Valentine’s Day Gift Baskets and Gifts – Think Outside the Vase!

EXCLAMATIONS! Gifts is honored to have the opportunity to feature our Valentine’s Day Gift Collection on NBC San Diego News in the Morning! Claudia Johnson, President of EXCLAMATIONS! featured unique Valentine’s Day, gift ideas, new gift trends and some of our best selling gift basket designs! 

Let us make your Valentine’s Day extra special!  We can help you Celebrate with Gifts from the Heart!  For Valentine’s Day and every day, we have exciting gift ideas at every price point – from adorable drop off gifts to fresh baked treats & hand decorated cookies, stunning gift baskets & everything in between!

San Diego’s Best Gift Shop – EXCLAMATIONS! is in the lead!

After 8 weeks of competing and as the front runner for the first place title as San Diego’s Best Gift Shop – the votes are in!  The results of the 2009 KGTV 10 News A-List contest will be announced next week!  We can’t wait!

Throughout the 8 weeks of voting, our remarkable clients and fans provided us with extraordinary support and enthusiasm!  We are very grateful and so excited!
When voting closed, EXCLAMATIONS! had been acknowledged with hundreds of non-written votes and an awesome 284 wonderful written recommendations!

Here is a sampling of what some of our clients had to say about EXCLAMATIONS!

Qualcomm Staffing LOVES Exclamations! Gifts…they have the best ideas to WOW our executive candidates and their families!  Thank you, you are #1 in our book! Linda

They are the best! Have done many gift baskets for the BBB and we have always been very pleased. Lauren H.

EXCLAMATIONS! Gift Baskets have a unique personal touch. I think Claudia and her team sprinkle pixiedust on their baskets to make them like no other! They are “Giftlologists!” Rose S.

Their gift baskets are a thing of beauty and their customer service is like Nordstrom’s — flawless.  Marta L.

Very professional and organized! Dedicated to creating gifts that feel unique for each recipient – whether they are creating one gift for a friend or one thousand gifts for corporate sponsorship. TTC

I have been working with Claudia and EXCLAMATIONS! to provide corporate gifts to my customers for nearly 12 years and have never been disappointed. Their creativity and ingenuity always provide a unique product which is absolutely stunning in presentation. The team is fabulous to work with as well, professional and friendly.  Barbara P.

We are truly appreciative for the tremendous confidence and loyalty of everyone who voted!  Stay tuned as we discover the exciting results when the winner of San Diego’s Best Gift Shop is revealed!

The 63rd Annual Las Patronas Jewel Ball – San Diego's Most Prestigious Social Event

 

At EXCLAMATIONS!, we prioritize the “art of giving” in the community because investing in others enriches our own lives. We are honored to partner with dozens of non-profit organizations throughout San Diego and beyond.

Claudia Johnson, President of EXCLAMATIONS! is a proud & active member of San Diego’s Las Patronas.

Through a thoughtful grant process, Las Patronas funds critically needed capital items to organizations providing a wide spectrum of social, medical, cultural and environmental services that encompass every corner of San Diego County.

Since 1946, the all-volunteer philanthropic organization has donated more than $12 million to more than a thousand charitable institutions in San Diego.

Members of Las Patronas raise all of the funds that they grant through the annual Jewel Ball in August at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. The Jewel Ball is San Diego’s most prestigious social event and a cherished tradition for the many long-time guests.

This year’s 63^rd Annual Jewel Ball, Silk & Spice, is Saturday, August 8, 2009, and it certainly promises to be an event to remember!

In preparation for this spectacular celebration, Claudia is busy wrapping up an exciting and tiring week of extra long days jam-packed with hard work for Las Patronas’ annual Jewel Ball Work Week.  This week of “creating” the Jewel Ball includes building, painting, decorating, instructing, moving, engineering, lifting, delegating and accenting in order to give the Beach Club a temporary “Extreme Makeover” into a true fantasyland each year.

When the doors open at 7pm tomorrow night – the sense of achievement is certainly overwhelming and absolutely rewarding!

Make sure to visit our San Diego Gift Basket Blog next week when we showcase pictures from the Jewel Ball and the fantastic “Silk & Spice” themed gift collection we created for this incredible event!

We are nominated as San Diego's Best Gift Basket Company! Vote for us Today and receive Free Delivery on your next gift basket order!

We are excited to announce that EXCLAMATIONS! has been nominated as one of San Diego’s BEST local businesses!

It is an honor to be competing in this year’s 10News.com A-List contest! …But we need YOUR Vote!

Each year, a contest is held to discover the best local businesses on our local KGTV 10 News A-List. The contest runs July 13 – September 4, 2009 during which time thousands of locals vote for their favorite art gallery, day spa, burger, boutique, bakery, gift basket business and more!  The 2009 10news.com A-List is chosen by real people from all over San Diego. Winners of each category will be announced during the week of September 14, 2009 on 10News.com

Click Here to visit the A-List website and PLEASE VOTE FOR EXCLAMATIONS!

You will be rewarded!  Your vote along with a written recommendation will be rewarded with one FREE DELIVERY on your next Gift Basket order of $50.00 or more!  Simply mention offer code  ”ALIST09″ upon order. This special offer expires 10/1/09.

We truly appreciate your time and enthusiasm!

EXCLAMATIONS! Gift Baskets front and center at the San Diego County Fair!

Presenting our favorite gift basket making tips and tricks at this year’s San Diego County Fair was an honor and great experience! We had a lot of fun and our audience did too!

Just in time for summer, our gift basket demonstration included useful instructions on how to make a fun and patriotic gift basket! We showed start to finish tips on how to design a gift basket for everyone! Even a gift basket for the family pet!

There are only a few days left at the fair, the last day of the 2009 season is July 5. It is one of our most favorite San Diego summer traditions! If you haven’t been yet…don’t miss it!

The San Diego County Fair features Gift Baskets by EXCLAMATIONS!

We are honored to be requested as a presenter at the 2009 San Diego County Fair!  Join us for an exceptional Gift Basket Demonstration Speech on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 4:00 pm in the Home & Hobby Exhibit Area.

In fact, Home and Hobby competition is the very origin of the county fair. The San Diego County Fair has hundreds of divisions and classes that award ribbons, cash and prizes for the best homemade food, clothing and decorative items. Decorative arts competitions include basketry and gourds, beading, ceramics, dolls and toys, holiday decorations, Fair theme, polymer clay, tole painting and more.

This year, tunes of all types will be featured at the 2009 San Diego County Fair’s celebration of “Music Mania!” Besides an impressive line-up of performers, the fair is filled with delightful attractions, unique vendors, home, garden, antique and art exhibitions, silly contests, and everyone’s favorite – fried fair food. The fair begins June 12 and runs through July 5 (closed Monday June 15 and 22) at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

So, “let the good times roll” at the San Diego County Fair! And please visit us on Tuesday, June 16, for an informative & fun gift basket making instructional including practical gift basket tips and tricks from the EXCLAMATIONS! pros!

Honoring Our Heroes – Memorial Day Tributes in San Diego

Much more than the quintessential signal for the start of summer in San Diego, the Memorial Day holiday is meant to reflect on the true meaning of the day- to honor America’s fallen heroes and thank them for their efforts and profound patriotism. On Memorial Day, we remember the brave American soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the USA, their homeland and its citizens. 

From the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla to our Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego proudly observes Memorial Day with various ceremonies, services and tributes.

This Memorial Day Weekend, we commemorate the bravery of our fallen soldiers and respectfully honor their memory.  Our Freedom…truly the ultimate Gift!

“And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free, and I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me and I’ll proudly stand next to him to defend her still today, ‘cuz there ain’t no doubt I love this land, god bless the USA.”  - Lee Greenwood

A San Diego Gift Basket Company Starts with a Dream – Our EXCLAMATIONS! Story

We are honored to be featured in a popular gift basket industry magazine! This fantastic article by author Gayle Gallager tells our story…how we began, what we believe in and where we are today!

Our Story – A San Diego Gift Basket Company Starts with a Dream

If not for the real estate recession in the early 1990’s, Claudia Johnson might still be working for a building developer. But the recession did happen, and the San Diego developer she worked for slowly downsized from 160 to less than 12 employees. Johnson made it down to the final dozen before the inevitable ax fell. That was when she had her first experience with unemployment checks. And that’s when-with her very last one (a whopping $200)-she started EXCLAMATIONS! ” I was shopping with my mom after I received that last check,” said Johnson, “and we passed by a florist going out of business. They had a bunch of burgundy baskets with gold accents, and they inspired me. I told my mom, ‘I’m going to start a business.’ I bought those burgundy baskets and there was no looking back.”

Of course…that was just the beginning. This isn’t a from-unemployment-to-instant-success story. No, this gal paid her dues. One of the fascinating things about Johnson’s story, however, is that she paid her dues with cash every step of the way. “If I couldn’t pay cash for my inventory, office supplies, etc., I just didn’t buy them!” said Johnson. “In the beginning, my budget was so tight,” she said, “that most of my shelving, tables and other office furniture came from companies that were moving or going out of business.”

Goodbye Guestroom, Hello Showroom!
It was, to which many small business owners can relate, a humble beginning. “For three years, I operated out of my guest room, the hallway, and a couple of closets,” said Johnson. Then came the first move into a 500 square foot commercial space. The business grew, and two years later there was a second move to 1,200 square feet. More growth over the next year required a third move to 3,200 square feet. The moving part of this story isn’t over yet, so keep reading. Throughout this time, Johnson has kept a strict rule about her space. “I’ve chosen to operate my business from traditional business parks,” she said. “My shop is open on weekdays by appointment only.”

She also practiced a no-debt policy throughout her growth spurts. “Working on a cash-only basis forced me to fine tune my work spaces without overspending,” said Johnson. Not only did Johnson stay out of debt during her business’s growth, she saved money too, eventually having enough in 2001 to qualify for an SBA loan. This leads us to her last move-into the 5,000 square foot building she purchased with her SBA loan. “It truly is amazing,” said Johnson. Ironically, when she was renting her first space of 500 square feet, she met another tenant a few doors away who thought of her business as a “hobby”. In fact, he used to marvel at how she could possibly achieve success creating gifts. Eventually, he relocated and she lost contact with him. That is, until she bought the building that he had moved into! He was now giving her a monthly rent check and was quite shocked to learn that Claudia was now his landlord! EXCLAMATIONS! to grow and when his lease came up for renewal, he moved out and she took over the entire 5,000 square foot building! “Today my shop features a gorgeous showroom, executive offices, a production area and a shipping department, said Johnson.” Someday her building will…

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A San Diego Tradition – The Carlsbad Flower Fields

The Carlsbad Flower Fields have been a San Diego tradition for over sixty years. This annual burst of color transforms the rolling hills of North San Diego County into one of the most spectacular and coordinated displays of natural color and beauty anywhere in the world!

Just like our exquisite gift baskets and unique gift designs, it is only natural for EXCLAMATIONS! to love & appreciate all things extraordinary & beautiful! The brilliant blooming hillside of the Carlsbad Flower Fields certainly tops our list of San Diego highlights!

As spring transitions into summer in lovely San Diego, the Carlsbad Flower Fields celebrate the final day of their season this Sunday, May 10.  A trip to the Flower Fields is an ideal Mother’s Day outing!

Take yourself out of the ordinary and enjoy this San Diego Gift!