Blog entry

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 11, 2023

It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2023 has already come and gone . . . . and there is only ONE more week left of the promotion!  When the Countdown starts, the end of the twelve weeks seems a looooong way off. Then - BAM! - here it is!  With Christmas just 18 days away, where does the time go? The ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock doesn’t let up - those seconds just keep ticking down until the jolly man in red and white arrives.  Since the holiday gift giving season is lurking just around the corner, Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions are once again hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2023 of artisan handmade / designed items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  The Countdown is the place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. This week ten artists shared 30 items, a wide range of beautiful gift ideas:  jewelry of all styles, ornaments, gift card holders, sweatshirts gearheads, lampwork glass beads, watercolor art prints and many other unique items.  Need a perfect start or end to your holiday shopping?  Shop the Countdown to Christmas; browse and purchase that special piece for that special person!  An excellent rule of thumb to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small, independent artisan shops!

In addition to promoting each handmade item from the Countdown collection to my "Countdown to a Handmade Christmas 2023" Pinterest board and on my Twitter feed, I decided to share one item from each of the artists who participated this week.  Here are my "favorites" picks of the items - hard to chose!  I hope you enjoy these unique items!

Buy Artisan Handmade for Mothers Day 2023 - Week 3

Week 3 of the Mother’s Day Countdown 2023 seem to have blown right on by (where do the days go???).  Hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makes blog, 36 unique handmade items from 12 artists were shared on the Countdown - each one a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day.  Since the big day will be here before you know it - on May 14 - this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your mom, grandmother, favorite auntie or other much loved woman.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 3, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your mom a unique beauty that was artisan handmade from the heart.  Be sure to buy handmade this Mother's Day and support a small indie business!

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!  

Star Stuff Harvesting Star Light - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Dr. Carl Sagan is a major hero of mine.  As Wikipedia explains he “was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator in astronomy and other natural sciences.” he was often called "the astronomer for the people." Quite the Renaissance man!  I remember being glued to the TV when the groundbreaking TV series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was first aired.  Dr. Sagan was able to explain complex ideas in a simple way that a layperson could understand.  Being a science geek, especially when it comes to space, my mind sailed on its own voyage of personal discovery each week (and with the reruns that I always managed to watch).  I still remember vividly and muse over certain parts of certain episodes that particularly touched me.  Unfortunately Dr. Sagan died in 1996 at the young age of 62.  I still miss him and all he had to offer.  He returned to the star dust he so loved.