If you’re still looking for a really unique gift idea, we’ve got a suggestion. We met two fellow Northwest Arkansas moms at the Candy Cane Lane charity event, recently hosted by Junior Auxiliary. We noticed that, right across from our Motherlode booth, there was a booth getting a huge amount of attention from shoppers. So of course we wandered over there to check it out. The name of the company is called Aspen Connection, and they sell some of the coolest, most innovative bags we’ve seen called “OlovesM”. The bags are made from recycled yoga mats and fabric remnants. We love that these bags are “green” but what we really love is how cute they are. I bought two for myself.

We had a video camera with us, so we interviewed one of the owners of Aspen Connection, Connie Clampit, so she could show you some of their best-selling bags. Click on the video podcast icon at right to see the video.

Like Connie says in the podcast, she and biz partner Michele Sears stumbled on these great bags while they were in Aspen for a “no kids, no dogs, no men” girls-only trip over Labor Day weekend. Connie and Michele, who have been friends for over 20 years, were so impressed, they decided to bring these earth-friendly bags to Northwest Arkansas.

Locally, you can find the bags at Jammin Java next to the Fayetteville Town Center downtown or at Jammin Java in the Northwest Arkansas Mall (in the theatre wing where Cinnabon used to be) through the holidays. Or you can email Connie and Michelle directly at: theaspenconnection@gmail.com or call 479-236-3341.

This gift idea is in the bag!

The next item on our Holiday Gift Idea guide is all about you – or your kids or your dog or your parents. Take one of your favorite photos and turn it into a photo gift in a matter of days.

I’m a self-admitted photo junkie, so I’ve created photo gifts many times over the past few years. Thanks to constantly improving technology, making a photo gift is easier than ever and the results are usually very good.

What I love about giving a photo gift is that the sentiment behind it is truly personal and customized. My mom has a mouse pad bearing a big photo of her and my dad with their grandkids. My father-in-law, who loves to play bridge, has a deck of playing cards with grandkid photos. And my aunt, who has always loved jigsaw puzzles, worked for a few weeks last year putting together a photo puzzle with a jigsaw picture of our family in the backyard. All the items were well-received, and creating them was a lot of fun for me, too.

If you’re new to this idea, you may be a little hesitant to order something online without seeing what the finished product will look like. So we found a local camera store, Bedford Camera & Video (locations in Fayetteville, Springdale and Rogers), where you can see real-life examples of finished photo gifts before you decide whether or not to create some of your own. They’ve got a good selection of different items that can be customized with your photos, including mouse pads, tote bags, photo books, puzzles, coffee mugs, calendars, baby bibs, drink coasters and aprons. You can even make your own photo stamps with a cute caption, which makes receiving Christmas cards that much more fun and personal.

Cost for photo gifts vary, but here are the prices we found at Bedford’s. Photo tote bags, mugs, puzzles and bibs start at $12.99. Calendars, drink coasters (set of 4) and aprons are $19.99. Mousepads are $9.99. For a gift that packs a lot more photos, check out the custom-made photo book at $29.99.

We spoke to Jason Bedford, manager of the Rogers location, and he said production time usually takes about 3 days on photo gifts. For photo gifts, you’ll need to go into one of the Bedford’s locations because the photo gift portion of the Bedford’s website is still under construction.

We think this is a great, affordable gift idea, especially for people in your life who appreciate photos as much as you do. If you have a great photo of a friend’s child, make a photo gift for a fellow mom that features her little one. (See the cute bibs pictured here? Love that idea for a new mom.)

For more info on photo gifts, visit the Bedford Camera & Video website or call any of the folks at Bedford Camera & Video. Phone numbers are on their website for each location. Happy shopping!

By Shannon Magsam

At one particular Christmas party I attend every year, there’s always one gift that’s always sure to get “stolen” over and over again during a rousing game of Dirty Santa. And that one gift is always from So Inviting.

So Inviting (in the Fiesta Square shopping center) just celebrated its fifth anniversary in Fayetteville and always stocks great specialty gifts, beautiful home decor and unique invitations.

I stopped by recently to see if I could stir up some good Christmas gift ideas and wasn’t disappointed. I really love these brand new — and gorgeous — brooch-embellished picture frames (pictured right). So Inviting Owner Carolyn Srygley said people have been buying them for mothers or mothers-in-law — with a pictures of the grandkids included, of course.

I also gravitated toward this cute duffel bag (pictured left) which is very similar to some of the frilly, very feminine aprons the store has in stock right now. I’m not the best cook, but I always enjoy wearing a really nice apron while puttering around the kitchen. One of my favorite things is a retro, red-checked apron that my grandmother passed down to me.

For new mothers, the store also has Peanut Shell baby slings, Miracle Blankets (which I’ve heard new mother friends say are amazingly helpful with calming their brand new babies) as well as some pacifiers that are so blinged out you can’t help but smile when you see them.

There are also Scout totes, which are water-resistant, collapsible and just downright convenient to help organize the trunk or car.

The great gift list could go on, but I’ll encourage you to stop by the store yourself and see what treasures you can find. You’re so invited!

Visit the store at 3067 N. College Ave. (Fiesta Square) in Fayetteville, call Carolyn at 479-587-1800 or visit their website at www.so-inviting.com.

By Shannon Magsam

Look closely enough and you’ll see a variety of one-of-a-kind, hand-painted pottery from Fayetteville’s Different Strokes all around my house.

I’m really partial to the Happy Father’s Day plate displayed above my kitchen cabinets which is particularly precious because of the sweet little butterfly painted on the front.

It’s not just any butterfly — the lavender wings are actually my (then) 4-month-old daughter’s perfect little footprints.

The cute platter pictured above uses local childrens’ footprints and handprints to create the perfect Christmas gift!

Sisters-in-law Holly Knox and Liz Phillips of Fayetteville stopped by the paint-your-own-pottery store at 745 E. Joyce just yesterday to capture their own babies’ tiny footprints on a decorative plate. The plate will be shipped to grandpa in the Florida Keys for Christmas. It’s one gift they know he’ll love.

“He’s so hard to buy for,” Holly said.

The two moms are pictured below (Liz is holding 11-month-old Macy on the left and Holly and 3 1/2-month-old Molly are on the right) painting the two cousins’ tiny feet with brown paint and pressing them onto the plate.

Neither Macy nor Molly seemed to mind their feet being tickled by the paint brush or leaving their footprints on the plate.

It’s hard to go wrong with painting something personal for family and friends (like this “Merry Christmas Y’all” platter painted by the very talented Different Strokes owner, Rachel Catlett). Even if you don’t consider yourself artistic, the gift of hand-painted pottery is always a hit for the sentimental value — if not the exquisite art work. And who can resist anything made by a kid? Most kids love getting in touch with their creative side, too, so it brings pleasure to both the giver and the receiver.

If you’re not quite sure what you’d paint, Different Strokes, (now located in the Nelsons Crossing shopping center near the new Jason’s Deli), is filled with inspiration the minute you step through the door. There are all kinds of examples to emulate, as well as templates to use if you don’t want to free-hand. And they have a large selection of pottery pieces to paint, from large platters to small Christmas ornaments that can be hung with ribbon on your Christmas tree.

If you’ve never painted your own pottery, it looks kind of strange when you first get finished. That’s because it hasn’t been through the kiln yet! It takes about a week, but when you come pick it up, you’ll be amazed at how cool it looks. My daughter and I are always thrilled to see the finished product.

You don’t have to have an appointment to come in to paint, so just stop by and get creative! It will make a very memorable gift for someone you love.

Call Different Strokes at 479-443-6440 or click HERE for directions. Hours are Mon-Wed, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m.