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A Fantasia of Flowers - Artisan Handmade Floral Gifts

 

 

Here in the Desert Southwest, you can feel that spring is not far off.  The days are getting longer and warmer, the winds are getting . . . . well . . . . windier, and, despite not having much rain in the last several months, flowers are beginning to stir and put on buds, a prelude to their much anticipated appearance before the heat sets in.  I saw the first swallows of the season yesterday, soaring and dipping through the arroyo that butts up against our back yard.  Other bird migrants will soon be here - some will pass on through and some will stay to nest.  Hummingbirds are greatly anticipated as are the butterflies, bees and wasps, all of which I hope will make good use of the new pollinator flower bed that has been a long, slow process in the making.  Life is good.

 

Thinking about flowers reminds me of a favorite floral quote by the Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, who painted many amazing floral landscapes and cultivated large flower gardens at Giverny:  

 

 

“I MUST HAVE FLOWERS, ALWAYS, AND ALWAYS”  

 

 

I TOTALLY agree with him!

 

The flowers shared below blossomed in the creative minds, hearts and souls of each artist featured.  I hope you enjoy browsing all these cheerful artisan handmade / designed spring beauties.  And be sure to visit the shops of the artisans featured for even more to choose from.  After all, Easter and Mother’s Day will quickly be here!

 

 

 

Buy Artisan Handmade for Mothers Day 2023 - Week 9

 

 

Watch out!  Mother’s Day will be here very, very soon - in fact, this coming Sunday, May 14.  It’s still not too late to order a handmade gift (do it now!) from the beauties shared this week on the Countdown to Mother's Day 2023 Week 9.  The Countdown was hosted again this year by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  Hard to believe this is the last weel of the Countdown - time sure flies by!  Despite that, 10 handmade artisans shared a total of 30 wonderfully unique items, some of them one of a kind designs. Browse the wide range of eye catching shares for this week, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom something that was HANDMADE from the heart!  By shopping small, you'll also support a small indie business (and for that, we are eternally grateful!).

 

 

Buy Artisan Handmade for Mothers Day 2023 - Week 7

 

 

Week 7 of the Countdown to Mothers Day 2023 zoomed right on by . . . and in it's wake, 30 handmade items were left on the link-up by ten talented artists.  The Countdown is hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  Each unique item will make a memorable gift for Mom on her day.  Since Mother's Day will be here in about three weeks, on May 14, this is the perfect time to purchase a gift(s) for your Mom - and, perhaps, for other loved ones and yourself!  These items go quick, and, since many are one of a kind, don't miss out!  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 7, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beautiful gift that was handmade from the heart.  And, when you purcahse from these shops, you are supporting small indie businesses! 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Make It A Handmade Mothers Day 2022 - Week 6

 

 

Where did Week 6 of the Countdown to Mother's Day 2022 go?  It was here . . . and then was gone.  The Countdown is hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Blu Print blog.  This week, 27 handmade items from 9 artists were shared.  Each unique tem will make a memorable gift for Mom on her day.  Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it, this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your Mom - and, perhaps, for yourself!  These items go quick, and, since many are one of a kind, don't miss out!  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 6, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beautiful gift that was handmade from the heart.  And you'll be supporting an independent artist!

 

 

 

Make It a Handmade Christmas 2021 - Week 4

 

 

Where did Week 4 of the Countdown to Christmas go?  Or for that matter, weeks 1-3???  All four weeks have quickly sped right on by.  According to the ever ticking Christmas clock there is only 73 days until Christmas is here again!  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 on the Countdown to Christmas 2020 - Week 4 collection of artisan handmade.  Help support small, indie shops!

 

 

 

Miracle of a Single Flower - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

 

 

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change. – Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

 

 

Flowers are one of my favorite things.  I wander the yard several times each day, visiting all the flowers I’ve planted and feel at peace and happy (even when I see the leafcutter bee has been at work).  The types of flowers are varied.  Knockout roses, verbena, gold columbine, geraniums, hollyhocks, sunflowers, zinnias, larkspur and more have all been planted (some from seed, some from bought plants) and are in various stages of growing / blooming.  I'm also enjoying the mimosa tree which has just started to bloom with it's wispy pink flowers that are visited by countless pollinators and hummingbirds.  And the bottlebrush tree survived the deep freeze we had here this winter, and even though it lost some limbs, there are a few blooms on it!  Flowers are definiey miracles.

 

So, with all this blooming beauty (or blooms to be anticipated), I decided this week’s Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday would be about flowers.  I’ve chosen three floral items from three handmade artists: notecards, baby items and jewelry.  The artists are:  Roxanne of watercolorsNmore; Pamela of MagdaleneKnits; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope you find joy in these picks!

Make It A Handmade Mothers Day - Week 1

 

 

Julie and Hurricane Harry of Blue Morning Expressions are once again hosting the wildly popular Countdown to Mother's Day 2021 - Week 1 on their The Blu Print blog.  Last year's Mother's Day Countdown 2020 was a resounding success . . . so the 2021 version is up and running. Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - on May 9 - this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your Mom, Grandmom, Aunts and other beloved women.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for this week, visit the shops of the artists featured in this week's Countdown and buy your Mom a beauty that was handmade from the heart.

 

 

 

Beautiful Flowers - Artisan Handmade for Spring

                                                         Photo by James J. Shaw

 

 

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

 

 

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair . . . 

Susan Polis Schutz

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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