Support Small Business Saturday- Some great small businesses to patronize

I am looking forward to Advent, as I do every year and I am not trying to rush anyone to overlook Thanksgiving (tryptophan here I come!). The reality is, Christmas Eve is not the optimal time to go rushing about for a present to give a loved one so I am going to pass on some sites where you can get some lovely items, some of which will need at least a few days to make it from the maker to your house. Also, the Saturday after Thanksgiving is being promoted as Small Business shopping day so this is your chance to patronize a small business and some of them will/may have promotions for "Black Friday".

1) Lady in Blue- Yes, I gave a shout out to this store in my post on veils, but she has so much more. Check out her t-shirts, dolls and soft nativity. She is offering free shipping for a few days so you can get that rosary purse or veil purse.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LadyinBlueShop

2) Unbreakable Rosaries- I LOVE her bracelet rosaries. She has unique styles and they don't break. Despite my best attempts, my bracelets tent to occasionally catch on something. I have broken a couple of lesser ones, but hers just laugh (not really but you get the idea, they don't break). If you want to get a keepsake rosary for someone, I highly recommend her.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/unbreakablerosaries?ref=pr_shop_more

3) Catholic Embroidery.com

You need a cover for your missal or breviary/LOTH book, a baby blanket for a birth or baptism, a tote back or you are into aprons, handkerchiefs or pillowcases look no further. Beautiful designs and the main reason my missals and breviary are in as good a condition as they are. I also have her adoration tote which is great for my Bible and prayer books for adoration and my daughter loves her mass bag.

http://www.catholicembroidery.com/Catholic_Embroidery/Catholic_Embroidery/Catholic_Embroidery.html

4) Cute clothes for girls and women. Blouses were always hard for me to find. I found this site due to a tiny add in The Wanderer and it was amazing. I now have feminine and basic blouses that fit. My daughter loves her pink jumper and the white blouse for girls and adults is opaque! That is a very good thing. If you are tall and like skirts of a modest length, this is your site. Her skirts are really well made and the ones I have just make me feel feminine. I also like that they are serious about keeping the Sabbath holy. They disable the purchasing part of their store so no one can buy on Sunday.

http://www.phyllisjean.net/

5) Saints Galore- Cards, calendar
Gorgeous Christmas cards and cards for every other occasion including spiritual bouquets. I have their pro-life luggage tag (stocking stuffer anyone?) and their wall calendar is amazing. The art is beautiful, but more importantly, the calendar includes OF and EF feats and days on the calendar AND it indicates the liturgical color for each day in both EF and OF. So necessary and handy for those of us who attend both forms and it is wonderful for teaching our daughter the proper liturgical color for our Infant of Prague
statue.

http://www.saintsgalore.com/


6) Pro Multis Media
Their dvd and cd of the Rosary in Latin changed my life. I had been trying to learn some Latin for years and their dvd and cd was wonderful to help me learn to pray some of the prayers verbally in Latin. They also have dvd's and cd's of the rosary in English in two different versions. They have some other excellent cd's and they also carry some books and educational cards on the stations of the cross, the mysteries of the rosary, the seven sacraments etc, all in a more traditional art form. They also carry some sacramentals and chapel veils. In fact, they have some of the Spanish veils on sale through the end of November which would be perfect for a woman who likes/wants a shawl veil or someone getting married or having a quincenera.

http://www.promultismedia.net/

Chapel Veils- Please sir may I have another! Support and Holiday gift guide

Ok, I was stretching with that one, but I am looking for something catchy. I have been veiling for several years at all masses, TLM and OF and whenever I am in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. I know of several blog posts and sites with women discussing this issue and some who want to but hesitate. There is a booklet I found that was written a few years ago by some young women in college. I will find it and post the information later, but they give a very good and short explanation of why they veil. For me, it is not that I feel I am better or holier, far from it. It has nothing to do with the reasons many Muslim women wear hijab. For those tempted to lob that chestnut, I am Catholic and I just cover when in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Arguably the biggest loss in these 40 plus years since the end of Vatican II is the knowledge of the True Presence and reverence of the same. Veiling helps me keep recollected and focused on Jesus. It also helps me set aside any stresses and issues of daily life to participate in worship. Jesus is really and truly present in the Eucharist and the angels are there, in church with us, also adoring him. I also veil as a sign I am trying (and daily fail pretty spectacularly) to be in imitation of the Blessed Mother and the love and humility in which she lived.

A tangent to that is how I dress. Regardless of who is in the White House, if I received an invitation to meet the president or if I was attending some function at the Senate or House of Representatives I would not wear a sweatshirt, one of my house skirts and my slippers. I would dress appropriately for that event. When I go to work, I wear clothes appropriate for what I am doing that day and when I go to church on Sunday, my dress reflects that I am there to worship.

If someone is paying more attention to me than the mass and Jesus, they need to work (along with me) on custody of the eyes (look it up). For me, veiling also is a link to my grandmothers and their "church lady hats". I know some ladies that veil stick with black or white, but I like color.

For those that want to begin veiling, but are shy, you can start with a hat or a scarf, especially if you are in the northern hemisphere and it is cold. Just wear it outside in the cold and keep it on during mass.

You can also try snoods, headbands or other similar covers. This is an Etsy store which has some nice snood styles for women and girls:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReginaCoeliCreations?ref=seller_info

This site has some lovely headband styles and styles that you can wear just to keep your hair back:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/GarlandsOfGrace?ref=seller_info


For veils, I highly recommend two sites:

The woman who has this Etsy shop is not only from my home state (yea!) but her veils are lovely and she will make a custom order. Her veils are made of soft lace and she also makes veil "purses" to keep your veil from getting lost or messed up in your purse. She also has in my opinion, the best t-shirt design for Confirmation ever and other items.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LadyinBlueShop

This owner of this site also uses a beautiful soft lace. I believe she makes all of the veils to order and she is popular so if you want to order from her for Christmas, get to stepping!

http://www.veilsbylily.com/