Horse and Rider Gift Basket

This is my new favorite gift for a horse lover.

I made one for our son's trainer at the holidays

and another for a thank you gift recently.

I purchased pretty bowls and tea towels at a discount store

then filled them up with snacks for horses and riders.

Horse treats

Carrot sticks

apples

sugar cubes

& peppermints

for the horse

Candy bars

popcorn

dried fruit

nuts

bubble gum

& granola

for the rider

It makes a fun combination!

Shrink wrap

matching ribbon

and a horse toy hot glued on

and you have one great gift for a horse & rider.

Tips for making a gorgeous gift basket:

A pair of tea towels work great to lay in the basket or bowl. Be sure to drape farther over edges than you want them to end up. They will sink down as you place items in the bowl.
Purchase items in a variety of sizes.
Keep a color theme in mind when you pick items. For this one, I tried to stick with lime green, pink, and yellow to go with the ribbon that I had.
Start with the largest or tallest items like small boxes of cookies and place them toward the back.
Layer toward the front.
Add wadded up tissue paper to elevate anything that you don't want to sink down (like the apple in the pic above)
Use double stick tape to secure fanned out candy bars or anything else that just won't stay in place.
Work toward smaller objects in front.
Add some thin items in the back facing out so the basket looks good from all directions.
Fill in the gaps with little candies or other items.
Stuff it full!
Shrink wrap is finicky so go with the brand name not the store version. ;)
Tie with kitchen twist tie to secure before shrinking.
When using the hairdryer to shrink the wrap, start at the bottom around the base of the basket or bowl and work your way up. Tighten side seams first as you go.
Add a bow and trim according to what is in the basket.
Happy gift basket making! Once you start making them, you'll be hooked. They are a beautiful way to make someone's day.