RRRaffle! How to Declutter & Create 4 Prize Baskets for Under $13! { A to Z blogging challenge }

Recently, the religious education department  
in our parish held their
 annual library "tea," a lovely afternoon for parishioners to
enjoy refreshments, treats .......and
an opportunity for the some pretty nice fundraising.
My boys were on the crew to sell advance  tickets prior ro the event
and the day of,  set up, wait tables
 and clean up ....and of course
someone's gotta pitch in and make some raffle prizes, right?
Which is where I come in, cuz I love this crafty stuff.
I may not be Martha Stewart, 
( or Jen or Jennifer or Tracy or Emily or Monica!)
but I do love me some craft supplies and
and endless possibilities. ..........

So, I thought I'd share a few <simple> gift baskets I  created
for a variety of interests and ages really really really frugally.
I guess I'm kind of cheating, because some of the items were already 
here taking up space in my home.
All the better, right? 
Declutter + benefit the church + brighten someone's day at a Chinese auction=
a win all around.
So, you might ask, if I have it sitting around the house, can I dress it up
by throwing it in a themed basket and pouring some curly ribbon on it?
Yes. Do it.
Let me show you what I started with:

I actually had the ribbon spools ( and many many more) 

because I'm a gift wrap / craft junkie.

I'm sure we all have an infinite supply of something

that we can use to create some beauties, amIright?

All I needed to do was run to the dollar store and buy gift basket cello bags 

and silver filler pretties <that look a lot like tinsel!>

I crumpled up some tissue to fill the baskets/pails bottoms 

before decorating with sparkly filler and voila.

Total cost: $3

And if you don't have a ton of ribbon, no problem.

You can easily buy one spool for one dollar which includes plenty of ribbon

in several colors.

Add another $1 if you're not a ribbon hoarder and need to buy it.

Okay, so here's basket #1~

~ The Baby Basket~

So I actually had the basket, the photo album, the western style PJ pants

and the onesie  from gifts that were given to us

for our littles ( who are not so little any more!)

I kept them clean and with the tags still on; so why not stick them in a prize basket.

You know, thirteen years later. Is this cheesy?

All I did was pick up a bib, bath soap. lion washcloth and wipes to add in.

Total cost: $4. Done

~The Beach Fun Pail ~ 

We had the pail, a leftover from some craft or other during  

 those many Cub Scout years of torture growth ( ahem)

I think we're the only family in America that didn't benefit

somehow or other from the Boy Scout Experience.

<<Sorry to knock it, friends of mine who are gung ho scouters.>>

But those are stories for another time.....

Anyway.......... also : a still - in - the - package - set of goggles.

All I needed to  purchase? 

 The racket set, Star Wars bubbles and water balloons,

( dollar store of course)

Total cost $3

~ The Bibliophile's Basket ~ 

Would you believe $0?

Of course you would, you resourceful moms, you.

We are done with the books and I had the basket.

Yup, basket junkie too.

I LOVE my baskets, but how many does a girl need?

Don't answer that.

If you're looking for a Great illustrated Classic, by the way

..they're all here!

~ The Gardener's Delight Pot ~ 

Again, I had the pot  and the hand shovel 

in the basement.......

never used them and I have no idea where they came from.

Hey they were still in new-ish condition;

 so in the pail they went,

I picked up the gloves, butterfly wind chime and tomato spikes.

Total cost  $3

There ya go.

THANKS for stopping in for some raffle fun and.......

Day 18~ R,  of the A to Z Challenge!

Please visit tomorrow for S, day 19 !

 Friends, as always,  

thank you for stopping over and 

spending some of your precious time 

here at my home on the web!

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Until next time,

~Chris