Hello again! Lauren Kelp here of LaurenKelp.com. Last time I was here we made some fabulous DIY watercolor conversation starter cards for your dinner party. Today we are going to break down the perfect holiday gift basket — with a twist! Gift baskets sometimes get a bad rap, but I think they can be a really great gift that doesn’t break the bank and still has a very personal touch.

What’s the twist? A personal touch with an easy to make, DIY geode wine stopper! With only one quick step, your Christmas gift basket just got that much more pro!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE GEODE WINE STOPPER:

• One stick of Krazy Glue
• As many corks as you want to make (we used Martha Stewart’s from Michael’s)
• As many geodes as there are corks. 

When selecting geodes for the stopper, keep in mind the people you are gifting the basket to. If your boss really loves the color purple and she is on your list to give a basket to, try finding an amethyst or a purple geode. The best part about this DIY is that is can be as personal as you want to make it! In a bit of a time crunch? Grab a variety of stones and decide who gets which when you are assembling the baskets.

Once you’ve got your list of giftees in mind, it is time to get started! Lay out your materials on a clean space. I recommend putting a sheet of newspaper or some magazine tears out underneath your work space. This way, if some Krazy Glue drops, nothing gets damaged.

The rest is simple – just place a few drops of glue on the flat surface of the wider side of the cork and glue your geode. Put a little pressure on the stone and the cork initially to help the glue bind with the stone. Set the stopper aside to let dry and repeat until you have as many stoppers as you desire! 

Once your stoppers are all dry it is time to assemble the basket! When prepping each basket, I love to make a list of all of the people I want to make one for and keep them in mind while shopping. For this basket, I had my friend Stancy in mind. She loves good honey and has a soft spot for a well-balanced cheese board. Select 4-6 items that you know your giftee loves (in my case, good honey and the makings of a good hors d’oeuvres) and you’ve got the contents of your basket!

First things first, make sure to lay down a linen kitchen towel or piece of fabric in the basket. This gives the basket a very luxe feeling and adds something special to the overall aesthetic.

The bottle of wine is probably going to be the biggest thing in your basket, so place that in middle so it can lean against the side and be the staple. From there, place your bigger items around the bottle, grounding the contents of the basket and giving it a really lovely structure. Once the bigger goodies are in place, find little spots to tuck the smaller gifts. Nestle them in so nothing falls out and breaks.

I like to tuck my stopper right next to a handwritten note towards the front of the basket. That way, the giftee is sure to pay special attention to it. Happy Gifting!