Highland Parker turns love of crafting into a career

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Sue Monhait spent years in the corporate world, and decided she wanted a more family-focused career. Since 2006, she has been the owner of Basket Thyme, a gift basket company in Highland Park.

“I decide on the gift basket business for a couple of reasons,” Monhait said.

“I have always been into nice, gourmet foods. I also have a creative streak — I used to be a quilter. I feel it is important to show people you appreciate them and thank them when they’ve done something that helps you out. A lot of that is missing today. I started Basket Thyme to make people feel good and help them celebrate events.”

Monhait also runs a custom ribbon company out of the same facility that prints ribbons with custom names and logos for people with unusual name spellings, or companies. She sells her ribbons to quilting shops, scrap booking stores, gift basket companies, gift shops and stationery stores.

She said customers can put almost anything into a gift basket — cards, candies, gourmet chocolates, popcorn, salmon, cheese, wine, and more. Monhait offers a custom “pizza basket,” with pizza dough mix, pizza sauce, basil olive oil, pizza seasonings, and cheese — all packed in a mixing bowl. She also offers wine-themed baskets, kosher baskets, picnic-for-two-baskets, cookie baskets, birthday baskets, movie night baskets and get-well baskets. Baskets range from $35 to $200.

Monhait said she has had some interesting gift baskets in the past.

“People can put anything they want in a gift basket,” Monhait said.

“One of my friend’s companies in another part of the country put a surfboard into a gift basket. I did a basket that was train-themed for a man who loved miniature trains. It included a whistle and other train paraphernalia.

“Here, we really focus on gourmet gifts, mostly edible things so people can open their basket and eat right away. Pasta baskets are another of Basket Thyme’s specialties.

“We try to do the most upscale product — not necessarily most expensive, but we want to make it brands that are not typically found in the area. It makes it extra special.”

One of Monhait’s favorite baskets wasn’t for a person at all.

“One of the most fun and different gift baskets that we did was when we did a happy birthday gift for a house,” Monhait said. “It was for a house that was turning 100 years old. People were going to party and wanted to do a big gift recognizing the house.

“The owners put it in the vestibule of house, and it became the theme of the whole party.”

For more information or to order a basket of your own, call (847) 831-8100 or visit www.basketthyme.com.