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Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 12 Favorites - 2024
Posted December 10, 2024
Tick . . . tick . . . tick . . . tick . . . tick. According to the Your Christmas Countdown Clock there is only 14 days (two weeks!!!) until Christmas is here! It’s hard to believe that 12 weeks have already gone by since the Countdown to Christmas 2024 started. The Countdown has been graciously hosted all these weeks (and many years) by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog. Yes, Week 12 has come and gone and 30 artisan handmade / designed items from ten artists were left in its wake. Any of the beauties will be perfect for a Christmas gift, one that was carefully created from the heart. Support independent artists by helping Santa make it a HANDMADE CHRISTMAS this year!
In addition to promoting each handmade item from the Countdown collection to my "Countdown to a Handmade Christmas 2024" Pinterest board and to my Twitter feed, I share one item from each of the artists who participated this week. Here are my "favorites" picks of the items - it's always hard to choose! I hope you enjoy these unique items.
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Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 8 Favorites - 2024
Posted November 12, 2024
It’s all going by so, so fast! Week 8 of the Countdown to Christmas 2024 has already come and gone, with only four more weeks remaining! The ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock doesn’t let up - according to it, Santa and his flying reindeer will start their journey in only 42 days! Yikes!!!! Need a perfect place to start / finish your Christmas shopping? The Countdown - a chance for artists to come together and share three of their unique gift ideas - is the just the place to do that holiday shopping! Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions are hosting the twelve-week Countdown to Christmas of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog (where you can also see the first seven Countdowns). This week, 33 items, many which are one of a kind designs, from 11 artists are featured. The artists shared a wide range of handmade gift ideas: jewelry of all sorts, Christmas money holders, thimbles, lampwork beads, limited edition art prints, digital art, t-shirts and much, much more. A wonderful motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support hard working indie artists!
In addition to promoting each handmade item from the Countdown collection to my "Countdown to a Handmade Christmas 2024" Pinterest board and on my Twitter feed, I decided to share one item from each of the artists who participated this week.
New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted June 18, 2024
The summer heat has settled on the land here in the Desert Southwest with lots of sun and a big blue sky with rarely any clouds. That means there is more creative time in my jewelry studio as opposed to creative time outside in the flower beds. So I wanted to share with you eleven of my newest creations, four necklaces and seven pairs of earrings, found in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS jewelry shop The handmade necklaces and earrings are one of a kind designs and will make unique gifts for a loved one . . . or, of course, yourself! If something catches your eye and you want to see more photos and details, please click either on the photo or on the short description under the photo. Thanks for looking. And remember to SHOP SMALL and to SHOP HANDMADE!
Make It a Handmade Mothers Day 2024 - Artisan Gifts - Week 8
Posted April 23, 2024
Just a warning: if you haven't started shopping for Mother's Day gifts, you're quickly running out of time!!! Just a little less than three weeks from now, the big day for Mom will be here. To help you in your search for the perfect gift item, check out the Countdown to Mother's Day 2024 - Week 8. It's a collection filled with unique artisan items, 33 beauties from 11 artists, all handmade / designed from the heart. As an added bonus, many of them are one of a kind designs. Hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, each of the unique items will make a memorable gift for Mom on her day. This is the perfect time to start buying a gift(s) for your Mom - and, perhaps, add something for yourself! Items on the Countdown go quick so don't miss out. Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 8, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beautiful gift that was HANDMADE. Also you'll be supporting a grateful indie artist.
Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 4, 2023
Posted October 18, 2023
Who would have believed how quickly Week 4 of the Countdown to Christmas 2023 went by . . . but here we are! Left in its wake is a wide variety of gorgeous artisan handmade items. According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock, there are only 67 days until St. Nick pays a visit to let you know of you have been naughty or nice. With the rapidly approaching gift giving season in mind, Julie and her faithful sidekick, Harry, are hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2023 of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, part of their Blue Morning Expressions Shopify shop. This week, there were 33 shares by 11 artists featuring a wide range of gifts: unique jewelry designs, photographic and digital art, home decor, note cards, Christmas stickers,lampwork beads, crocheted gifts, coffee mugs and a host of other beauties. If you need a perfect start (or ending) to your Christmas shopping, the Countdown is the place to do just that! An excellent motto to follow is: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN. And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses!
Each week during the 12 week Countdown, I pick a favorite item from each artist (hard to do!) and feature them here on my blog. These are my favorites for Week 4:
Make It A Handmade Mothers Day - Week 8
Posted April 27, 2021
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If you haven't started shopping for Mother's Day gifts, you are quickly running out of time! Just a little less than two weeks and the big day for Mom will be here. To help you out, check out the Countdown to Mother's Day 2021 - Week 8, a cllection filled with unique artisan items, most of them handmade from the heart. Hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Blu Print blog, each of the unique items, 33 beauties from 11 artists, will make a memorable gift for Mom on her day. This is the perfect time to start buying a gift(s) for your Mom - and, perhaps, for yourself! These items on the Countdown go quick, and, since many are one of a kind, don't miss out. Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 8, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beautiful gift that was HANDMADE.
Hearts for an Artisan Valentines Day - Three for Thursday - January 28, 2021
Posted January 28, 2021
Valentine’s Day is almost here, just a bit over 2 weeks away. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time you need to be deciding on an artisan gift for your loved one(s) and ordering it! Since the heart shape has been recognized the world over as a symbol of romantic love and affection for centuries, I decided this week’s “Three for Thursday'' will include artisan designed items with hearts, three items from each of the three artists. The artists featured are: Giacomo of JagoDesign2; Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy each of these heart-y picks. If something catches your eye, be sure to visit the artist's shop and browse for even more eye candy . . . and make that purchase for a meaningful Valentine’s gift!
Hot, Hot, Hot Dogs Days of Summer - Artisan Handmade
Posted July 11, 2019
The dog days of summer are here and the temperatures have gotten hot, hot, hot. It seems heat records have been shattered worldwide, especially in places that normally don’t get that hot. Weird weather all over. Climate change is real, folks!
So, just how did the term "Dog Days of Summer" come about? Depending on latitude and longitude, the Dog Days usually start the beginning of July and end the beginning of September in the Northern Hemisphere and between early January to early March in the Southern Hemisphere. Most people believe the phrase "dog days" developed by observing domestic dogs (such as our Seamus) laying around in shady areas during hot days. Another old myth, first attributed to Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist, stated in his Natural History that rabid dogs are supposed to be more common during this time of the year because the heat drives them mad. He advised feeding dogs chicken manure to curb the tendency!!!
