VIDEO: How to make a professional looking gift basket

Making a professional-looking gift basket is fun, easy and can make the most inexpensive items look expensive.

You can find the shrink wrap gift basket bags as shown in the video at Dollar Tree. The packs come with a pull bow, but if you want to make a really professional looking presentation, use a decorative ribbon (also available at Dollar Tree, JoAnn Fabric & Crafts, Michaels or any big box store) and something like the poinsettia you'll see in the video. It can be a sprig of flowers, an ornament, a toy for a child's basket or baby shower or, if you're handy making bows from wired ribbon, you can use that. To make the best impression, find something more interesting than the standard pull bow you will find with the shrink wrap bag.

It's generally easier to work with a basket that doesn't have a handle. Taller items should go in the back and smaller items in the front.

If necessary, use basket shreds, Spanish moss, or tissue paper to fill in the empty spaces. If you need to raise the height of your items, fill the bottom of the basket with a heavyweight paper. Tissue paper is too soft. So use parchment paper or newspaper on the bottom and cover that with shreds.

A pretty basket, a few supplies and a few minutes is all it takes to make an ordinary gift look extraordinary.

Thanks to Over the Top, Inc. for use of their lovely cranberry crushed silk tablecloth.

Photo - Flickr.com/Basket of Candles


How to Make Christmas Gift Baskets -- powered by eHow.com