A home-based inspirational gift company that has seen phenomenal growth in just three years came to life after its founder experienced a case of severe baby blues.

“ScriptureArt got started in the summer of 2010 after I gave birth to my third child,” Kelly Shiley said. “I was struggling with post-partum depression. I had index cards with scriptures taped up all over the downstairs that I read at 2 a.m. when I was up with the baby. They really helped pull me through that tough time.

This year marks the 30th anniversary JCountryman’s “God’s Promises” brand. Having sold 18 million books since its original publication, God's Promises still tops best-seller charts.

Jack Countryman wrote God’s Promises at his kitchen table with the help of his wife, Marsha, three decades ago. Originally distributed from the trunk of their car, the demand for God’s Promises and its follow-up book, God’s Wisdom, quickly grew. In 1986, Jack trademarked the JCountryman brand, further extending the presence of the gift book line.

Consumer confidence moved closer to a five-and-a-half-year high this month due to growing optimism that hiring and wages could pick up in coming months, according to the Conference Board.

The private research group said its index of consumer confidence rose to 81.5 in August—just below the 82.1 reading in June, which was the highest since January 2008.

KJV Apparel’s Chad Bonham believes the sports world is largely an “untapped market” for faith-based vendors, but his company aims to change that. Founded by Harry Sneed, the Northeast Oklahoma company creates “sports parody” shirts that retail for $16.99.

“We take logos or concepts from pro and college teams and turn them into witness wear,” Bonham said.

Swanson Christian Products is moving into its second year of partnership with the Rutherford County (Tenn.) Correctional Work Center as the gift company builds on the successes and salvation stories that already have been born out of the ministry.

Spearheaded by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, the collaborative program seeks to help rehabilitate low-security prisoners by teaching them a marketable skill or trade they can use for gainful employment once their sentence has been completed.

The U.S. market for juvenile products comprises approximately $2.8 billion in manufacturer sales for 2011, up from $2.7 billion the previous year, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), a trade organization of more than 250 companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“The juvenile business is impacted greatly by birth rates and growth continues to be slow, but steady,” said Michael Dwyer CAE, JPMA executive director. “However, parents prioritize value over prestige and are, for the most part, more focused on safety than fashion. Despite these economically challenging times, the purchasing of juvenile products is an area where people continue to place safety first and will make purchases in order to remain current with industry advancements and changing safety requirements.”

Highlights of the study include:

• The majority of total dollar sales of juvenile products continue to be transacted through mass merchandisers, discounters and specialists.
• Eleven percent of the total dollar sales of the juvenile products transacted in 2011 were sold through e-tailers; and 6% by Independent Juvenile Retailers.
• More than half of the total dollar sales of the small companies were through mass merchandisers, up 10% from 2010.
• High chairs and feeding products produced the largest number of units sold.

Lighthouse Christian Products has responded to retailer requests for more large-format sculptures in its “Moments of Faith” collection.

“We’ve had the large eagle for a couple of years, and retailer demand motivated us to release four more new titles: Humble Servant, Praying Man, Word of God and our award-winning Ark of the Covenant,” said Ed Nizynski, the company’s vice president of sales.