Simple gift baskets for Mother's Day

Mother's Day baskets are a great way to show off your creative talents while also showing your mom, mother-in-law, grandma, or another special mom how much you care.

I've put together some theme ideas to get you started. I've included several easy recipes, and also some links to give you some more ideas and to help you put it all together.

Most of these ideas you can make yourself from the following recipes. I've never made biscotti before, but there's a great hazelnut biscotti recipe included that I think I'm going to try when I make my Mother's Day baskets this year. Have fun! Your mom will be so impressed.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Garden Basket:

Garden seeds, gardening tools, gardening gloves, peat pots, kneeling pad, iced tea mix.

Coffee Basket:

Chocolate-covered coffee spoons, coffee syrups, chocolate-dipped pretzels, biscotti, flavored coffees, instant cappuccinos.

Tea Basket:

Herbal and fruit teas, flavored honeys, tea bread, tea infuser, tea cups, inspirational book.

Bath Basket:

Bath salts, massage oil, natural soaps, bath powder, bath sponge, hand towel, massage roller, fragrant candle.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Chocolate Covered Pretzels:

Pretzel rings
Wax paper
1 (16-oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, stopping every 15 seconds to stir the chocolate. Dip each pretzel, one at a time, into the melted chocolate. Lay the pretzels on wax paper and let cool.

Chocolate Covered Spoons:

20-24 plastic spoons
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Wax paper

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, stopping every 15 seconds to stir the chocolate. Dip spoons into chocolate. Place spoons on wax paper and refrigerate until chocolate hardens. Wrap each spoon separately and store in a cool dry place.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Tea Bread Recipes: http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/teabreads.html

20+ Biscotti Recipes: http://www.allrecipes.com/directory/2641.asp

Flavored Coffee Mixes: http://members.tripod.com/~MaryMae/jarlinks.htm

Make Massage Oil, Bath Salts: http://www.dewcosmetics.com/recipes.html

Putting the Basket Together: http://www.hercraftideas.com/crafts/baskets/a-basket01_gift-basket.shtml

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at Creative Homemaking!