Blog entry

Pick a Bouquet of Spring Flowers - Artisan Handmade Floral Gifts

Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.

~ Bishop Reginald Heber ~

I have always loved the quote shared above.  Bishop Reginald Heber (1783-1826), well known for his poetry, describes in just a few words the joyousness of spring on the return of flowers.  I, myself, can’t wait to finish the new flower bed I started digging last fall and filling it with native plants chosen specifically for pollinators of all types.  Let the flowers paint the laughing soil!  And let the colorful flowers be an important food source for bees of all types, flower flies, butterflies, moths, wasps and hummingbirds.  

With all-things-flower in mind, I invited artist friends to share two of their floral designs.  As you will see in the beautiful items below, there is a wide range of flowers to be had, from note cards to jewelry, from lampwork beads to photography, from photography to digital art and many, many more!  Be sure to pick a bouquet of floral beauties and support small handmade businesses!

For Twitter, please use the hashtag #SpringFlowers.

Gorgeous Gifts for Valentines Day - Artisan Handmade

Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it.  When you walk into most stores shortly after Christmas (or sometimes before!), hearts, cupids and other items in pink and red will assail you from every direction.  Flowers, candy and gifts are exchanged between loved ones throughout the United States and in many other countries around the world . . . all in the name of St. Valentine.  Although the exact history of St. Valentine is shrouded in mystery, February has long been celebrated as a month of romance.  Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both ancient Roman and Christian traditions, with other traditions thrown in for good measure. 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - 2022 - Week 11

It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2022 has already come and gone . . . . and there is only one more week left of the promotion!  When the Countdown starts, the end of the twelve weeks seems a looooong way off. Then - BAM! - here it is!  With Christmas just 3 1/2 weeks away - 25 days, where does the time go? The ever ticking Christmas clock doesn’t let up - those seconds just keep ticking down until the jolly man in red and white leaves wonderful gifts or lumps of coal under the tree.  Just what is the Countdown? It’s a place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. Need a perfect start (or finish) to your Christmas shopping?  Shop the Countdown to Christmas and purchase that special piece for that special person! An excellent motto to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses! 

Oldies But Goodies - Unique Artisan Handmade Gifts

Whenever someone says “Oldies But Goodies,” most people think of old songs (especially from a jukebox - remember those?), vintage cars, lots of items on the Antiques Roadshow or, possibly, themselves (after . . . *ahem* . . .  a certain age).  However the term, “Oldies But Goodies,” also refers to items in our artisan handmade shops that have been around for longer than the artist who made it would like.  Whenever something is created and then listed in our shops, we always think it will sell right away.  Some do.  But, for whatever reason, some beauties sit there . . . and sit there . . . and sit there some more. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that particular item - not at all!!!  It just hasn’t found that forever person to give it a forever home.

I asked artisan friends to share two items from their handmade shops that they considered “oldies but goodies.”  Many of the items are one of a kind creations and would make a perfect gift for a birthday, an anniversary, for Christmas, or just because . . . I hope something catches your eye and that you visit the shops of the artists below.  And that many of the “oldie” items find a loving home.