Borrrrrrn in the USA

Rob is a huge Springstein fan...hence the title. lol.

This blog post is really an important one...so pay attention!

I don't know if you've been watching ABC world news with Diane Sawyer lately but they've aired several segments about products that are manufactured right here in America and how important it is that we, as Americans, support these businesses.  We are giving billions of our hard-earned dollars to China and other countries for the products that fill our homes.  ABC news surprised a family a few months ago and instructed them to empty their home of all items that weren't American-made.  You know what was left in their entire living room?  One vase and some fresh flowers.  That's it!  If you don't believe me just take a look around your own home and try to find 5 items that are made in the USA.  It's really quite shocking.

Now I know what you're thinking...how can we help it?  Big Box stores like Walmart and Target have the best prices and the easiest availability on most everyday items....I get it.  Trust me, I really do.  I don't have a lot of extra money so I'm always searching for the best price and usually the best price is on items that are made overseas.  But usually the best quality is in the American-made products.  Just something to think about!

Here's the next dilemma.  I have a child so I'm well-aware that the Christmas gifts that kids love are the Sesame Street, the Super Heroes, the Disney stuff, etc.  And it's pretty much inevitable that all of those items are manufactured in China or somewhere overseas.  Just like most of you I want my child to have those toys that she's sees on TV or in the toy catalogs and I'm 99% sure that she'll have some of them under the tree this year.  What Rob and I have done, and what I challenge you to do, too is just to try to find one or two gifts this year that are American-made.  If every American spent just $64 of their estimated $700 Christmas shopping budget on something that is American-made it would help to create something like 200,000 U.S. jobs.  (Info. taken from ABC news.com).  I don't always believe in these types of statistics but I think it's obvious that your effort would certainly make a difference in this case.  Any time that consumers choose to buy American-made products it's a win for our country in one way or another. 

You may or may not know that Rob works for a local company called Channel Craft, a manufacturer and distributor of authentic American toys, games, and puzzles.  And what could be better than a "Made in the USA" company? Well duh....they're located in Pittsburgh which makes it even more awesome!  Channel Craft was featured on the ABC world news a few months ago where they toured the factory and interviewed some employees.  You can view the segment at the Channel Craft website http://www.channelcraft.com/ 
Also on their website you can purchase some classic toys for your kids or some really cool puzzles for anyone on your shopping list!  I think it's important for kids to play with toys that aren't electronic and that spark their little imaginations.  Do you want your kids to grow up without knowing how to play jacks or jump rope?  I didn't think so.  :)

Also...please tune in to the ABC world news with Diane Sawyer this evening and every evening this week.  Channel Craft employees (including Rob!!!) will be showing Christmas purchases that they made of products that are American-made. Rob and I bought Mia a Step-2 playhouse that is American-made!   A lot of "Little Tikes" products are made in the USA, too.

Here is an article that gives some great American-made gift ideas: 
http://madeheremadewell.com/journal/10-holiday-gift-ideas-made-in-the-usa

Here's a link to the Channel Craft Facebook page.  Like them!! 
https://www.facebook.com/#!/ChannelCraft

If you have any great American-made gift ideas, please share them in the comments section!!!  I'd love to hear 'em!
Thanks for reading and Happy Holiday Shopping to all of you!  Please remember to be nice to store employees and fellow shoppers :)  A smile goes a long way!

USA! USA! USA!

2027

No....2027 is NOT the number of cookies I've made this week...although it absolutely feels like it. 

2027 is the year that Mia will be turning 17.  Why am I writing about this you ask?  Well....last night I was working on an order for a girl's 17th birthday and my mind just started to wander...Will I still be doing this when Mia is 17?  Wonder what she'll be like or what cookies she will want for her 17th birthday.  Will she even like cookies???  Will she be an employee of my bakery?(I'm dreaming, I know)  How old will I be when Mia is 17?  45.  Will I have arthritis in my hands by then?  Probably.  I hope I can make her some nice birthday cookies even though I'll be so busy at the bakery and dealing with my ailment. 

So I yell out to Rob..."Do you think I'll still be doing this when Mia is 17?"  His response:  "I don't know." (Real communicative, Rob...thanks for participating in this conversation.)

Anyway....this customer requested girly shoes and purses for her daughter's birthday dinner.  I just couldn't make purses without matching wallets...and I've had these lipstick and nail polish cookie cutters that I've been waiting to use so I made some of those, too. 

Maybe these were my favorite....

Love the little clasp on the wallet

Wait.....I think these were my favorite :)

A very rushed and non-researched attempt at a Louis Vuitton logo. 

Fun!

I also worked on some football cookies yesterday so here are the pictures of those...

 

AND....I made angel cookies this week and forgot to take a picture of them :( 

(Imagine a picture of beautiful angel cookies here:)

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

on cloud 9.......

How does the time get away from me so quickly?  My last blog post was BEFORE Halloween and here it is November 14th already.  Is it just me or is November seriously flying by?

Well ...it's been a really exciting couple of weeks for me and for Give Mia Cookie.  I was so honored to participate in the "Knockout Cancer" event at the Galleria mall last night which was hosted by 96.1 Kiss FM.  If you've visited the facebook page then maybe you saw some of the pictures...did you see that super-awesome picture of me and Theresa from the Real Housewives of new Jersey?  No?  OK, I'll post it again here:




Don't we look like bff's??  LOL



I'm just so excited that I got to meet her!  I'm not ashamed to admit that I watch every season of "The Real Housewives" religiously.  

Anyway...back to business...I was so completely overly nervous for this event....you don't even understand.  I've done countless events like this for the chocolate store but never for my own business!  I was scared that it wouldn't look professional enough, that the cookies wouldn't show well, that the samples wouldn't be well-received, etc.  You name it....I was nervous about it.  In the end I was so happy with how everything went.  The location of my table was great, the display came together really nicely, and most importantly everyone seemed to love the sample cookies and designs!  At one moment about an hour in to the event I just had to catch my breath and hold back some tears.  I just couldn't believe that MY business was being introduced to so many people. 

The wonderful comments and encouragement from everyone were truly overwhelming.  I need to thank Amanda and everyone else at the radio station for giving me a chance, thank you to all of the patrons for stopping by and supporting my business, thanks to my mom for babysitting Mia, and most importantly thanks to Rob for being such a huge part of the whole night.  Not many husbands will stand in front of a pink and purple business and hand out pink and purple cookie samples in support of their wives.  Hearing how he talked about my business made me feel like he was really proud of me :)  And hearing him talk about Mia is just the sweetest thing ever :)

And now it's onto the busiest 2 weeks of baking that I've had scheduled yet.  Wish me luck!  Here are some of the Thanksgiving designs that will be keeping me quite busy next week!