The Makings of a Basket Case

To be in a moment of what feels like chaos only to pause and find yourself surrounded by pure joy is how I have come to experience many days since becoming a mother of two tiny humans (and 2 four-legged fur babies) all at once. Life is constant. Even when much of our world was sent home to wait on changing daily news during the pandemic, within the walls of our home our world was still very much in motion. While the concept of Basket Case as a business came to my husband, Kyle, and I in June 2017, the notion of embracing Basket Case as a way of life is one we are now just coming to learn and appreciate.

Our story of Basket Case began when I was frantically running around during lunch breaks and finding time on the weekends leading up to our wedding in search of the perfect gifts for our bridesmaids. I knew what I wanted to create but needed the time and the location with the products I had in mind. After finally seeking out local small businesses in Galena, IL and Dubuque, IA I had it all and got the gifts into their packages. When I was able to sit down and take in my vision that had come to life, it occurred to me. I could not be the only bride who wanted to share unique gifts in a fun way with their best friends while supporting local businesses. It was then the idea of this business was born.

Pause. Life continued to happen. We would bring up the idea now and again, but never thought to act on the idea.

March 2020. A month we will always remember. In our household it was not just the month when we came home to work and learn, Kyle started a new job working 12-hour swing shifts while our then 1.5 year-old daughter was home with me while I worked and we prepared to welcome our second child in May. Looking ahead at how this new lifestyle would affect our family once things returned to normal and having many conversations about how we wanted to feel at the end of every day as a family and couple sparked change.

Knowing that we had decided I would permanently stay home to help us create the life we wanted to live, also inspired us to say "why not?" to looking into Basket Case as a real business. After many thought-provoking and informative conversations, diving into my own knowledge of managing a business and marketing, and confirming with one another this was something we were passionate about pursuing we began to put the wheels in motion.

Caught You Looking

After several months of creating late hours to work on setting up Basket Case it is happening. The photo shared above is from our first photoshoot of some sample baskets and products we will offer. My best friend once told me to look at photos I have shared on social media and think about why I posted them. She explained that we are the only ones who know the story of what it took to get to that still moment. In this photo it looks like we are posing, in reality, I am looking out to our one-year-old son who is attempting to tear apart anything he can get his hands on, Buddy is trying to stay within 2 inches of me, our other dog you don't see is attempting to jump on the couch, Clara is looking at her Mama with her sweet smile and adoring eyes oblivious to any chaos, and there at the center of it all is our dream coming to life amidst be likely feeling like a Basket Case.

When I see a photo like this, I am humbly reminded that is it important to look beyond the moment we are in sometimes. We need to remind ourselves that this too shall pass and live in the present memory being made. This is a feeling I want people to experience when receiving one of our gift baskets. I hope that the stories each product comes with and their uniqueness interrupt any noise in a person's life and invokes pure joy at receiving such a package from someone who cares.

Our journey with Basket Case and our growing family has just begun. We look forward to sharing our stories with you during the making of Basket Case. Thank you for supporting not only our dream, but those of the people's businesses we cannot wait to call partners!