Its rich, brown color and leather strap trim will make a great addition to your offerings.

Be sure to see the contest information here if you haven’t yet entered.

Years ago, when I invested in my first large trunk, I created an enormous gift with luxury items so that clients knew that both small and large gifts were available at my shop.

If you don’t let clients know about your full assortment, they’ll only come to you for smaller designs. You want them to know the broad range of options you offer.

Gift baskets continue to be in the news as a donation item for needy families. Here’s one of those stories, which includes a photo of 350 gift baskets and the volunteers who made them.

Click on the photo, and another window will open for you to scroll through three pictures of the baskets and makers.

I encourage you to take part in a gift basket donation event in your area. Lending your expertise to worthy causes, especially during the holidays, is a wonderful way to support others. I’m also looking for a local group.

Next week, the rest of the first-place bounty will arrive, and I’ll show you a complete photo of the grand prize.

© 2008 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is known as "the gift basket expert." She speaks at trade and business events worldwide and is author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business and The Gift Basket Design Book. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for videos, CDs, reports, tips, a free online newsletter, and much more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.

Only one budding designer enrolled at one of my recent gift basket workshops. Did I cancel? Heavens, no!

I don’t penalize an excited new gift basket maker because others decided not to join in on the fun.

The two-hour session turned into a mini consultation. She and I made gift baskets from the bottom up, and I instructed her on each step. When finished, I put my design aside and coached her on shrink wrapping.

She handled the heat gun well, and her work was beautiful. She’s never made a gift basket but shrunk the wrap perfectly to a crystal clear finish.

Then I coached her on making a bow, but before adding it, I asked her if she wanted to add cellophane to the outside of her completed gift basket design.

More ideas about ribbon and bows are on this page.

Some of us shrink wrap our gift baskets first and then add printed cellophane outside of it as a second wrapping. The shrink wrap acts as insulation against shifting and breakage during transport, and the cellophane provides a soft, personalized appearance.

The new designer loved her work and declined the cellophane option. She then added the bow. I answered more of her questions before ending the workshop and watched her leave with the basket in hand and a big smile on her face.

Here’s where you’ll find more information on shrink wrapping and cellophane.

Is adding both cellophane and shrink wrap part of your gift basket making style, or is only one type of closure material added around your designs?

© 2008 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is known as "the gift basket expert." She speaks at trade and business events worldwide and is author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business and The Gift Basket Design Book. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for videos, CDs, reports, tips, a free online newsletter, and much more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.

Okay, who’s running a business and not remitting state sales taxes? I just read a story about a Minnesota-based business owner who decided to keep all the money.

The story, published in StarTribune.com, uncovers more than just a home-based owner who innocently overlooked his obligation. But what’s basic to us is understanding that if you’ve registered your gift basket business in the United States:

1. Gift baskets are considered a luxury and are therefore taxed when sold to individuals or firms in your state.

For example, if a client lives in Vermont and your business operates in Vermont, the client is taxed. If a client lives in New York and your business operates in Vermont, the client is not taxed.

2. Gift basket profits and losses are entered on the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Schedule C at the end of each tax year if you operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability corporation (LLC).

Meet with your accountant to make sure your taxes are filed using the correct documents, and believe me, Schedule C is just one of many necessary forms.

3. Gift basket state sales tax is remitted either monthly or quarterly depending on your state’s laws.

The business section on your state’s Web site provides more details on when the tax is due, and your accountant will also know.

Many states only accept electronic payments. Put the payment schedule on your calendar so that you pay on time.

If you make gift baskets outside of the U.S., a certain department within your country will provide all details on how to remit monies due.

I used to create massive spreadsheets by hand to determine my sales and taxes. Thank goodness that was long ago.

Now in QuickBooks, by clicking the Vendors — Sales Tax — Pay Sales Tax button, I instantly know my income and sales tax liability, and the online payment takes about five minutes. No more fingers and toes!

The Minnesota guy faces “up to five years in prison, up to a $10,000 fine, or both.” That’s no way to run a business.

Do you believe that one of your competitors is not paying their fair share of sales tax?

© 2008 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is known as "the gift basket expert." She speaks at trade and business events worldwide and is author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business and The Gift Basket Design Book. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for videos, CDs, reports, tips, a free online newsletter, and much more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.