Shop Small! Sugar Magnolia Bakery and Cafe

French Toast Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream Frosting. That's all I need to say to explain why you really need to go to Sugar Magnolia.

But just in case you need further convincing, here's the bread rack.

Here's what they have to say about themselves on their Facebook page:

Sugar Magnolia Bakery & Cafe specializes in fresh baked breads and treats, both sweet and savory; including breakfast pastries, cookies, brownies and much more!

For lunch, try any of our delicious sandwiches and paninis on house-made bread! Served from 11am-2pm.

Pizza is served from 5pm-8pm each Thursday & Friday evening. Pepperoni and spinach pizza is available each day, call for the special of the week!

Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday mornings, with everything from pulled pork hash to frittatas to homemade biscuits with sausage gravy and challah french toast with blueberry syrup!

And the NEWEST addition to Sugar Magnolia - our Saturday night hamburgers! Each Saturday from 5-9pm, come try one of our burgers made with locally sourced grass-fed beef! Choose from Original, Mushroom-Swiss, Bacon Cheese, our weekly special or create your own burger from any combination from our list of over 10 toppings!

Plus, everything is handmade from wholesome ingredients -- local and organic whenever possible -- so you can feel good about treating your body AND the planet right.

Sugar Magnolia is located in downtown Statesboro at 106-C, Savannah Avenue. If you're in the 'Boro, drop by and grab something tasty for yourself or as a gift.

Shop Small! The Snipesville Chronicles

First of all, you can get Annette Laing's A Different Day, A Different Destiny on Kindle for FREE until the end of November (that's Friday). Click HERE to go straight to the Amazon page.

Of course there are three books in The Snipesville Chronicles -- Don't Know Where, Don't Know When; A Different Day, A Different Destiny; and Look Ahead, Look Back. You can read more about them HERE. They're a great gift for any reader 8-12, although I've heard it rumored that smart grown-ups like them too.

Also, Annette has a really cool webpage where you can learn more about her and her work sharing Non-Boring History with students across the globe. Though, frankly, this photo says it all:

AND she has a blog! You can go and read it right now! Plus you can enter to win a gift certificate for chocolate! All you have to do is visit  THIS STATUS on her FACEBOOK page and follow some ridiculously simple instructions to be entered.

And that's the news from Snipesville. You're welcome.

 

Shop Small! Artworx Art Cards

These are handcrafted by my friend Deb, and until you hold one in your hand, you can't possibly appreciate how soul-filling they are -- part greeting card, part bookmark, part wall hanging, all art. Here's a photo of her holiday offerings, just to whet your appetite.

 Here's how Deb describes the process that brought Artworx Art Cards into being:

"Words and especially writing thank you notes were never my strong suit.  But making art… well that’s what I do. One year I decided to make a piece of art to send as a thank you that grew out of the work I was currently doing – assemblages.  Assemblages are artistic compositions created from assembling found objects.  Poking around my studio I found all kinds of  fun “found” objects – pieces of drawings, clock parts, string, special papers, sealing wax and lots more.  I created a “card” that said thank you, started assembling and … Voila!… Artworx were born.

They’ve been a huge hit with my family and friends, and I hope that you enjoy sending these worx of art to your friends and family.  I for one enjoy the send as much as the receive."

Visit her website at http://www.artworxartcards.com/. Or look Artworx up on Facebook HERE. Send a card that's a gift too.

Shop Small! The Golden Bough Bookstore

This is one one of my favorite bookstores of all time, so much so, that I chose it earlier this year as my haunt during Sisters in Crime's Bookstore Appreciation Day (if you want to see pics from my visit, including China the greyhound and a sloppy mess chili dog from Nu-Way Weiners, go HERE). Here's one of my favorite shots from that day:

 
If that doesn't look like heaven to you, then I don't know how we became friends. So this season, visit Eric and company at The Golden Bough. You can visit their website --  http://www.goldenbough.com/ -- or their Facebook page. But best of all, come by 317 Cotton Avenue in Downtown Macon, Georgia, and say hello.

Shop Small! Doorstep Mobile Tax LLC

Ding Dong! Who's that at the door? Why, it's someone come to help you with your taxes!

This is an excellent idea, and if you're in the Decatur, Georgia, area, give my friend Keith Troy Bryant a call or drop him a line. And if you're not, you can show him some support by liking his Facebook page, Here's the link to that:

Doorstep Mobile Tax LLC

Shop Small! Crafts by Danielle Walden

If you've talk to me for long, I'll start bragging about my crafty neighbor Danielle Walden, especially how she helped me decorate my table at the Georgia Author of the Year Awards (you can see that post HERE).

I was especially impressed with the table runner made from a rain-damaged copy of Darker Than Any Shadow, which would have had a sad existence in the recycle bin otherwise, and with the wine charms she made featuring scenes from my mystery series (see photo at left).

She also made a charm bracelet and pins with images of my book covers. And some of the cutest little giveaway pins for me to distribute at Bouchercon to the librarians and bloggers and reviewers who have been so generous to me during this whole author thing. Here's a photo of those (my favorites are the "cancelled dates" pin and the "I Think; Therefore I'm Dangerous" pin).

You can see more of Danielle's work in her Facebook Album "Things I Make": You can find that HERE.

Shop Small! Fortuna Photography

Love this shot!

Looking for a great gift for new parents or newlyweds, a mother-to-be or a family planning a reunion? Is someone on your gift list in need of professional portraits? New home, new car, new puppy? All are great occasions to gift someone you love with a portrait package or session.

And here's someone who can make it happen if you're in (or going to be in) the Orlando, Florida, area -- Kristin Fortuna of Fortuna Photography. Kristin is talented with a camera, and she's downright gifted at revealing personality and creating mood through her photos.

Visit her Facebook page here:

Fortuna Photography