How to Make a Gift Basket Like a Pro!

Written by Kristine Mulholland


Gift Baskets make great gifts for every occasion; they are fun to give and fun to receive! Have you ever wondered how to make a beautiful, professional looking Gift Basket? Well, you are about to learn how!

Since you have probably already decided who you are givingrepparttar gift basket to, and for what occasion, thenrepparttar 116224 first step is to write down a list of your recipient’s interests. By making a list like this, you can decide what kind of theme your gift basket will have, and what kind of gift items you will include. Does your recipient like cooking, gardening, reading, golfing, fishing? Isrepparttar 116225 gift basket intended for a specific occasion such asrepparttar 116226 birth of a new baby, or a particular holiday? The answer to these questions is where you will begin to make your own gift basket.

Pick a container. You can use a traditional basket as your container, or you may want to use something entirely different. If you are making a gardening gift basket, why not choose a clay pot, or if you are making a fishing gift basket, you could use a tackle box asrepparttar 116227 container. You could use a colander for a cooking “gift basket”, or an Italian theme basket. You could use a child’s small wagon, or a large toy truck as a container for a child’s gift basket. The possibilities are endless! Just let your imagination run wild.

Now, refer back torepparttar 116228 list of themed gift items you made earlier. You will use these items to build your basket. Adding pre-packaged food items into your basket is always a good idea! People love treats! You can also use, wine, champagne, nuts, non-perishable cheese spreads, crackers, popcorn, candy, or whatever special items your recipient likes to snack on. If you are making a basket for a new baby, you could use baby powder, baby shampoo, baby bath wash, hooded towels, bottles, rattles, receiving blankets andrepparttar 116229 like. Pre-packaged food mixes, such as pancake mixes, brownie mixes, cookie mixes and so forth make great items for housewarming baskets. Maybe you could use a skillet as your container, and add some wooden spoons, potholders etc. Let your creativity flow!

Now it is time to begin to assemble your gift basket. Here is a list of items you will need, they are all available at your local craft store:

1. A Container (basket or something else)

2. Foam blocks, newspaper, bamboo skewers, clear tape, scissors, wire cutters, GlueDots (optional)

3. Your gift items

4. Silk flowers, eucalyptus stems, or other items to “enhance”repparttar 116230 basket.

5. Cellophane wrap, wired ribbon (forrepparttar 116231 bow), and shred or curling ribbon to matchrepparttar 116232 general color scheme of your gift.

You need a base inrepparttar 116233 container to stabilize and place your items. You can use floral foam blocks (available at any craft store), or you can use craft paper, or newspaper. If you are using foam blocks, cutrepparttar 116234 block to fit inside your container, you might have to cutrepparttar 116235 blocks in several pieces and them connect them together with bamboo skewers. Be sure to leave a little space betweenrepparttar 116236 interior edges ofrepparttar 116237 basket, andrepparttar 116238 foam. Place some wadded up newspaper inrepparttar 116239 bottom of your container to setrepparttar 116240 foam blocks on top of. You might want to wraprepparttar 116241 foam in tissue paper first, although this is not necessary, but it will keeprepparttar 116242 green foam off ofrepparttar 116243 gift items.

The Beauty and Elegance of Cross-Stitch Portraits

Written by Caryl B. Grecia


Wall hangings are what make most homes decorative and attractive. And most ofrepparttar time,repparttar 116223 wall hangings we see arerepparttar 116224 portraits ofrepparttar 116225 most memorable moments of our lives.

Family pictures, graduation pictures and baby's first birthday pictures hang onrepparttar 116226 most prominent wall ofrepparttar 116227 home to remind us ofrepparttar 116228 momentous events of our lives. Other times,repparttar 116229 cutest pet, my "bestest" friend, andrepparttar 116230 prettiest dream house occupyrepparttar 116231 bare wall inrepparttar 116232 bedroom. There are also times, as a tribute torepparttar 116233 favorite painter, his oil painting occupyrepparttar 116234 biggest space onrepparttar 116235 wall. The latest favorite celebrity idol has a place onrepparttar 116236 wall too, somewhere inrepparttar 116237 house. No matter what hangs on it,repparttar 116238 wall looks good for visitors to see.

The most common types of wall hangings nowadays are photography and oil paintings. There are times when charcoal or watercolor paintings replace oil. There are also embroidery and cross-stitch wall hangings. The motifs of most cross-stitch wall decorations are of flowers, birds, animals and houses. It is very rare that a photo is presented in a cross-stitch. But, it is just possible.

Did you know that inrepparttar 116239 history of cross-stitch, pictures of Benjamin Franklin and George Bush were featured in almost all covers, cushions and other accessories in cross-stitch? It was atrepparttar 116240 height of cross-stitch portraitures trend that their stitched pictures became so in-demand. Cross-stitch is actually not a new craft. In fact, in history, this art is one outstanding needlecraft used by prominent people. Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth 1 were just two ofrepparttar 116241 brilliant needlewomen in history. Catherine of Aragon, wife of king Henry VII popularized a stitch called Holbein stitch orrepparttar 116242 double-running stitch. Even Elizabeth of York was intorepparttar 116243 fad when she bought a "lynnyn" cloth, one ofrepparttar 116244 primary materials ofrepparttar 116245 needlecraft.

It is said in history thatrepparttar 116246 needlecraft was most used byrepparttar 116247 religious andrepparttar 116248 royals. Needlecraft, then, was a symbol of social status. The churches' accessories andrepparttar 116249 ecclesiastical clothing ofrepparttar 116250 pious were adorned with beautiful embroidery. The homes ofrepparttar 116251 royals andrepparttar 116252 elites were filled with embroidered covers for everything from cushions to coverlets, handkerchiefs and runners.

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