Quick note on shipping our Michigan gift baskets

December 15, 2008Andrew Norton

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

categories State of Michigan
tags Gift Baskets, michigan's best gift basket, michigan-gift-baskets, tastes of michigan, very cherry gift basket

In honor of Thanksgiving, give to your local food bank today

November 21, 2008Andrew Norton

Things are tough all over and in Michigan we've been feeling the pinch longer than the rest of the nation. It seems nearly every day I see a news blip about food banks having to turn folks away because they can't keep up with the demand. I'm asking that in honor of this being the season of Thanksgiving that everyone make a donation to their local food bank. Whether it's monetary or just a grocery sack of assorted food items - lets show everyone that the folks here in Michigan band together and help each other out. We will keep on donating 1% of every sale to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. They even let you donate online at their website www.fbcmich.org.

We already dropped off food at the local high school that is running a food drive. My next stop is the local library that is also collecting food donations and selling reusable grocery bags for $4 with $2 going to the local food bank.

If you are unsure of what types of food and other necessary items to donate here's a brief list to get you started.

Cereals
Canned Meats
Tuna
Rice
Peanut Butter
Beans, dried or canned
Canned vegetables
Canned fruit and fruit juices
Corn meal
Flour
Sugar
Macaroni and cheese
Cooking oil
Soup, dried and canned
Jelly or jam
Canned or dried pasta
Detergents
Toilet paper
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner

When in doubt, just ask yourself what you would like to eat in an emergency.

categories State of Michigan
tags food bank council of michigan, food bank donations, local food bank, michigan food banks

Listen to streaming Christmas music right here!

November 17, 2008Andrew Norton

You don't have to search any further for streaming Christmas music. I'll even play DJ for you. The current list of songs in our stream is below and we'll take requests (songs we'll add to the current rotation) via the comments section for this post. If you look at the left-hand side of the main page for All Things Michigan you will see a player located just under our Flickr pictures. Click 'play' and keep your station dialed to All Things Michigan for your Christmas music this year. Absolutely no commercial breaks too :) !

We have a Yooper Tree for the State Christmas tree this year

November 11, 2008Andrew Norton

Thanks to George Miljour from the burg of Suomi Junction (near Palmer which if you don't know where that is, it's southeast of Ishpeming) in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has donated a 101 year old spruce for this year's Michigan Christmas Tree to be displayed at the State Capital in Lansing. Last year's tree also came from the U.P. - Gladstone to be exact. The lighting ceremony is slated for November 21st. Read all about the Yooper State Christmas Tree at the Mining Journal.