A broken balloon. Newly-torn cellophane. The strangest things happen to baskets while traveling to a client.

When the destination is important and there’s no time to waste, you can be sure that something will happen to that gorgeous basket somewhere between getting into and out of the car.

To solve the worst of problems, designers carry their own version of a doctor’s bag, a suggestion I share in The Gift Basket Design Book.

Move over aspirin — the contents of this bag promises to remove all the pain associated with having the smallest of things go wrong to ruin the event.

Your bag doesn’t have to be an actual bag. It could be a toolbox, a wire-bound carryall (shown above) or a small cardboard box. Use whatever works for you and fill it with the following products, which will travel inside of your vehicle at all times:

1) One sharp pair of scissors
2) Sticky tape or glue
3) One roll of transparent tape on a dispenser
4) Two to three unfilled balloons with matching cups and sticks
5) A minimum of three star sprays in the color of your choice
6) One all-purpose pick enhancement
7) One bunch of raffia, any color One roll of brushed gold curling ribbon (unless another color is preferred)
9) One roll of all-purpose ribbon (determine the best color and width to carry)
10) One queen-sized carry bag

Today’s gift basket designer always carries these tools in case of an emergency. If the vehicle’s tire suddenly goes flat, you need a ready spare. The same can be said of a basket design that’s just suffered a hazard.

Keep these tools handy. It’s a great investment in time and against headaches.

Shirley George Frazier

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