52nd Annual Gem Show, hosted by the Alabama Mineral & Lapidary Society
Featured – Gift Ideas
Alabama Mineral & Lapidary Society invites you to experience its stunning, annual gem show on September 6-7 from 10am-6pm and September 8 from 10 am-4pm at the Irondale Civic Center (former Zamora Temple). Serious collectors will find prime specimens of minerals and fossils; lapidarists will find stone beads, slabs, and cabochons; jewelry admirers will find beautiful, natural adornments. Families will find fun and educational activities, with an expanded children’s section this year. The popular geode cracker will again be featured: Choose your own geode for purchase, then witness what timeless treasure hides inside as it is opened for you. There will be door prizes and demos on lapidary equipment. Follow for more information, visit www.lapidaryclub.com.
Don’t miss this great festive shopping experience in Hoover! There are two chances to shop talented community crafters and makers at the 2023 Christmas Market at Shades Mountain Community Church. Come out Friday, November 10 from 5pm-8pm and Saturday, November 11 from 9am-2pm! This has been such a fun annual event to get the holiday season started. Expect to see boutique clothing, stationery, wreaths, baked goods, home decor, candles, make-up, art, crafts and more! Daysol Coffee Lab will feature an espresso bar to keep shoppers energized as you cross off everything on your shopping list!
Special Feature
Janey Carter of Jasper, Ala. was just 17 years old when she was involved in a car accident that changed her life. “I dislocated my skull from my spine and damaged my spinal cord,” Carter says. The car accident left her “paralyzed from the neck down.”
22 year old business owner Janey Carter was inspired to start Paper by Janey during the COVID-19 pandemic when stores were closed. To learn more about Paper by Janey, visit www.paperbyjaney.com.
Carter shares she always loved to paint. After her accident, “I had to learn how to be creative in a new way,” she says. Thanks to technology, she can continue to use her gift to create greeting cards. Carter’s business, Paper by Janey, came to be during the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. “Stores were closed, and we couldn’t go shopping,” Carter recalls, adding, “I wanted to make something people could give their moms for Mother’s Day.” Paper by Janey has grown tremendously since! “In 2020 and 2021 combined, I had a total of less than 300 orders on my website. In 2022, I had almost 3,000!” In just the two first months of 2023, she received 2,600 orders! Her heart behind each card is to bring happiness to every person who receives a Paper by Janey card. “I hope my cards bring a smile to each person that receives one,” Carter says.
Browse the beautiful selection of cards from Paper by Janey at Cottontail’s Village on March 3-5.
Stop by Cottontail’s Village on March 3-5 at the BJCC to meet Carter and browse her selection of cards. “I will have cards for Easter, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. There will also be birthday cards, notepads, and more,” she says. “Most of my business is online, so I love to be a part of Cottontail’s Village because I enjoy meeting new people.”
In addition to Paper by Janey, Cottontail’s Village will welcome over 200 vendors from across the United States. Products you can expect to find include arts, crafts, clothing food, and more. Shop March 3-4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and March 5 from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. For more details, visit www.cottontailsfestival.com.
-Melissa Armstrong
Christmas Gift Guide
Looking for meaningful gifts that help a great cause? Handmade by survivors of human trafficking, every single purchase from ShopWell of The Wellhouse brings the hope of healing and restoration.
Nativity Ornament- $10, $12 with gold. These beautiful Nativity ornaments are the perfect addition to your ornament collection, featuring stamped Nativity scene offered in white or with golden accents.
These beautiful ornaments are strung with red velvet ribbon and feature a golden button to add extra flair. Each ornament is made of polymer clay, which makes them incredibly lightweight and perfect for hanging on the tree or tying to a gift.
Peace Prayer Cross: $18. The Peace Prayer Cross is inspired Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Each of our crosses are made from clay by our very own empowered survivors. While the clay is still soft, they hold it and pray for the person that will own it. The hand print makes it comfortable for any hand to hold. Our prayer is that by clutching this cross while you pray for others, you’ll remember your life is in the Potter’s hand, our Heavenly Father.
Cross Canvas: $28. Each Cross Canvas features a beautiful lace detailed cross and gold leaf. At 4’‘x4’x1.5 they sit perfectly on their own and will stand out on any table, bookshelf, or place they adorn. To view more items and purchase, click here. †
Christmas Gift Guide
Can you imagine the possibilities – if a child is exposed to God’s Word beginning at infancy and continuing throughout his childhood?
I had the experience of visiting a very sick baby (my Manny) at Children’s Hospital from the time he was one month old through his first discharge eight or nine months later. I visited him seven days a week and every day I prayed over him and I sang to him: “Jesus loves you, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong.”
Manny didn’t really speak until after his 2nd birthday. But when he started talking, without prompting, he began to sing, “Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so!” I was convinced…the capacity of infants to absorb and retain information was clear – for just such a time as now! Infants and small children can have God’s Word tucked inside a small stuffed animal that introduces them to their Creator – before they even learn to talk!
My Little Lamb is a stuffed animal audio Bible that plays Bible verses to give joy and comfort to little ones and help them sleep better. Click here to order your My Little Lamb. Proceeds from the sale go toward supporting ministry efforts of sharing audio Bible with those who may not be able to afford it.
-Susan Bates
Founder of Your Working Copy, Inc.
Christmas Gift Guide
For the Alabama fan in your life, artist Daniel A. Moore has you covered when it comes to Christmas Gift ideas. Choose from items starting at less than $20 and use the coupon code BAMAGIFT for 20% off your order. Gift ideas include the Crimson and White 2023 Fine Art Calendar featuring Alabama National Championship images from original paintings by Daniel A. Moore as well as Moore’s new pencil drawing portrait of college football Coach Nick Saban. Moore found inspiration for this work in Leonardo da Vinci’s striking drawing, the Turin Self Portrait. In keeping with that genre, the artist has digitally infused tone and background into his drawing to visually simulate some of the same patina and richness inherent in the Old Master’s centuries-old masterpiece.
Visit www.danielmooreart.com or New Life Art, 3600 Lorna Ridge Drive in Hoover. A framed limited edition copy of Moore’s new portrait of Coach Saban will also be given away as a part of Birmingham Christian Family’sJingle All the Way Reader Giveaways that begin November 18 through December 16, 2022.
Join Shades Mountain Community Church(SMCC) for a fun and festive shopping event at the 3rd annual Christmas Market at SMCC. Local artisans will have jewelry, boutique clothing, home and holiday decor, baked goods, beauty products and more! Shop Friday, Nov. 11 5-8 pm or Saturday, Nov. 12 9 am-2 pm! Free, locally-roasted, Daysol coffee and pastries will be served. Shoppers will also enjoy live music and vendor demonstrations!
Christmas Gift Guide
Struggling for a gift idea for someone on your Christmas list? Let T. Fox SalonSpa pamper your loved one with the best in skin and hair regimens.
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Skincare
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Makeup
Gift Cards
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Hand Relief Creme
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Body and Haircare sets
For more ideas on how to best care for your hair and skin visit the T. Fox SalonSpa Facebook page where every Tuesday the team posts a Tuesday Care Tip www.facebook.com/TFoxSalonspa. The team also invites you to stop by the SalonSpa on Valleydale Road in Hoover to learn more.
– Brought to you by T. Fox SalonSpa, Top 200 Salon in North America by Salon Today
T-Fox SalonSpa is offering a READERS’ REWARDS COUPON FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER!
Christmas Gift Guide
What better gift is there to give a child this holiday season than teaching them the true meaning of Christmas? Miracle in a Manger is a fun, interactive new Christmas tradition! It is the December countdown to the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Through meaningful activities, Miracle in a Manger is designed to help families focus on what Christmas is really about.
Miracle in a Manger includes an illustrated story book, 25 angel message cards, 25 pieces of soft hay, a plush manger and an angel who becomes Baby Jesus on Christmas morning. Beginning on December 1, the angel will bring a message card with a Bible verse that corresponds with the story of the birth of Christ and a list of activities known as gifts for God. Every time a child completes an activity, the child will receive a piece of hay the following day to place in the manger. On Christmas day, the manger will be full of soft hay and Baby Jesus to show the true meaning of Christmas. Miracle in a Manger includes everything you need to teach the real reason for the season! For more information and to purchase, visit www.miracleinamanger.com. †
Christmas Gift Guide
Attention parents, grandparents, homeschoolers and teachers! Are you concerned about building a foundation of faith in your children? Linda Harper created a digital coloring book rooted in Scripture for children that makes a unique Christmas gift that provides hours of fun with a lifetime of benefits! You can eliminate the huge expense of buying individual presents for all the children in your life by purchasing this digital download. How? Download all files within four days of purchase. They are then yours to print, give to the children you love, and enjoy forever with Harper’s permission! This coloring book makes a great stocking stuffer idea. The digitalColoring Book with Matching Music contains 16 coloring sheets plus all 12 matching songs designed to help children hide God’s Word in their hearts. Song titles include “The Fruit of the Spirit,” “The Gift of God,” “Taste and See,” and “Hearing God’s Voice.” Click here to learn more.
Customer Testimony: Hi Linda! My experience downloading was great…got everything I needed easily! We did two Coloring Pages and songs yesterday with the girls, and they LOVED it! It’s a great product! Love, Brianne †
4. Pre- made gift sets available including your Aveda favorites! 
