Monday, June 29, 2009

July 4th Holiday

Independence Day is Saturday!

We're really looking forward to an actual two day weekend! Yep, The Candy Basket will be closed Saturday and we'll have two entire days to play!!

Let me tell you about some of the neat July 4th treats and decorative accessories we have.

See these cool martini glasses in the picture above? They have cute little red, blue, or clear stars on the stems, and are perfect for weekend beverages. Heck, even water tastes and looks better in these adorable glasses!

I like to put out a few things to decorate for the various holidays and seasons, and there are a lot of patriotic accessories to choose from this year at The Candy Basket.

Check out these handsome Jim Shore figurines below. I like to put this sort of decorative piece on a table by our front door, or on the buffet in the dining room in front of the big mirror, or in a bookcase in the den. I do the same with seasonal cookie jars - just one or two will make a big statement in our home and yours!



There's a terrific infused glass patriotic chip & dip, too. Pour some of our fantastic (Oklahoma made) peach salsa in that little glass bowl, and spread our tortilla chips, also Oklahoma made from red, white, and blue corn!


We're going to kick back, have some chips and salsa, and our enjoy our new favorite drink - Beer-tinis. Here's the (easy) recipe:

Empty one can of frozen limeade concentrate in a large pitcher. Fill that can with lemon vodka, and add to limeade. Stir, then add three 12 oz bottles of premium beer.

This sounded a little strange to me, but let me assure you - it's a great, refreshing cocktail you and your weekend guests will love, especially when served in those cute little red/white/blue star martini glasses!

My family loves this holiday - not only for the time off, but for the child it brings out in all of us. Cookouts, croquet, watermelon seed spitting contests, fireworks...all great memories of carefree summer days.

Hope y'all have a safe, fun-filled weekend!

Later -
Madame G


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Initially Yours



Since I own a candy/chocolate store, you'd think I'd be writing about candy, right?
Well, candy is dandy....but Mud Pie is definitely a winner with us!

We just got in yet more of their monogrammed glass pieces. This stuff is hot!
Customers are excited about the reasonable prices, the good looking packaging, and the variety of items from the line that make great gifts - perfect for weddings and showers, birthday and hostess gifts.
We did a little study and found that we've sold several hundred of their cutting boards and bottle stoppers. Next best seller - the cheese trays w/speaders. These aren't glass, they're ceramic. Maurice and I had a 'discussion' at market last year about which item (cutting boards or cheese trays) we would sell the most of. Neither of us would budge, so we bit the bullet and brought in the whole line which, at that time, just consisted of those two items.
Since then, we've brought in Mud Pie's monogrammed bottle stoppers, glass frames, square trays, tidbit dishes (s/4), tumblers (s/4), wine glasses (s/4), and decanters.
We've also ordered their initial Christmas hand towels, coasters, and ornaments that come in the cutest packaging we've seen in a long time!
The initial trend continues, and Mud Pie just keeps putting out more and better stuff!
Next time, I'll tell you about their adorable cosmetic bags, can coozies, triple notepads, card cases, etc.
Nice to know that some customers are realizing we really are more than just a candy store!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Dear old Dad


Dear old Dad - what a guy!

For Father's Day, I used to give my Dad record albums of our favorite symphonies. He was a fabulous musician, and I inherited my love of music and any musical abilities I have from Dad.

Maurice's Dad is also gone now, but he was crazy about outdoor grilling, and boy, was he ever good at it! If he were still with us, his Father's Day gift would be something from the table you see here. Hamburger platters, bowls, plates, Oklahoma made chips/salsas/queso, grilling sauces, seasoning salt, and those adorable mustard and ketchup dispensers from Home, Etc.. All Practical and useful....just what he would have enjoyed!

A lot of people don't know what to do for their Dads for Father's Day. I love it when customers want to put together baskets or gift boxes for their Dads. They usually want the following: Horehound candy, chocolate covered espresso beans, coffees, old fashioned rootbeer barrels, lemon drops, and some sort of chocolate covered nut combination. Yup, we sell all of that good stuff, and we usually do a number of gifts that are specially selected for Dear old Dad...the guy who's hard to buy for. Hopefully this year, customers will also appreciate our efforts to focus on outdoor grilling.

Father's Day was born in memory and gratitude by a daughter who thought her father (and all good fathers) should be honored with a special day just like we honor our mothers on Mother's Day. Father's Day was officially recognized by Congress in 1956, and we've been paying tribute to our dear Dads, Grandfathers, husbands, brothers, sons, uncles, and father figures in our lives ever since. Here's to Bob Summers and Henry Galoob....may they rest in peace.




Saturday, June 13, 2009

Sweets and treats


Besides terrific chocolates, candies, and confections, we also have a number of mixes for things like pancakes, scones, cherry cobbler (my fave - not too sweet), lemon bars, breads, cakes and cupcakes.

Since I'm now getting better w/the picture thing, I took this cute pic of Rachel this afternoon at our little baking area in the front of the store. In case you can't tell, those are scone mixes she's showing off in her best Vanna White imitation.

I think my favorite mix is the cherry cobbler from Plentiful Pantry. To quote my favorite Food Network chef, Paula Dean, it's 'Slap your Mama' delicious. I put in a little cinnamon and a tad more butter than the recipe called for (again, Paula Dean!). We had a good healthy dinner first, so the guilt wasn't so intense when we topped the hot cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
It made enough for six large servings - you could get more if you were so inclined, but at the Galoob household, we don't believe in mamby-pamby servings!

This weekend I'm going for the chocolate orange pound cake mix, but I use the brownie recipe on the side of the box, and I do a trick I learned from...guess who? Paula-again. Arteries, prepare yourselves!
I pour half the brownie mixture in the baking dish, then add individual Van Lys orange truffles in the center of what would be each brownie, then top w/the remaining mix. OMG....talk about rich and delicious...they were fabulous, and my mouth is already watering.

As soon as I recuperate from the chocolate overload this weekend, I'll get back to biz and will write more later. Until then, sweet (chocolate) dreams!

Adios amigos....
Lady Gy

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea...


I started thinking about water today....oceans, to be exact!
I learned that a young fellow we know is moving to Maui
in a couple of months, and another friend is moving to
California tomorrow! I think that's what made me yearn
for some ocean breezes and tropical drinks (with a little umbrella, please!)


















I also learned how to download photos, so here's
what Melissa, Rachel and I did this afternoon.....how do you
like it? Does it make you want to pick up shells at the
seashore? Dip your tootsies in the cool ocean water?!

I've always been a sucker for shells, and in fact have a small,
handpicked selection of them in our home. The incredible brown leather/seashell frames and boxes are so gorgeous
that I want to re-do a room! That platter w/the deep sea
motif also has a little gold leaf on it...so beautiful!

I'll not bore y'all with any more pictures just yet. I will
work on this aspect of blogging, and see if I can be a little more creative in the future.
Besides, I'm tired from all that day-dreaming about the water, sand,palm trees, shells, sunsets and umbrella drinks!

Aloha....
Gyan

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Sunday is such a glorious day! We work hard all week, and sometimes we still have to go back to the store on Sundays (like today), but it's not like work at all. In fact, there' something deliciously naughty about being locked in a candy store!!!
We're gearing up for this sidewalk sale coming up the end of this week. We have SO MUCH stuff we want to get rid of...stuff I never should have ordered, stuff that sold well for a long time, then stopped selling, stuff that is just shop-worn or slightly damaged....SO MUCH STUFF!! I hope all of Norman shows up this weekend and helps us clear it out.
After that, the biggest thing we have going is our birthday celebration weekend July 10/11. I can hardly believe we've been residents of Carriage Plaza for twenty years!!! Geez, how time flies.
I will always remember the week we moved in from our former place of biz in Moore. After the boxes, fixtures, etc. were delivered to our Carriage Plaza store, I walked in on a (glorious) Sunday afternoon, saw a store stuffed w/boxes to unpack, and just sat down and cried! It was such an overwhelming challenge, but we made it! We brought our kids (Stephen & David) with us every day and made them open boxes and otherwise help us. We didn't feel right leaving a 10 & 12 year old home alone, and those of you who are parents can certainly understand that!
It took us ten days to get set up for business, which included the July 4th holiday. During that time, we also went to Dallas market to buy stuff for the new place, with no idea if we'd even have any new customers, let alone how they might like us. It was one of the most stressful times in our lives, but it paid off, and here we are, 20 years later! Certainly cause for celebration!
More later....
Madame G

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Did it again!

I did it again....I arrived here and am able to post again! Yea...

I'm sending out a Candygram tonight....can't wait to tell the readers about the nostalgia gum that just came back in...Blackjack, Clove, and everybody's favorite, Beeman's. Just smelling that stuff takes me back. Growing up, we always chewed those gums when we could find them. When I quit smoking twenty years (and 100 lbs.) ago, I ate a lot of horehound candy and chewed a lot of Clove & Beeman's gum, yet I still love them all!

The former manufacturers sold the recipes and product to Cadbury, who thought 'out of sight, out of mind' for over three years. They just stopped making it - figured it wasn't a big enough seller, and didn't add that much to their bottom line.

Well, let me tell you - enough hell was raised that they said "Uncle", and they've been promising to make it for over a year now. We had to order (last fall), and that's all we'll be able to get. We ordered over a thousand packs of the silly gum! Gosh, I hope a lot of people remember it and will 'come and get it'.

Anyway, the cases of it are stacked right around the corner from our office, and as I sit here typing this blog, I'm smelling those wonderful, spicy aromas!

Gotta go get me some GUM!

Later -
G

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Okay - I'm here! Now what?

I don't even know how I arrived here, but I think this will serve as the first ever Candy Basket blog!

For those of you stumbling across this blog, let me introduce myself - I'm Gyan, co-owner w/my husband Maurice, of a terrific little candy/gift shop in Norman, Oklahoma: The Candy Basket.

We've been in biz since we first opened in Moore, Ok. back in 1984, and we moved to Carriage Plaza in Norman back in July of 1989...yes, TWENTY years ago! Since then, we've expanded to twice the space we had then, and we're not expanding again, even though the space next to us is vacant right now! God forbid...Maurice would divorce me if I even so much as hinted that I wanted to expand again!

We are a great candy/chocolate/coffee/tea shop, but we specialize in 'chick gifts'...everything from engraved compacts to note pads, magnets, office stuff, tampon cases, martini & wine glasses, inital cosmetic bags, wallets, tableware....too much to mention.

We have an extensive mailing list - if you'd like to be added, just go to the 'contact us' section at our website:

www.candybasketok.com

We also have an electronic mailing list. We send out 'Candygrams' periodically, and we offer Candygram specials to our dear readers. If you'd like to be included, just send us your e-mail.

I assure you, your info will not be shared with anyone or sold to anyone! It's basically for my eyes only, as I'm the one who does the Candygrams....I think I do a better, more interesting job when I have a glass or two of wine before I sit down to compose at the computer!

We're having a sidewalk sale next weekend for three days - June 11, 12, & 13th. I hope the weather doesn't do bad things. Even so, we have a huge over-hang, and for the right price, anyone is probably willing to get a little damp if necessary!

I'll send updates later. Suffice it to say that for now, I'm growing out of the 'dinosaur' mode and trying to make friends w/my computer!!

Ta-ta everyone.....
Gyan