2) Collect underpants!

Thanks for the feedback. I need more money coming in somehow, and getting a job at the same time as I start school is just setting myself up for failure is so many ways. The problem is my baskets tend to run on the expensive side, and I am not sure if anyone would be willing to pay the money for them and/or realize that they are worth the money I would have to charge to make a profit.

sj, I still think eBay wouldn't suck as a venue for you. You won't have to put out the money for a physical storefront, and you can add any number of pictures of baskets you've already done so people can see what they're getting and where the money's going. And if they don't sell, at least you haven't invested much of anything but whatever time and energy it took to do a writeup and post some pictures.

If it is setting yourself up for failure, it's at least a tiny and manageable failure that won't break you -- and there's always the chance that people will actually like the idea.

sj, what JZ said. I used to be really involved in gel candle making and many of the people that I knew sold their wares on eBay and had a tidy little business.

You know the best basket I ever did for someone- I can't remember why 21st birthday, Mardi Gras or what- was a hangover gift basket. Hair ties and clips, cheap sunglasses, crackers, alka-seltzer, moisturizer, gatorade, power bar, and one of those freezy gell things.

sj, your baskets are gorgeous and I think ebay would be a great option for you. When I shop for gift baskets, price isn't always my first deal breaker. If the baskets are wonderfully done and the items in them worth it, I usually base my buying decision on that.

Looking at the baskets for sale on ebay, I know I can do better than that. That sounds awfully mean of me, doesn't it? Also, there are some bulk collections of empty baskets for sale, which would save me a bunch of money. I'll have to think about this a bit more.

sj, have you ever done any networking with event planners? 'Cause it seems like someone planning something like a posh wedding or a convention or a lecture series or something (specially if it's an event where someone corporate is picking up the tab) would be all over your baskets, and would be less likely to fuss about the price.

sj, be sure to look at completed auctions to see how well gift baskets do in general. That's what I usually do to see what sells and how to price certain items .

You know the best basket I ever did for someone- I can't remember why 21st birthday, Mardi Gras or what- was a hangover gift basket. Hair ties and clips, cheap sunglasses, crackers, alka-seltzer, moisturizer, gatorade, power bar, and one of those freezy gell things.

Oh my word. That's brilliant!