Turn Your Creativity into a Fulfilling Career
Do you have an eye for complementary colors and patterns? Are you known for your creative ideas or your unique way of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary? Your artistic eye and resourcefulness may be the perfect foundation for a very lucrative career in gift baskets! A booming market, gift baskets are the most convenient yet thoughtful way for busy corporations to thank clients, for on-the-go families to send holiday wishes, or for real estate agents welcoming new homeowners -the occasions are endless. This hands-on guide takes you step by step into the trendy world of specialty gifts and shows you how to establish and launch your own full- and part-time gift basket business right from your home. Plus, Entrepreneur has scoured the field to interview experts who provide from-the-trenches examples, advice and tips to help you avoid common mistakes and get on your way to success! (more…)

Send best wishes with this decadent gourmet sweets gift basket. Offers a wonderful assortment of premium gourmet chocolates, candies and cookies including premium Lindt and Ghirardelli chocolates, Belgian truffles, kettle fudge, butter cookies, malt balls, and more! Designed in rich cranberry and gold colors, and arranged beautifully in this dark cherry stained willow basket, they’ll enjoy for days!

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A successful gift basket professional reveals her tricks of the trade in this bible of the business. Gift baskets are an ideal small-scale business – but not all gift baskets are created equal. The Gift Basket Design Book shows you how to transform your creative ideas into polished professional-looking baskets to give as gifts or use in your own business. Shirley George Frazier, a successful gift basket entrepreneur, reveals basket-building and design techniques that yield expert results. Her easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and photos show you exactly how to craft delightful gift baskets for all occasions, from holidays to life’s milestones to those everyday pick-me-ups.Inside you’ll find:Guidance on selecting supplies, gifts, and food. The best techniques for placing and anchoring contentsThe most effective ways to wrap your baskets. Special design touches to complete your lookIdeas for using unique containers, such as boxes, bags, teacup (more…)

The gift basket should be unique, display your taste, your personality as also the liking and preference of the recipient of the gift. Every wedding anniversary is special and since the gift is going to epitomize your affection for the person, it will look special no matter what you choose to put in it. Yet, remember to take into account such items which are passionately liked by the person.

If he is a voracious reader, give him his favorite paperbacks tied neatly along with some flowers and chocolates. If the person is a foodie and health conscious, remember to include gourmet cookies and recipe books. If the occasion is 25th anniversary, go for a cane basket and have it painted in silver to signify the event. Include enough satin ribbons wherever possible. For the fashion conscious one, you may include a number of cosmetics along with flowers and chocolates or home made cookies. There are varieties of baskets available these days with imaginative shapes and sizes.

No matter what you give, do not forget to add some flowers and candles or cookies for better effect. If they are fond of delicate bone china or crystal wares, you could gift them beautiful coffee or tea mugs along with respective sachets or latest brands, along with flowers and candles. Put anything in the basket, but remember to make it attractive and let it denote you feelings for the person.

With little more than some working space and a few start-up items, you can operate a profitable gift basket business out of your home or in a rented studio. Start & Run a Gift Basket Business provides practical instructions for setting up and operating a successful gift basket business, whether run on a seasonal or year-round basis. Combine your creativity with the valuable advice in this book and create a lucrative business designing gift baskets for any budget and occasion. Whether your operation is a full-time endeavor or a sideline to earn extra income, the potential for finding clients for a gift basket business is unlimited! Topics covered include: Researching you market Finding a suitable location Gathering equipment and supplies Determining start-up costs and budgets Pricing your gift baskets Managing daily operations Advertising and promoting your service Using the Internet to expand your client base Meeting legal requirements

From the Back Cove (more…)

Start with your local thrift shops, second hand shops and consignment stores. Shop in these places when you don’t need your gift basket supplies immediately. These are the supplies you’ll hold onto for making future gift baskets. Browse these shops for wicker baskets in all shapes and sizes, rolls of cellophane wrap, cloth napkins for lining the bottoms of the baskets and little trinkets for filling the baskets. Always make sure that the items are in like- new condition.

Next try your nearby flea markets, yard sales, tag sales and garage sales. Again, these are the places you’ll pick up gift basket supplies you don’t need right now. The great thing about shopping in these type of places is you can try to bargain with the merchant and try to get a lower price, especially if you’re buying several items. Look for wicker baskets, cellophane wrap, packs of multi items that can be opened and split among several baskets and bags of gift bows. make sure you’re buy items that are in like-new condition only.

Another place to shop for gift basket supplies are the dollar stores and outlet stores. These store get new merchandise often so check them when you’re in the area. You never know what you may find. You can usually get good deals on packs of novelty pens and pencils, mugs, snacks, candy and miscellaneous items to fill your baskets.

General merchandise stores like Target, Walmart, K-mart are great places to find items you need at the last minute because of the variety and availability of their items. These are also good places to buy containers other than baskets to use for your gift. You can pick up colorful waste paper pails, cooking pots and other items that can be used in place of the traditional wicker basket.

Another good place to try is wholesale gift supply stores and websites. Try places like http://www.papermart.com/ and http://www.luckyclovertrading.com/.

Start shopping for gift basket supplies now and you’ll find that you won’t spend as much later on.