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!

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!

 

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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…

Someday her building will become her retirement! Johnson has two full-time and several part-time employees who are on call for specific orders and projects. It’s notable that in 2007, employee Amy Kcomt celebrated her tenth anniversary with EXCLAMATIONS! Kcomt is Johnson’s operations manager and lead designer. Another employee, Production Manager Lorena Mendoza, has worked for Johnson four years.
That kind of loyalty is rare, and Johnson knows it. “My staff takes care of everything. They’re trustworthy and dynamic and can really run my shop without me!” said Johnson, who is a firm believer in taking care of the staff that takes care of you. “If I could give only one piece of advice to a new gift basket designer-or any new business owner for that matter-I’d say be good to your staff, financially and otherwise. That’s the only way to cultivate loyalty and keep good people.”

Keeping It Neat And Pretty
While at the Fancy Food Show in San Diego earlier this year, Cherie Reagor and Valerie Trescot had the pleasure of touring the EXCLAMATIONS! facility. As evidenced by the beautiful photographs in this feature article, you can see that Claudia’s shop is so perfectly organized and pleasantly appointed that it makes a great “home away from home.” “It was both inspiring and motivating,” said Cherie. “Not only were we impressed by Claudia’s business-it made us come home and work on our own organizational skills!”

“Even clients compliment us on how well-organized everything is, said Johnson. I know when they see our attention to detail, it makes them comfortable and increases their trust in us.” Then there’s Johnson’s top-flight staff. “Their care with our work spaces and products is always evident,” said Johnson. “Together, as a team, we maintain a very organized, clean and efficient shop.We never lose sight of tending to the details.” Attention to details is something Johnson and her staff insist on, and it’s one of the things Johnson believes contributed largely to her success. Johnson said that every area of her shop is arranged for maximum efficiency, from the floors to the walls, and on up to the ceilings. Everything in Johnson’s building is in its optimum place. She said that how you store, file and label is key. “We don’t spend time wondering where we put something. We always know where to find just what we’re looking for,” she said. The EXCLAMATIONS! staff rotates gourmet foods weekly for freshness. Gift items are organized on shelves by category: Corporate, Spa and Beauty, Baby, Golf, Housewares, Stationary, etc. “We allocate appropriate storage space for each category,” said Johnson. “This ensures that we see everything in inventory and nothing gets lost from view. Our walls are lined with shelving and our custom-made lofts hang from the ceilings.”

Getting Her Stripes
You know that old saying about luck being the result of preparation meeting opportunity? Well that’s the kind of luck Johnson had. While it might seem that her road to success has been totally smooth, she was enduring the bumps and fits and starts of any serious, dedicated business owner. First, she spent long hours studying the industry and teaching herself how to design gift baskets. Attending conventions and instructional courses helped hone her skills. Then, she had to convince family and friends that her business was more than a hobby. “A lot of people weren’t taking my venture seriously,” said Johnson. “Eventually, they saw it for the real business it is. But it was a little hard at first to deal with the attitude that I was ‘playing.’ I overcame it by keeping my attitude positive and forging on!” There were also financial struggles in the early years. Paying cash for everything and trying to remain debt-free isn’t an easy way to go, because that means you often go without the things you need. Staying financially solvent always wins in the end, though. And for Johnson, it means she has a successful business along with a record of staying debt-free for 15 years! Another struggle for Johnson was finding the right gifts and gourmet vendors. “I wanted products that were high quality and unique-and ones I could be proud to sell,” she said. “I quickly learned that gift shows and gift basket conventions would settle that issue for me.” Johnson’s thriving business and beautiful showroom are the result of good planning, responsible money management, organization, research, education, legwork, quality control, and attention to detail. That’s the kind of “luck” hardworking people like Claudia Johnson have!

The Power Of The Referral
“Well it certainly helps to like people!” said Johnson when asked about how she finds new customers. “I promote myself in subtle ways everywhere I go. I lead a very busy life and have an outgoing personality, so it’s easy for me to connect with people,” said Johnson. “Truth be told, I’m always marketing!” And here’s the interesting part. That’s Johnson’s entire marketing plan! When she meets someone new, she tells them what she does and asks them to keep her in mind when they need her service. No brochures, no direct mail, no radio, no newspaper ads. On the power of her personality alone, she’s built her business. Well, that and the acquaintance who hired Johnson to create 20 baskets for her law firm. That was Johnson’s first “real order”-created out of her guest room. She sold them for $75 each. Those 20 baskets were the beginning of a solid referral business, which continues to branch out in all directions. One referral leads to another and then another and then another. These referrals continue because of the professionalism of her company, exceptional customer care and unique gift offerings. She has created the winning combination. No ad campaign ever. Honestly, where would we be without determination and persistence? But sustaining a business on referrals couldn’t work without other important things. That would be Johnson’s ethics, integrity, and passion. She stays involved with the industry and is always giving back to her community. She treats everyone the way she wants to be treated. “The Golden Rule-do unto others as you would have others do unto you-goes a long way,” said Johnson.

Grateful and Blessed
We asked Johnson how she chose “EXCLAMATIONS!” as her company’s name. Her answer was, “When I write, I tend to use a lot of exclamation points! They indicate excitement-just how the recipient feels when they receive one of my gifts! I also wanted a business name that was as diverse as the gift services we offer.” There you go. A grateful Claudia Johnson, a bright and loyal staff, the owner of a 5,000 square foot building, a thriving and extremely organized business. What a blessed gal!

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!