Gift Baskets

I had an order for 5 gift baskets last week.

I always enjoy shopping for and putting these together!

This little business of Betsy's Baskets is 26 years old...

I can't believe that! haha.  It isn't a huge business and I

don't market it or advertise at all...just let the business

come to me and I'm happy the small size allows me to

do other things...like etsy! :)

My gift baskets are custom made and I always ask

what they would like in the basket...a theme or whatever.

99% of the time they say they don't care...just something nice.

Well, my favorite thing to do for that is to compile a group of

items that would be generally appreciated by most people.

Coffee, tea, gourmet chocolate, nuts and snacks

are my go-to.  And depending on the gender...

a candle, mug and other things can be added.

I try to choose items that coordinate by color.

That might be my OCD speaking, but I think it makes

for a nicer looking basket when it's all put together.

These turned out to be predominately blue

and full of beautiful things to eat and drink.

Yum.

♥

Gift Baskets

I've been busy with a gift basket order!

Gourmet food items that are going to some area

businesses from an attorney friend.

So fun to put together.

I felt like Santa's elf!

♥

Christmas Spirit

With threats from Don to come to my house in his Santa suit if I

didn't get myself in the Christmas spirit, I set that as my number one

goal today!  I had gift baskets to make and it wasn't long before I

was humming Christmas tunes!

Eating candy canes helped, too!

Since half of our house feels new with the reno last month, it didn't

feel right to pull out all the same old decorations.  And I'm in the mood

to keep things simple.  I want a few decorations but want them to

be something special.  A few things that really make a statement 

instead of lots of little things all over the house.

Since I didn't want to clutter the tree with ornaments, I

filled a large tray with them for a table centerpiece.

It makes a statement, but is low enough not to block

anyone's view across the table.

The tree didn't stay completely bare, though.

I hung my bird ornaments and crystal icicles on it.

Velvet, however, still needs a little help.

Perhaps it was when I told her that

"Not a creature was stirring...not even a mouse!"

haha.

♥

Autumn Gift Basket

It's been a while since I had a gift basket order!

Seems I've been concentrating on auction finds and my etsy store

 much more than my original little home business!  But I did get

 a couple of orders this week and today I made up the first one. 

This basket is going to the workers at a sunflower farm.

With all the autumn themed items in the stores, it was

easy to put together a fun, practical basket.

I hope they like their big planter full of garden gloves,

hand soap, nail scrubbers, coffee, chocolates and

pumpkins scented candles, among other things.

I wonder where they'll put that big yard stake.

Maybe beside the time card station. ha.

♥

Christmas Gift Baskets

I've been a little elf again today!

Made some good progress on my gift basket orders!

And who says Christmas has to be red and green? 

♥

A Studio Of My Own

We've had Taylor's bedroom sitting empty since July when he

got married. I had always thought we'd turn it into a guest room

until last week.  Why waste that much space when we rarely, if ever,

have guests sleep over?  With Taylor and Lauren living nearby,

they most likely won't be sleeping over, either.  

 I took a walk through the house and did some critical thinking.

What I really needed to do was combine my two home based businesses

(a gift basket business and my etsy shop) into one space where it

could be organized and run more efficiently.  So, the idea of a studio

was born!  I browsed Pinterest for a day or two and saw lots of

craft room type set ups. I also decided that I had an aversion to

calling it a craft room.  Makes me feel like I should be sitting in there

sewing quilted Bible covers or something.  haha.   So not me.

 There are lots of neat organizing things

you can buy and they all looked very nice and snazzy.

But I really thought it would be wise and more 'me' to use my

old vintage stuff, things around the house, and lots of my

auction and thrift store finds to set up my studio.

I just like old better! ha.

So, welcome to my studio!  It took me a week to put it together

and I didn't buy a single thing to do it!

The desk belonged to my father-in-law. 

 I remember when I was in high school, seeing it in his home office.  

I think he's looking down and smiling at how it's still in use and in the family.

I put a basket at my feet and it only took about an hour for a cat

to find it there and snuggle down...the finishing cozy touch!

This room holds lots of memories for me!

It was the nursery both times we brought babies

home from the hospital!  Then Taylor moved back into

it as a preteen.  I pulled about 45 NBA posters off the ceiling!

I really should have given it a fresh coat of paint but I opted to just

 cover the dart board 'misses' (holes in the wall) with the cork board. :)

 I kind of like it having a few scars from it's previous life, 

at least for now.

I can get a package ready for shipping nice and

fast now with Styrofoam peanuts and bubble mailers

right at my fingertips.

I've always kept a file of favorite magazine pages

for inspiration.  Way before Pinterest! ha.  It was fun

to pull out that file and fill a large cork board.

The sign was fun to paint!

The board was in the auction trash.  I didn't 

need to stain it or change the shape!

My old Raggedy Ann finally has a place to be.

And so do those pretty vintage plates I rescue at auctions.

And the futon lays flat if we need that extra bed.

I had to smile when I laid my trays of jewelry bits and pieces in

the top desk drawer.  Three across fit exactly, as if it had been

custom-made for it!  It just felt like it was meant to be!

The closet holds all the unsightly stuff!

Thanks for letting me give you a tour!

Song Sparrow Treasures has had 243 sales

in it's first year on Etsy!

This just feels like a great way to celebrate!

Quite a few of you who have done a little 

shopping there!  Thanks so much!

♥

What I Did Wednesday #32

1. I finished the last of the gift basket Christmas orders from my little business!
2. I received a sweet little package all the way from Chile!  I guess Gloria not only can cook and bake, but she can embroider and crochet!  Such nice handmade gifts and I love them.  Thank you, Gloria!  How sweet!
3. Wrapped some presents.
4. Enjoyed the roses The Mister gave me for our anniversary on Monday.
5. Shipped off a few more things from my Etsy shop.
6. Watched as the boys opened up a gift from Lauren's Nana.  Isn't that sweet?  A 2013 train calendar!  Thanks, Nana!
7. They all took turns pouring over the train pictures. :)
8. And...I doodled!  I was enjoying all of the chalkboard Christmas messages on Pinterest when I had to laugh.  I have a huge Pottery Barn chalkboard hanging in the living room!  I never write on it!  It's magnetic and I use it that way.  Duh.  lol.  So, I bought a chalk marker and doodled to my heart's content.  Very fun!

I hope you had a wonderful day, too!

♥

End of School Teacher Gifts

Yesterday was the last day of school for the boys!

I like to send in a little gift for their teachers and aides at the end of each year and this is

what I did this year.  Little floral boxes with ribbon handles were filled with

African Violets, a beauty kit full of lip balm, hand lotion, cuticle cream, etc.,

and a big sugar cookie shaped like a flower.

Do you have a gift stash?  Something you fill with little gifts that

you pick up here and there during the year?  I have a large dresser drawer that I

have designated as the gift drawer.  When I find good deals while I'm out shopping I

pick them up.  It's saved us from many last minute needs and emergency shopping

trips.  I had the little beauty kits and floral boxes in my stash.

I picked up the violets at the grocery, and when I made those 300 wedding cookies

2 weeks ago, I thought of this coming up and made 4 flower shaped cookies and

put them in the freezer.  Then I added a little pink swirl of frosting (Wilton's in a tube)

 and sprinkled candy pearls on top!

All in all it was a really good school year.  We really like the boys' teacher and the aides.

Although, I hear that two of the three aides will not be returning. 

That always gives me pause for concern, but we'll just trust that the right

people get into those positions.  We're really sad to see these two go, though.

Anyway, these are much nicer gifts than what Marmalade brought me this morning!

A baby squirrel.  Thankfully, already dead, as I wouldn't have wanted a hurt or half

dead gift to deal with.  Eeew.  I took photos of him carrying something up to the house

before I realized he was on his way to reward me. lol.  But I'll spare you the pictures. :)

It was a cold first day of summer!  50 degrees, breezy and rain!  Brrr.

♥

Decorated Marshmallows

A Wilton Food Writer marker turned these marshmallows into

something a little more special.

This wintry gift basket was SO fun to make!

♥

Christmas Gift Baskets

This particular order of baskets is from an attorney friend who delivers them to his bigger clients. I've had this account for about 10 years now. Since they are delivered to the same people every year, I try to come up with something new and fun. This year I used wood crates instead of baskets or hat boxes. They are still, as always, filled with gourmet foods per his request.

I put together some items to make the bow look a little more interesting.

If you do this, make sure you don't use your hot glue gun anywhere near your coffee cup. ha.

I had six of these to make and they are finished and ready to go. They are to be hand delivered. I have another six to make that will be packaged a little differently. They will be shipped to clients out of state. I have to say, I'm really hungry for yummy snack foods after looking at this stuff for several days now! I need to start baking some Christmas cookies!

♥

Random Thoughts

1. Yesterday, before birthday celebrations, I made 15 little gift baskets. I had received an order for small containers of healthy snacks for speakers at a conference at the local university. I had fun putting together granola bars, mixed nuts, natural cherry licorice, dark chocolate and a few other goodies.
2. I worked an auction today. A crazy busy auction. I filled the back seat with goodies from the trash. Maybe I'll show you a few things in a day or two.
3. We rarely eat fast food. But I'm late in the grocery shopping this week and knew I wouldn't feel like making dinner when I got home from that auction even if there was food to fix! Taylor is playing the McDonald's Monopoly game and requested I stop there on my way home. So for 4 of us I bought dinner. (Spencer and Harry won't eat it) I got 32 pieces to the game with that big purchase, including a few he needed. Now, if he'd just win big! ha.
4. It is pouring rain here! Didn't stop all day! Some side streets were flooded when I left the auction and were blocked by police cars. The forecast calls for several more days of rain! We may just float away!
5. One of the boys' birthday gifts was an iPad. They are using them at school this year for the first time and we thought it would be good for them to have one here, too. I think it will be fun to see what apps are out there for the autism community. I'm sure there are several. And they love electronics, so it will be fun. I wonder how they will do at sharing? Because buying three was out of the question. ha. And Taylor wants one for Christmas! LOL.
6. Still very touched at all of the really sweet birthday wishes you all left on my last post. Still laughing that my two wisecracking guy friends turned sweet and sober...at least for a few minutes. :) Thanks very much! Your encouragement is so appreciated by me.

Administrative Professional's Week

This is National Administrative Professional's Week!

Some local secretaries are munching on my cookies.

If you have a secretary...don't forget her!

Since I'm the boss, secretary, and...well, custodian

too, in my little home-based business,

I gave myself all the left overs! LOL!

I think the chocolate-peanut-butter-cup cookies

could be my new favorite. Recipe to come soon!

How I Spent My Sunday

Sunday afternoon was filled with powdered sugar,

mixing colors and tasting the samples!

Daisies and Easter egg cookies sure make it

feel like spring! :)

My Little Business

I made twelve of these baskets this week!

All ordered from the same person...they certainly

have their gift list finished early!

They were so fun to put together...

and even more fun when they were finished! hee!

They certainly look cheery lined up and

ready to deliver!

A Thank You Basket

Someone ordered an "autumnal thankyou" basket from me.

I'd say this shows appreciation and autumn very well!

Seeing on a countdown clock in blogland that Christmas

is only 44 days away, I bought my first Christmas present while

I was out today. I also made my gift list, to make sure I

don't forget anybody! 44 days? Really? Where did this year go?

Before I worry too much about that, I need to remember that

Thanksgiving is only 16 days away!

A Basket Order

A lady in our village had back surgery and has a long

recovery ahead. One of my neighbors ordered a

gift basket for her. Finding soft green, comforting

things was so much fun! Who wouldn't be cheered

by some miniature roses, fluffy socks infused with aloe,

lotion, tea and chocolate!?

"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind." ~~Henry James, to his nephew, William James, as quoted in Leon Edel's Henry James: A Life

Six Down, Eight To Go!

Honeymooners Basket

Some lucky bride and groom are enjoying

this basket in their room at our local

inn. What a nice surprise from some

friends of theirs! And how fun for me to make!

Two Babies Born in Town....

...will be welcomed home with my

moon cookie baskets!

Welcome little ones! Sweet dreams!