Blog entry

Awesome Animals - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

Anyone who knows me knows I love animals, always have and always will.  No-footed, two-footed, four-footed, six footed or more (except, to tell the truth, female mosquitoes and ticks - uck!).  I love animals of all sizes, from huge ones to wee, tiny ones - from blue whales, the largest mammal on earth, to Kitti's hog-nosed bat (or bumblebee bat) the world's smallest mammal at just over 1” long.  And I’m always amazed at how animals have evolved to survive. Just think of the Griffon’s vulture which is recorded as the highest flying bird at 37,000 feet to deep sea creatures which live in harsh conditions thousands of feet in the ocean where light doesn’t reach.  Amazing!

When I was mulling around what the theme of this week's Three for Thursday blog, I decided on animals.  Three animal related items from three handmade artists are featured.  The artists are:  Linda of VictorianStyleTreasures; Roxanne of watercolorsNmore; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope you enjoy this collection of animal themed items.  Be sure to visit the shops to find even more beauties.

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 watercolorsNmore;  Jacki 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!

A Lot of Boho, a LOT of Fun - Artisan Handmade Three for Thursday

The term “boho” gets thrown around a lot these days, but what exactly does the word actually mean?  Short for “bohemian,” boho as a style is most closely associated with the free spirits and hippies of the ‘60s and ‘70s - but also the pre-Raphaelite women of the late 19th century.  It embraces the carefree, the relaxed, and the unique.  But, truth be told, it borrows from the fashions of many cultures and time periods through the ages that almost anything can be "boho" if it’s styled right.  

With that in mind, I decided this week’s Three for Thursday would embrace boho,” specifically with fun, unique necklaces.  Featured in the A LOT of Boho, a LOT Of Fun are three necklaces from three handmade three artists.  The artists are:  Mary of PrettyGonzo, Jacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope one of these catches your eye!  Be sure to visit the shops of the artists for more amazing jewelry.

Make it an Artisans Handmade Valentines Day!

Valentine’s Day, February 14th, will be here before we know it with cupids, hearts, pink and red found everywhere.  Across the United States and in many other countries around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.  While there was a St. Valentine (the Catholic Church actually recognizes three saints named Valentine or Valentinus), the “day of love” was declared the day before the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, celebrated at the ides of February or February 15.  Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. Valentines Day was officially declared on February 14th by Pope Gelasius at the end of the 5th century in an effort to Christianize the Roman celebration, declaring Lupercalia as “un-Christian.”