Blog entry

Handmade Jewelry - New Necklaces and Earrings by Shadow Dog Designs

Spring is pretty much behind us here in the Desert Southwest.  Although it has been a very mild spring (YAY!) with below average heat with morning still cool enough that a light jacket is sometimes needed.  But all of us who live here know that summer is just around the corner bringing some triple digit temperatures in June. The the summer monsoons arrive (hopefully) in July, August and September bringing cooler temperatures again (but also the dreaded humidity) and a sense of rejuvenation.  

So many of my new jewelry designs deal with summer-y type things, whether the designs feature flowers, summer colors, the sun or other beauties.  And don’t forget your dogs or cats! I hope you enjoy the newest earrings (and one necklace) designs that can be found in my Shadow Dog Designs jewelry shop:

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 3

Week 3 of the Countdown to Christmas sped right on by . . . and a wide variety of lovely artisan handmade and vintage items have been left in its wake.  According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there is only 75 days until Christmas is here . . . once again. This is the perfect place to start your holiday shopping.  Shop early, shop often!

All Creatures Great and Small - Artisan Handmade

I’ll be the first to admit that I am an avid reader - always have been and, I imagine, always will be.  It seems I have at least 3-4 books going at the same time and have a stack of books by the bed. One of my all time favorite books, one I have read time and time again, is James Herriot’s (real name, James Alfred Wight) All Creatures Great and Small.  I loved that book the most, but also loved the other three in the series: All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful and The Lord God Made Them All (and the other numerous books he wrote). The books made me laugh and also made me cry as Herriot related his life as a country vet in the fictional town of Darrowby, Yorkshire.   The people he encountered were funny and sometimes maddening, but it was the description of the animals that touched my heart. You could tell Herriot really, truly cared for the animals. By the way, I also thoroughly enjoyed the BBC series on TV . . . but the books were so much better.

Handmade Earrings and Necklaces, New Designs from Shadow Dog Designs

I have been really busy making and listing new earrings and necklaces these last two weeks, mostly earrings, it seems.  Have been enthralled with two new artists I have found and buy jewelry components from.  One creates pieces from recycled tea or cookie tins.  The pieces are whimsical and very light in weight.  Another creates amazing polymer clay pieces, some with a technique called embroidered polymer clay - very intricate and time consuming.  I have one pair of earrings from each artist in the beauties shared below.  There are seven new creations; the last three are wonderful oldies but goodies to round out the number to an even ten.