Hello,

My name is Julie and I own Gifts Avant-Garde in Apopka, Florida. I LOVE to create. Using my passion to express your thoughts and feelings for someone truly is a gift itself. Rather than setup an off-the-shelf type of business, I preferred the flexibility and challenge of the "custom contractor" model. This allows for an unlimited amount of designs, unfettered imagination, and to be frank, is just plain FUN! Normally, the reflex reaction to "custom" is "expensive". This is not always true. Of course, if you want your gift to be wrapped in a Rolls Royce, well...

 

If you prefer the click-n-buy option, there are many Gift Basket businesses that can accommodate, a simple search will produce hundreds of links. If you wish to take the time to achieve a truly unique gift that reflects your thoughts and wishes, then lets talk. In my Gallery you will see some of the creations I've done, they range from "Just thinking of you" to charity auction "WOW" (see left) baskets. The prices reflect, in general, the basket, items, and special requests at the time.

 

For example, the OZ basket (pictured above) was not created for anyone in particular. During a trip to Mount Dora, my husband and I found a small shop specializing in Movie and TV items. As we ran across the figurines we began brain storming on a WOW basket for display and promotional purposes. Creating this basket was extremely fun and dangerous (the "Yellow brick road" is made from Special Dark bite size chocolate bars!). I had a wood-worker create the arches (the yellow arch and green OZ on the sides) and got out the paints. We were still working on where this could be displayed when we were approached by an event organizer that needed something special for an upcoming Library event. When she saw a picture of this, she had to have it. Granted, this bit of serendipity is rare, but in these tough times, I'll take what I can.

 

Not every occasion warrants a WOW basket and sometimes, something simple serves better. In the Gallery you will see such baskets, I call them "Just because" gifts. In some cases, these are more specialized than even the WOW baskets, as they may include specific special items relating to the person that will receive it. I have included CD's, DVD's, books, and even certain baby toys in some of the gifts I've done as they were specifically requested, this above all, to me, shows the amount of care and thought the sender has taken. This kind thoughtfulness is hard to achieve with off-the-shelf products.

 

So, having said all that, come on in and have a look around. If you find an event from the Event page you think a basket would hit the spot and would like something special created, give me a call. You can also amuse yourself in the Getting Started page with some of the questions I find useful during a "consultation" (a word of warning, my husband came up with some of these questions and with his peculiar humor...there's an expression that will assist you here; ...with a grain of salt)

 

Thanks for stopping by, and please feel free to leave comments and/or suggestions about my web site.

 

Julie Hebert

gifts@giftsavantgarde.com

407-814-0160