I will never try to convince you that you need to accumulate more things on this earth. Jesus reminds us to “…store up treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy.”
That being said, when we do purchase items, say, a gift for mom, we can be mindful of where our dollars are going.
Where we place our dollars is like casting a vote for what companies will prosper.
If we put our money towards Christian-based shops, we are helping those Christian shop owners prosper which will give them more resources to do good works for our Lord.
Am I saying that we should never shop at big-box stores? Not at all. I am fully aware that many consumers have limited budgets and options when it comes to their purchases. Big box stores are a blessing in those cases.
But if you do have the resources to shop small, consider buying your Mother’s Day gift from a Christian small shop this year. As we all know, small shops are hurting in this strange and unprecedented time.
I’ve put together a list of nine Christian small shops that I love and have really neat gifts to give mom this year.
I’ll tell you a little more about each one of the nine I’ve included here:
1. Sparrow Soaps
Sparrow soaps is a family goat farm in Connecticut that uses the milk from the goats to create the most beautiful bars of soap I have ever seen.
They are always posting pictures of their cute kids and friendly goats over on their Instagram page: @sparrowsoaps.
They have a whole variety of different scents/colors to choose from:
Bars run $7 a piece plus shipping, but they are running a deal right now to get 6 soaps for $35 with the code WASHYOURHANDS. That’s less than $6 for a large bar of goatsmilk soap which is incredibly nourishing for the skin.
Order by 4/30 to ensure the order arrives by Mother’s Day.
Here’s a link to their website for ordering
2. Hills and Valleys Studio
Kelleigh is a fiber artist in Mesa, Arizona offering lovely, hand-woven and hand-embroidered gifts.
The florals above seem perfect for a mom who loves flowers and springtime.
She has also been featuring lots of irresistible rainbow designs for moms with a more bohemian vibe:
If you know a mom-to-be or a new mom, these would be perfect in a sweet little nursery.
Smaller pieces run around $20 and some of the larger pieces are more like $50.
She does have an ETSY shop linked here, but she says most of her inventory is listed on her Instagram page @hillsandvalleys_studios
Though custom orders might take a bit too long to arrive by Mother’s Day, all of her ready-made pieces are ready to ship. Kelleigh says ordering by May 1 is safest, but she might be able to extend past that date a few days if need be.
3. Gracelaced Shoppe
Almost every reader of this blog will be familiar with Ruth Chou Simons: theologian and watercolorist who has brought the Word to life with her stunning, nature-based paintings.
It this week—Tuesday, April 21st to be exact—Gracelaced is launching a Mother’s Day collection with a variety of gifts for mom.
This “Count it all joy” tote and top are two featured items in the collection, but they have so many other beautiful gifts to choose from: new watercolor prints, Ruth’s newest book, stickers, tea towels, mugs and dessert plates—to name a few.
Here is a link to the Gracelaced shoppe; if you check it after Tuesday, the new collection will be launched!
And if you are on Instagram, be sure to check out @ruthchousimons to see how she creates beautiful art at the intersection of the gospel and her life as a wife and mom of SIX boys (not a typo).
4. Crazy Cool Threads
Based out of Alabama, Crazy Cool Threads offers modern, faith-based apparel.
One of their newest releases is so stinkin’ cute I might need to place an order before the sale runs out:
I wanted to include a budget-friendly option for daughters and sons who want to buy something for mom but money is tight:
Their stickers come in at $2.50 each and are coated with laminate if your mom wants to adorn her favorite tumbler with one.
You can browse all of the shirts and accessories at Crazycoolthreads.com or find the company on Instagram @crazycoolthreads.
To ensure delivery on time, the company asks for orders to be placed 12 days prior to the date needed. So have these orders in by April 27th.
5. Antique Candle Co.
I don’t think I can state enough just how much I love this company! I have been a customer of Antique Candle Co for a few years now, and I was drawn to it because the company keeps Christ at the center of its narrative.
The founder of the company, Brittany, started this company with $200 worth of candle making supplies and faith. Six years later, she employs a team of 32 who hand-pour each candle in Lafayette, IN. They use domestic soybeans and non-toxic fragrance oils to ensure a quality product.
I use the candles in almost all of my giveaways, and I have a rotating selection of my own favorites.
They are seasonally-driven, so expect fresh, fruity scents in the spring and summer and warm, cozy scents for the fall and winter.
On their website, wax melts are $6, 8oz. mason jar candles are $20, and 16oz mason jar candles are $29. They do run occasional sales, and they offer 15% off your first order if you subscribe to their email list.
The antique part of their name comes from their practice of finding antique treasures (tins and copper vessels) and filling them with soy candle goodness. Each antique find runs more than the mason jar prices above, but you may just score a tin that strikes nostalgia with your mom:
Find the full collection at Antiquecandleco.com and follow their Instagram @antiquecandleco where they keep Christ at the center of their mission.
6. Birch Fine Tea
This is a new company to me, but it seemed like a great choice for the mom who loves loose-leaf tea.
Based out of North Carolina, Birch Fine Tea offers gourmet specialty teas in 2oz increments. Most bags run between $9-$15 and right now they are offering free shipping. Check out their collection of teas on their website.
Imagine a bag of special tea paired with a sweet little tea steeper. Steeper? Ok, I just looked it up — tea infuser.
Order by May 1st for Mother’s Day delivery.
7. Dandelions in December
Shiela is an artisan who uses resin to preserve treasures from nature. She is known for her preserved floral jewelry items that come in several different casings.
Sheila likes to include references to scripture in her works as well. She has several pendants that include a mustard seed to represent Jesus’ reminder that even a little bit of faith can change everything.
Recently she collaborated with Natalie, from Vintage Porch, to create a necklace inspired by the verse: “Truly, I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move” Matthew 17.20
The necklace is priced at $43 but is currently 20% off with code VINTAGEPORCH20. Click here to go to Sheila’s website
Sheila tells me that all orders placed by April 30th will arrive in time for Mother’s Day.
8. Nickel and Suede
I am so glad a colleague at work clued me in to this company. They are posited as the original leather earrings, and the founder is a Christian boy mom just like me!
Leather earrings are lightweight so that they don’t overtax your earlobes, and you can size up for the statement earrings.
Though Nickel + Suede is known for the teardrop shape, they now offer so many different styles of earring to suit a whole range of tastes.
The company offers free shipping on orders of $50+ and if you order by April 27th, you will allow plenty of time for delivery by Mother’s Day.
9. Harper Grayce signs for locals in the CA valley
I love a local shout-out!
Jen from Harper Grayce makes the coolest rustic wooden signs to order. In fact, a year ago, we commissioned her to make a sign for my mother-in-law from all of the grandkids’ self-portraits:
The sign is featured proudly in her new kitchen and preserves their little imperfect drawings.
If you are local and have a handwritten message for your mom, Jen can create a gorgeous one-of-a-kind sign for her.
Custom designs start at $75 and price is based on the type of sign and the complexity of the custom art.
Start creating at http://harpergraycesigns.com; local pick-up in Clovis.
I hope this list inspired you to get your mom something special while also supporting a Christian small shop.
If you know of a Christian small shop you would like me to feature on my Instagram, reach out to me @thestoneandtheoak.
Love hard on those mamas this year— even if it is from six feet away.
with His love,
Adelaide
