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All Creatures Great and Small - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Posted October 26, 2016

 

 

Anyone who has spent even a small bit of time around me knows that I love animals, animals in all shapes and sizes and colors and temperaments.  Even the so called “icky” ones are admired since they have a role to play in the complex balance of Nature.  One of my favorite all time books is “All Creatures Great and Small” by James Herriot, where the theme for this post was lifted.  And, after all my work with and around animals, my favorite quote in the book is this:  “If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.”  So very true!!!

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» Tagged: All Creatures Great and Small, blog, brooch, butterfly, charms, copper, dog sweater, dogs, dragonfly, earrings, elk, handmade, horses, Indiemade, jewelry, lampwork, necklaces, owls, Shadow Dog Designs, ShadowDogDesigns, starfish

Countdown to Christmas 2016 - Week 6 - Iceland

Posted October 25, 2016

Jólasveinarnir (Yule Lads) - photo courtesy of Iceland 24

 

In Iceland, Christmas (called Yule or Jól) festivities start at 6 pm on Christmas Eve, December 24th, and last until Twelfth Night (Epiphany, January 6th). In the high north, Christmas is linked to ancient traditions related to the winter solstice, called Yule.  Celebrations took place on a full moon during the time of year when the day was shortest. Not much is known about how the feast was celebrated then except that Icelandic chieftains were in the habit of inviting scores of people to Yule drinking and eating feasts.  Later, Yule was superseded by the celebration of the birth of Christ with the coming of Christianity around 1000 AD.

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» Tagged: Blue Morning Expressions, BlueMorningExpressions, Christmas, Countdown, gift ideas, gifts, handmade, holidays, Iceland, Indiemade, Shadow Dog Designs, ShadowDogDesigns, shopping

What a Spooky Halloween, Deux! - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Posted October 19, 2016

 

 

Halloween is just around the corner.  Small goblins, vampires, fairy princesses and superheroes of all sorts will soon be appearing at your doors!  In honor of this spooky holiday, I browsed the studios of Indiemade artist friends to find orange and/ or black handmade items that are perfect accessories for your Halloween costume.  And there is even something for your best four-footed friend!   Enjoy these selections:

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» Tagged: African, artisan, black, bracelets, copper, Day of the Dead, dia de los muertos, dichroic, dog, earrings, ghouls, Halloween, handmade, Indiemade, jewelry, lampwork, necklaces, orange, Shadow Dog Designs, ShadowDogDesigns, skulls, tribal

Countdown to Christmas 2016 - Week 5 - Portugal

Posted October 18, 2016

 

In Portugal, Christmas is celebrated with festive fun, but since it is a predominantly Catholic country, there is also much solemnity to the holiday.  A family Christmas tradition is setting up the presépio (nativity scene), the representation of Christ's birth in the stable at Bethlehem. While some families keep the creche simple, displaying only the Holy Family, many set up elaborate scenes, including the Three Kings, shepherds and the sheep, angels, other animals, lakes (made with mirrors) and hills (made with stones, moss, and clay).  The materials used to decorate the presépio are traditionally collected by the children.  A few days before Christmas Eve, the Baby Jesus is taken out of the manger.

 

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» Tagged: Blue Morning Expressions, BlueMorningExpressions, Christmas, Countdown, gift ideas, gifts, handmade, holidays, Indiemade, Portugal, Shadow Dog Designs, ShadowDogDesigns, shopping

Countdown to Christmas 2016 - Week 4 - Kenya

Posted October 11, 2016

 

 

Since Kenya is predominantly a Christian country (approximately 82%), the celebration of Christmas is very important. A few days before Christmas, a mass migration of people from the cities and other parts of Kenya is made, back to the villages of their parents’ home in the "upcountry." Family members and relatives all congregate to celebrate.  For many people, this is the only time of the year they have the chance to see their families, so it is a very important time to reconnect.

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» Tagged: Blue Morning Expressions, BlueMorningExpressions, Christmas, Countdown, gift ideas, gifts, handmade, holidays, Indiemade, Kenya, Shadow Dog Designs, ShadowDogDesigns, shopping

The Autumn Wind is a Pirate - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Posted October 5, 2016

 

 

Since I live in the Desert Southwest, autumn comes creeping slowly in with cooler temperatures.  Most of the trees here are evergreen so there isn’t much color change.  This time of the year, I always think about the forest we lived in for 10 years in Northern Virginia.  Oh, the glorious colors as the leaves on the trees changed.!!!  Sometimes almost blinding color combinations.  Then sometimes, the wind would hit and the leaves became a carpet of color on the forest floor.  I ran across this great quote about autumn wind from Steve Sabol:  “The autumn wind is a pirate. Blustering in from sea with a rollicking song he sweeps along swaggering boisterously. His face is weather beaten, he wears a hooded sash with a silver hat about his head . . . The autumn wind is a raider, pillaging just for fun.”  A pillaging wind playing with and swirling the colorful leaves!

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» Tagged: artisan, autumn, bandana, ceramic, dichroic, dog, earrings, gemstones, hand knit, handmade, Indiemade, jewelry, lampwork, leaves, necklaces, pendant, pumpkin, Shadow Dog Designs, ShadowDogDesigns, shawl, wind, winds
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