By Sarah KuperIt has been 40 years since 82-year-old Mary Charles Robbins opened her fine doll and miniatures store in Mountain Brook Village.Originally intended as an antique store, she and four other ladies opened the shop with no retail experience or seed money. They soon learned there was a high demand for antique dolls, accessories and doll repair … [Read more...]
Light Up the Night: Wacky Tacky Christmas Light Tour Raises Funds for Science Camp
By Emily WilliamsThe day after Thanksgiving, holiday preparations rev up at Casey Dunn’s home in Homewood.While Dunn may be a public figure as head coach of Samford’s baseball team, his home is famous in its own right because of the family’s tradition of decking out the yard in a sea of lit inflatable holiday decorations.“It started when I was first married 17 … [Read more...]
A Misfit Change of Heart
By Sue MurphyThe Hallmark Channel has been airing Christmas movies nonstop since Oct 27. This probably was a little confusing for the trick-or-treaters, but who am I to judge? To fill so many air hours, the station managers had to round up a sleigh-full of movies – “The Mistletoe This,” “The Magical That,” “The Magical Mistletoe Something or Another.” The titles … [Read more...]
All Decked Out: Five Houses Welcome Guests for the Samford Legacy League’s Christmas Home Tour
By Sharon Smith Special to the JournalA windowed china room, an indoor dog wash, paintings by a blind artist, a 20-foot waterfall and a collection of more than 100 nutcrackers will be on display to entertain visitors to Samford Legacy League’s Christmas Home Tour on Dec. 7. The event will showcase a collection of five homes in Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills … [Read more...]
Seasonal Splendor: IPC’s House Tour Brightens the Holidays for 68th Year
By Donna CorneliusThis time of year, most children are making their lists for Santa and checking them twice.Grownups, on the other hand, likely are checking to make sure their calendars are marked for one of the Birmingham area’s most anticipated seasonal events: Independent Presbyterian Church’s Holiday House Tour.Those who look forward to the annual tour, now in … [Read more...]