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Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 11

 

 

It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2020 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 (or finish) 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

 

 

 

Gotta Love Those Earrings! - Three for Thursday - November 26, 2020

 

 

Not sure about you, but I adore earrings.  If I walk out of the house and later find I forgot to put a pair on (which doesn’t happen too often), it seems as if the earth tilts a bit on its axis and the rest of the day seems kind of strange . . . until I can put a pair on.  I especially love long earrings, the more boho the better, but will also wear shorter earrings.  But rarely wear studs unless I put one in the second hole of my left earlobe (which normally has a small sterling hoop in it).  

 

Because of my love of earrings, my Three for Thursday blog features just that:  EARRINGS!  I chose three pairs of earrings that I would definitely wear from three handmade jewelry artists.  The artists are:  Elaine of ELDumontJulie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  And I do want to confess that it's hard for me to let some of the earrings I design to be offered for sale in my shop.  OK, a LOT of them!  I hope you enjoy these selections:  

 

 

Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 10

 

 

Wow!  Christmas Eve will be here in 30 days!  And there are only two more weeks left in the Countdown to Christmas 2020!  Where does the time go? The ever ticking Christmas clock doesn’t let up and keeps ticking down those seconds until Santa and his herd of reindeer make a nighttime visit to leave gifts or lumps of coal. The Countdown is the 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 from small artisan shops! 

 

 

 

Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 2

 

 

Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas 2020 has come and gone . . . and unique handmade and vintage items have been left in its wake.  According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there are only 86 days 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!

 

 

 

Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 1

 

 

WOW, wasn't last Christmas like . . . three months ago?  With as strange as the year 2020 has been so far, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is only 93 days away (according to the ever ticking Christmas clock).  It’s not too early to start thinking about your Christmas shopping list.  A perfect place to start is the 12 week Countdown to Christmas 2020 hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions that is filled with a wide variety of handmade gifts.  A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small businesses!

For the Love of Earrings - A Short History

 

 

I don't know about you, but I feel strange when I hop in the trusty Dog Mobile and then notice I have forgotten to put on a pair of earrings!   At least there, in the driveway, I can hop out of the truck, run inside and grab a pair to put on.  But, heaven help me, if I get somewhere and realize I am earrings-less!  It's like the world has tilted just a bit on its axis and I’m in the Upside Down.  Being an ardent wearer of pierced earrings since the early 1970’s, I have quite the collection of handcrafted Native American earrings  - and earrings I’ve made myself and then couldn’t part with.  Just LOVE them!  

 

 

 

Awesome Animals - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

 

 

Anyone who knows me knows I love animals, always have and always will.  No-footed, two-footed, four-footed, six footed or more (except, to tell the truth, female mosquitoes and ticks - uck!).  I love animals of all sizes, from huge ones to wee, tiny ones - from blue whales, the largest mammal on earth, to Kitti's hog-nosed bat (or bumblebee bat) the world's smallest mammal at just over 1” long.  And I’m always amazed at how animals have evolved to survive. Just think of the Griffon’s vulture which is recorded as the highest flying bird at 37,000 feet to deep sea creatures which live in harsh conditions thousands of feet in the ocean where light doesn’t reach.  Amazing!

 

When I was mulling around what the theme of this week's Three for Thursday blog, I decided on animals.  Three animal related items from three handmade artists are featured.  The artists are:  Linda of VictorianStyleTreasures; Roxanne of watercolorsNmore; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope you enjoy this collection of animal themed items.  Be sure to visit the shops to find even more beauties.

Got the Blues! - Artisan Handmade Jewelry

 

Research shows that the most popular color in the world is blue.  A survey conducted in 10 countries across four continents shows that one color – blue – is the most popular across the board, 8-18 points ahead of any other color.  This includes gender.  Men picked it as their favorite color more often than women, but blue was still picked as a favorite by more women than any other color.  Blue is also a favorite across racial groups, age groups and - even in the U.S. - political groups.

 

Blue is also very popular as a major design color when making necklaces, earrings and bracelets, as you can see in the nine pieces of jewelry chosen to feature in “Got the Blues! - Artisan Handmade”  The handmade artists who created the jewelry are:  Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions; Kathy of KatsAllThat; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope you enjoy these selections of blue.  Please be sure to visit the shops of the artists featured for more handmade jewelry in many glorious colors, not just blue.   

New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

You would seem due sheltering in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d have more time to create new jewelry and blog.  Before, my days were very structured.  Now they’re not, even though I try to structure them.  It seems I find myself saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow” . . . and then when tomorrow rolls around, it becomes “tomorrow” again.  So, this morning, I sat myself down to create a new blog showcasing the newest pieces of jewelry in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop.  Fourteen handmade beauties:  nine pairs of earrings, four necklaces and one bracelet.  They are all one of a kind creations from a variety of materials including, gemstones, polymer clay, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals and a host of other things.  I hope you take the time to browse and to check out all the other jewelry in my shop.  After all, Christmas will be here before we know it - get a head start with your holiday shopping!  Enjoy.

Summer Flowers - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

 

 

Summer will soon be here.  Despite the (expected) triple digit heat that has set in here in the Desert Southwest, the water wise flowers I planted last year and in the cool of this spring are blooming up a storm.  Everyone who knows me really well knows I love to work in my flower beds . . . and am ecstatic at the resulting blooms.  So my beautiful flowers are the inspiration for this week’s Three for Thursday where I feature three items from three artists.  This week the artists are:  Roxanne of watercolorsNmoreJacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  Enjoy the wide range of floral art.  Hopefully one or more of the items will soon be on the way to you!

 

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