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Perfect Pink Pretties for Valentines Day - Artisan Handmade
Posted February 6, 2020
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, in just over a week, and the colors of Valentine’s Day - red, pink and white - are seen everywhere. Why these particular colors ??? Through the ages, red represents passionate love, beauty, courage and respect. White symbolizes true love, innocence, purity and charm. Since pink is a combination of red and white, taking the properties of both colors, it reveals a gentler, kinder love, perfect happiness, tenderness and grace.
Since pink is such a beautiful and meaningful combination of red and white, I decided to pull together a blog, “Perfect Pink Pretties for Valentine’s Day,” featuring a wide range of handmade gifts using pink as a major palette in the designs. You'll find most of these items are not your "traditional" Valentine's inspired gifts. And that's OK! It means they can be worn longer, sometimes year round, and not just for Valentine's Day itself. I hope you find something for your loved one . . . something that's a perfect pink pretty!
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Follow Your Heart - Handmade Valentines Day Gifts
Posted January 23, 2020
Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence. - Vincent van Gogh
By now, everyone is aware that Valentine’s Day (or St. Valentine’s Day) is rapidly approaching; it will be here in less than a month, on February 14th. Many stores have been decked out in hearts, cards, red roses, candy and cupids since the day after Christmas so it’s a day that’s hard to miss.
Since the most common Valentine's Day symbol is the heart, the new "Follow Your Heart" Three for Thursday blog is dedicated hearts. Three beautifully unique heart items are shared from three handmade artist friends. Some of the items are more traditional and some are not - but all will make a perfect Valentine’s Gift for your loved one. The artists featured are: Julie from Blue Morning Expressons; Heather from BluKatDesign; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. If something catches your eye, click on the photo or the description and you’ll be taken to the item in the shop. I hope you enjoy each and every heart.
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. - Charles M. Schulz
Valentines Gifts: Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted January 17, 2020
Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching, less than a month away! Now is the time to start thinking about / purchasing Valentine’s gifts for the ones you love. How about giving a one of a kind, handmade piece of jewelry this year? My Shadow Dog Designs shop is filled with unique necklaces and earrings, each one carefully handmade with quality artisan components and other top notch items, such as gemstones and Swarovski crystals. Some of these designs are brand new and some have been in the shop for a bit. You’ll find many hearts featured in the designs, but each one can be worn year round and can’t be pegged just as “Valentine’s jewelry.” If something catches your eye and you want more information, please click the picture or the link to be taken to the listing. Enjoy!
Make it an Artisans Handmade Valentines Day!
Posted January 14, 2020
Valentine’s Day, February 14th, will be here before we know it with cupids, hearts, pink and red found everywhere. Across the United States and in many other countries around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. While there was a St. Valentine (the Catholic Church actually recognizes three saints named Valentine or Valentinus), the “day of love” was declared the day before the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, celebrated at the ides of February or February 15. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. Valentines Day was officially declared on February 14th by Pope Gelasius at the end of the 5th century in an effort to Christianize the Roman celebration, declaring Lupercalia as “un-Christian.”
New Jewelry Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs - Christmas Gifts
Posted December 4, 2019
It has been quite a while since I shared my newest designs. I've been so busy adding new items in my Shadow Dog Designs handmade jewelry shop to take the place of all the necklaces and earrings sold at shows, that I haven’t even thought about blogging about them . . . until now. You’ll find a wide range of one of a kind designs, including four new pairs of Christmas earrings. I hope you enjoy these new pieces . . . and that one (or more) of them might end up under the Christmas tree for a loved one - or for yourself!
An Artisan Handmade Christmas - Gift Ideas - Week 11
Posted December 3, 2019
It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2019 has come and gone . . . . and there is only one more week left! When the Countdown starts, the end of the twelve weeks seems a looooong way off. The - BAM! - here it is! And Christmas is approximately three weeks away. 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. 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 to your Christmas shopping? Shop the Countdown to Christmas: browse 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!
Pink and Black Miyuki Seed Bead and Leather Boho Cuff Bracelet Handmade by Kathy of KatsAllThat
An Artisan Handmade Christmas - Gift Ideas - Week 4
Posted October 15, 2019
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Week 4 of the Countdown to Christmas quickly came and went . . . and a wide variety of wonderful artisan handmade items were left in its wake. According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there is only 70 days until Christmas is here - once again - too early. Now is the perfect time and this is the perfect place to start your holiday shopping. Follow this motto: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!
It's an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 2
Posted October 1, 2019
Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas 2019 has come and gone . . . and unique handmade and vintage items have been left in its wake. According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there is only 84 days, 23 hours, 5 minutes and those quickly descending seconds (as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning) until Christmas is here . . . once again! Need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping? The Countdown is the place to do just that! A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!
Colors for Autumn - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Posted September 5, 2019
Despite the days still being in the mid- to high-90’s here in the Borderlands (unusual here for this time of the year), the last few mornings have had a tinge of autumn in the air. I’m definitely ready for the cooler breezes and being able to leave the windows open. Purple asters will bloom and the cottonwoods will turn a glorious golden yellow. Fall will soon be here (I hope!).
With autumn in mind, I decided to choose handmade beauties in fall colors for this Three for Thursday titles, appropriately enough, Colors for Autumn. The artists today are: Kathy of KatsAllThat; Pamela of MagdaleneKnits; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy my autumn inspired picks and will visit the shops of the artists for more wondrous handmade fall elegance.
Affirmation and Inspiration - Artisan Handmade Three for Thursday
Posted August 15, 2019
“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
In these days which seem filled with words of hate and division, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there is MUCH more good in this world than there is bad. We just have to be aware of it. The smile of a friend or stranger. An unexpected helping hand. A kind word. Being strong in the face of adversity. That’s why I love the quote above . . . and sometimes use it as my mantra while doing some deep breathing to slow down my sometimes very active monkey mind.
