavoured treats like strong coffee, super dark chocolate, and cinnamon flat bread. Then I put the Seedless Blackberry Jam, Apricot Jam, and Tart Cherry Jam together with lighter versions of each item in the first basket, e.g. mild coffee, white chocolate, cheese-flavoured flat bread, etc. (I took the seventh jar“apricot habanero sauce”and made a separate basket with a few other items I had picked up.)

Then I got a cup and saucer for each basket from Ikea (hence my adventure this weekend). One black set, one white. But my best find was two sets of cheese spreaders with wildlife themes. One of them had “wilder” wildlife, like a wolf and a bear, so I put those with the darker themed basket. The other one had woodland creatures, like a raccoon and a squirrel. So they went great with the milder basket. Woo-hoo!

I put everything together tonight and wrapped them up. And even though it took me about four times as long as it took me to do them when I had the business, they turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself!

Blog of the Day

One of the greatest gifts we all have the ability to give is signing our organ donation cards. One person who truly appreciates the value of this gift is Dawn Weinberger, whose husband needed—and received—a liver transplant last year. Her blog, Carl's Liver Transplant, chronicles their “journey of faith, hope and healing.”

Comments

[Anne]

Those baskets are gorgeous!! What great themes. I'm sure they'll bring in a lot of money for the Wildlife Centre.

P.S. The Fresno Pepper jelly is awesome!!

[philippines gift]

I really love gifts baskets. Hopefully on Christmas day someone will give a a gift like that. :D

Jason Zenteno

[philippines gift]

This is great perfect gift basket,thank you for the ideas.

vee