Gift Baskets For the Angel Ball Auction

[KateC]

Barb, you missed me! I am doing a PartyLite basket (Candles & Accessories)

[Corin Nava]

Kate-I will take the basket-it shouldn't be a problem. It's funny you mention traveling, we are packing up right now for a weekend in New Hampshire! This is going to be the summer of mini vacations

[StephanieOlivarez]

Corin--Have a safe trip and have a GREAT TIME!!!!!!

I think all the baskets are going to be WONDERFUL!!!!!

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

I still want to do 2 baskets but no idea what themes yet.

[JudiToth]

Corin - thanks for all your assistance in guiding me what to do on this board! You're the greatest!

Same with you Barb! I'll have to find that post and cut and paste it here somehow so everyone can see what I've got so far.

Dawn, don't worry, it'll come to you. One suggestion for one basket - a Seseame Street basket in memory of Shane. It doesn't matter what age he would be now - I'm sure he's still giving Jim Hansen holy headaches about Big Bird only having 2 feathers instead of 3! Or maybe if you think it would be more age appropriate, you could always do a "car" themed basket since Shane used to love rolling those little cars all over the place and especially under the TV big case.

As far as for doing a basket iho Debra, you had mentioned several things that she liked to do/hobbies.

Then again, you can do something totally unrelated. I mean there's no real tie with my baskets to Christopher, unless I do end up doing a fishing/tackle box basket. I doubt Christopher would have anything to do with a Romantic Victorian or Spa basket! NOT! LOL Now maybe he would've loved pasta, but who knows? Now the Chesapeake Bay basket and the fishing basket, I'm sure he would have related to.

The thing I'm trying to point out is that although I know you want to do something connected to both Shane and Debra, that it doesn't necessarily have to do anything with them, but something that YOU like. You'd still have their cards in the baskets stating it was donated in memory of them. Know what I mean? Don't stress about it too much, you've got so many other things that you're stressing over that if you stress too much over the baskets on top of everything else, you'll end up a basket case (no pun intended). Let us know if we can help you in any way!

Everyone is doing great! Love ya'll and have a safe Holiday weekend! xxoo Moi

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

I'm going to see if Christie can take over doing a basket in memory of Debra. I thought about Sesame Street for a basket but how many adults will bid on that? I need to see if I can get tickets to Sesame Place or something extremely neat for a basket like that.... rather than just SS toys. I don't know... maybe I'll just do a CHERUBS basket full of stuff from cafepress. You're right about not stressing over it! LOL on the basket case.

[JudiToth]

Dawn,

That's a good idea about Christie taking over doing a basket imo Debra. Maybe your Mom might even put in a small item, since I know it would mean a lot to her for many reasons.

There might be parents out there who's kids like SS. But I just had a second thought about the "car" themed basket. There are a lot of guys out there who collect the "match box" cars - some are even collectable ones and they are only $3-4 each at Wal-Mart. I get some of them every year for Christmas for Christopher's gravesite. And you can possibly add in one or two different types of remote control cars. Even the big "boys" like their toys! And they are also reasonably priced at Wal-Mart. Just a thought. I'm trying to come up with some ideas. If I think of any more, I'll let you know! xxoo Moi

[JudiToth]

Okay, here is my post that got lost and now found. lol I am making some changes to the original post to give updates.

I have been in several conversations with Dawn and Barb about what I can do.

My mom won't be able to make it after all and she wanted to donate her costs to us. Dawn came up with a wonderful idea that I can use Mom's donated money (and some of my own, if needed) to have napkins for the Ball printed up with the Logo & event info on it. Mom loved the idea, so I am now in search of a local napking printer.

I'm also doing I don't even know how many baskets! LOL

So far here is my list of baskets that I've already purchased items for:

"baby phat" gold "bling" watch worth $125

Romantic Victorian Basket (including wine & Godiva chocolates!)

Holistic Stress Management Basket

Gourmet Pasta & Sauce Basket

Chesapeake Bay Seafood/Items Basket (w/donated $50 gift certificate from our local Seafood Store that will ship; donated CB Jewelry from a local Jewelry store; donated CB non-perishable foods from our local Gourmet store; and a lot of other items I purchased from the Navy Exchange that you can't find anywhere else that are CB themed items. Have a couple of lighthouse dish towels, 4 different lighthouse cloth table settings, a wood Pelican bird, a couple of small lighthouses, a couple of coffee mugs & freezer mugs that say, "Don't Bother Me, I'm Crabby" with the crab on it, key chains, and several magnets that have crab recipes on it.

And a fishing tackle box loaded with tons of fishing stuff.

I haven't even hit the stores on the Island yet - every store owner I approached said that they always donate CB stuff to charity! So I'll hit the Island portion next!

I also went into an Embroidary store that was next door to the Jewelry store to ask about possibly printing napkins. They don't do printing only embroidary - and the owner is willing to donate something, possibly a tablecloth with the Angel Ball Logo & Info embroidered on it. He took a printed logo sheet from me and said he'd check it out with the person who does the embroidary and see if she could do it. Gave me his card to email the logo to him besides the printed one I gave him. He said he'd let me know soon. That would be awesome if we had that as the tablecloth for the cake table! Wish me luck on that! (Update: the lady who runs the embroidery machine said she couldn't do the Angel Logo. But they did give me 2 gift certificates to their store.)

My car is loaded with stuff and am waiting for a friend of mine to come help me sort out everything into the baskets and then will send them individually to Dawn in a box for final assembly at the venue since I'm terrible with anything that requires imagination/artistry/craftiness and also as a precaution just in case for some horrible reason I was unable to attend. (Prayers please that health holds up, PLEASE! Thanks!) Barb told me she'd print off the cards to insert into the baskets. Thanks Barb!

Oh, I also received 2 booklets of coupons from David's bridal, and while most of it is for use in their store, there are a couple of gift certificates that can be used for spa.com and vacations. I'm going to mail those certificates to Barb to see where she can use them as "fillers" for other baskets.

BTW - I'm going to have to mail down the individual baskets in seperate boxes to you Dawn and Barb & I will assemble them there. I remember you stating somewhere how we should address them, along with the directions for the shipping. Otherwise, I'll need a U-Haul to bring everything with me! Plus, want to make sure that if by some unforeseen reason I can't make it, that at least the baskets make it.

All of you Ladies have done such a wonderful job with all of your "missions!"

Ok - out for now. Wrote a novel again! LOL xxoo

[Corin Nava]

Dawn-thats a wonderful idea about doing a CHERUBS basket! I know I would bid on it-I can't get enough CHERUBS and CDH awareness stuff!

[AmyMiles]

Are you just asking all different types of businesses for donations? I need to get some guts and ask for donations!