You must order by 5pm today for Christmas delivery

Just a quick reminder here. Orders that are to ship tomorrow, December 19th, must be placed by 5pm today, December 18th. This gives us a chance to get everything boxed up and on the truck tomorrow morning. Remember, we do not guarantee a Christmas delivery for baskets shipped after December 19th.

Also, when a product is marked Sold Out it really is sold out. Just because you can add it to your shopping cart and pay for it doesn't mean we have it in stock. We are upgrading our shopping cart software after Christmas to allow us features that will still let our products show up marked "sold out" when they are sold out, but not allow you to add it to your cart.

One last programming note. A lot of our excellent customers have called or emailed regarding the availability of the Tastes of Michigan, Very Cherry, and Michigan's Best gift crates that we build. I had hoped to have enough time to get more built than what already needs to go out the door, but that is not going to happen.

After cutting, sanding, and nailing literally hundreds of these just in the last two weeks my shoulder is hurting quite a bit. I'm getting the last batch built last night and today through gritted teeth, Motrin, and coffee. Then, I'm going to need a break from the woodshop to heal up my shoulder.

We're also working feverishly to get everything out today that we possibly can as a rather sever winter storm is racing our way bringing up to half an inch of ice on top of 6-12 inches of snow. It's awfully hard to process orders and ship items out when we don't have power ;).

Take care everybody and have a Great Day!

~ Andrew Norton, Owner Gift Baskets From Michigan LLC

Quick note on shipping our Michigan gift baskets

We are shipping out the Very Cherry, Tastes of Michigan, and Michigan's Best gift baskets as quickly as we build them. 17 hour days are the norm at this time of the year and we are doing our best to get these out as quickly as possible. If we get far enough ahead where we have a surplus of those three baskets we will have them available for sale again later this week. For those of you that didn't realize it, we make the Very Cherry, Tastes of Michigan, and Michigan's Best gift baskets right here in the woodshop. They aren't outsourced somewhere - they're made right here in Michigan.

Thanks for all of these orders. I am in shock at the response this year. With the down economy we never expected a record Christmas season, but it has been and I tip my hat to our customers in thanks.

Another upside? We have even more money to give to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. I'm sure they need it during these tough times.

Have a Great Day!

- Andrew

Coffee and nuts from Michigan

This was supposed to have been posted last night around 9 pm, but my internet connection chose that time to conk out. I cut my losses and went back to work in the woodshop until 10pm. Got up at 5 am to get back at it and just now (it's 6:30 am) remembered that I didn't get this posted. For some of the best coffee roasted right here in Michigan you have got to check out Leelanau Coffee. They don't ship it unless it was roasted 36 hours ago or less. My favorite blend this time of the year is their Christmas Eggnog. Oh man, is it good. My favorite anytime of the year is Manitou Blueberry - when it's brewing it smells like you're baking blueberry muffins. So good.

For one of the largest assortments of nuts from around the world as well as excellent chocolates you need to check out White Pigeon's own claim to fame - The Tasty Nut Shop. It's been in business on U.S. 12 since the 1920s. They don't have a website, but you can call them and they'll ship your order just about anywhere. The number is (269) 483-7566.

What a day this has been

Normally I don't share items of personal note, but this day was a day unlike any other. My day started out with a 7:15 a.m. call from my wife who was in hysterics and calling to let me know she had rolled our pickup truck, but that she was okay. She was hanging by the seatbelt and was so shook up she needed me to call 911. With my heart in my throat I hurriedly dialed 911 for the first time in my life and frantically relayed what had happened and the approximate location of the accident. Within a minute or less I heard sirens racing past our house (the accident was a mile or less away) while I hurried around the house and got both kids dressed, in coats, and rushed out the door. One of Michigan's fine State Troopers was first on the scene and was able to cut her out of the seatbelt so she could stand (the truck had ended up with the passenger side on the ground) in the truck.

When we got to the scene of the accident there were Volunteer EMTs (thank you, thank you for all that you do), the aforementioned State Police, Volunteer Firemen, and the tow truck was already there too. It was so amazing to see faces I recognized from the community. Faces that I had no idea belonged to those who volunteer in emergency situations. Thank you so much!

Thanks to budget cutbacks the county road crews did not plow and sand many of our side roads. This snow was packed down over the weekend and became black ice when the temperatures warmed up overnight and it started to rain. The trooper was very ticked off about this and stated that there had been a large number of accidents already this morning due to those same poor road conditions.

My wife hit a patch of black ice (she was only doing about 40mph), spun in a 180, and when she hit the side of the road or ditch the truck's momentum rolled it over until it rested on it's passenger side in an empty field (sorry about landing in your field Sandy). When we looked at the truck this afternoon after being told it was totaled we were amazed and thankful that she walked away with only a few bruises.

Trucks are replaceable, but my wife is not and I am so very thankful to have her home safe and sound.

Oh, and what was the brand of the truck? It was a Ford Ranger. When they say it's built Ford Tough - they mean it. That truck took a beating and kept my wife nice and safe. I'm looking for another one (truck that is, not wife ;) ).

So I'll not be posting about a Michigan business to support today (unless you count my praise of Ford Trucks ;) ). I'll make up for it tomorrow with two unique Michigan businesses/products that you should consider giving for Christmas presents.

Tonight, I'm just playing catchup with some stuff and basking in a state of extreme thankfulness.

Show your Yooper pride with a Yooper Steez t-shirt

Kicking off my daily (one new product or business each day this week M-F) focus on one Michigan product or business that has great gifts for those on your Christmas list this year is Yooper Steez. What is Steez? Well, it's simply "Style With Ease." What do they have at Yooper Steez?

Simply totally cool t-shirts with a silhouette of either Michigan's fantastic Upper Peninsula or Lake Superior. They also have stickers with 906 printed on them. 906? It just so happens that the Upper Peninsula has it's very own area code, 906.

I would post a photo of my Yooper Steez t-shirt, but a friend has it and is holding it for ransom. Might be quicker to just buy another one.

The shirt is a great conversation starter as people are constantly asking me if I am from the U.P. Others just stare in awe at the totally awesome shirt I'm sporting.

Anyway, these items would make great gifts for past, present, and future Michigan residents.

Shop at Yooper Steez today & tell them Andrew sent you ;)

Will you be buying Michigan-made gifts this Christmas?

I've noticed a huge uptick in business this year where the folks placing the order have commented on how they are focusing on buying their Christmas presents from Michigan businesses this year. I thought this sounded like a great poll idea and thought I would toss it out to the masses. Later today and each day this week I will be posting a quick blurb about a Michigan business that sells a great product that folks on your Christmas shopping list will absolutely enjoy.

How about it?

[poll id="9"]