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Unique Jewelry, Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Buy Handmade - Be One in a Million, Not One of Millions
I don’t know about you, but I HATE to buy jewelry that everyone else can buy. I don’t want to see a stranger three states over wearing a piece of jewelry that I might be wearing. That doesn’t happen, however, because I have almost always worn artisan handmade jewelry that is one of a kind, whether the earrings, bracelets or necklace are created by another artist or created by me. There is something so soul satisfying in that, knowing that I’m the only person in the universe wearing a particular design - unless an evil twin in an evil alternate universe is up to her evil copying of designs.
The three handmade artists that are features in this new “Three For Thursday” blog all make one of a kind jewelry designs: Mary of PrettyGonzo; Julie of Blue Morning Expressions; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy this small sampling of the one of a kind jewelry designs that are in their shops. Please visit each shop for more eye catching and soul satisfying beauty. I hope you enjoy these selections:
Unique Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.
Dieter Uchtdorf
Two weeks have already flown . . . and here it is, time for another Three for Thursday blog post. Three wonderful handmade items from three different artists are featured. The artists highlighted this week are: Marcia of MarciaMcKinzieArt with unique watercolor batik paintings (I chose all beautiful landscapes); a wide range of fiber crafts by Jacki of Christie Cottage; and unique boho style jewelry by me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. If something catches your eye, please be sure to click on the photo or the link below the picture to be taken to the item for more photos and information. I hope you enjoy the unique artisan handmade items featured below. And, remember: BUY HANDMADE!
New Handmade Jewelry from Shadow Dog Designs - Necklaces and Earrings
This quote by Rebekah Joy Plett pretty much says it all when you are a handmade artist:
“When you buy something from an artist you are buying more than an object. You’re buying hundreds of hours of errors and experimentation. You’re buying years of frustration and moments of pure joy. You’re not buying just one thing, you are buying a piece of a heart, a piece of a soul… a piece of someone else’s life.”
Spring Colors! - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade
Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! Sitting Bull
With spring definitely here in the Borderlands, I have been thinking about colors quite a bit as the brown of the desert bursts into so many glorious shades of green. The white and pink fruit trees have pretty much quit blooming, so the various shrubs, hardy trees, ocotillo, cactus and poppies will add their beautiful spring colors: yellow, pinks, oranges, reds, purples and others all against the huge dark blue sky. My soul revives!
Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs - New Earrings and Necklaces
It has been almost a month since I last sat down to share my newest batch of handmade earrings and necklaces. Visiting friends in Long Beach, California and Charleston, South Carolina took up a lot of time, along with shorter trips to Dallas. Plus, three big shows are in the not too distant future, all in April, so I’ve been very busy trying to make new jewelry to freshen up the look. Lots of spring inspired jewelry has been photographed - hopefully, those will make it into the next post.
New Jewelry Designs by Shadow Dog Designs, Necklaces and Earrings
It has been three weeks since the last blog share of the new handmade earrings and necklaces in my Shadow Dog Designs jewelry shop. I have been extremely busy making new pieces with the resulting product photography, photo editing and listing the new pieces . . . with MUCH more to come. Shared below are the nine new pieces listed since my last “new” blog. Also two “oldies but goodies” necklace are included, two of my favorites.
Christmas Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade
Christmas will soon be here, less than two weeks away. The ever ticking Christmas clock says there are only 11 days left! But fear not! If you have waited to the last minute to buy stocking stuffers and/or gifts, I have pulled together a collection of wonderful artisan handmade ideas, any of which Santa would be proud to deliver. Please browse the items below.
Make it a HANDMADE CHRISTMAS this year!
The Sky is Already Purple - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade
"The sky is already purple; the first few stars have appeared, suddenly, as if someone had thrown a handful of silver across the edge of the world."
I have always loved this quote from Alice Hoffman’s novel, Here on Earth. It is so very evocative of watching the sky turn dark here in the Desert Southwest during this glorious time of the year. When the sky is transformed for a few minutes into a magical velvety bluish-purple color, a multitude of stars come out to to play, twinkling away. Then the sky will finally slip into a depthless black and even more stars will appear . . . and, hopefully, a shooting star will streak across the sky. Another reason autumn is my favorite time of the year.
A Sense of Fun - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade
This week’s Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade blog post is called A Sense of Fun. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of “fun” is “that which provides amusement or enjoyment.” I am often delighted and amused at the creativity of my artist friends and ALWAYS enjoy browsing their shops. And since Mother’s Day is almost upon us, any of these picks will make wonderful gifts. Buy Handmade - buy a gift that was made from the heart.
The Magical Color of Purple - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade
Since purple is a fairly rare color in nature, an almost magical aura has been associated to it throughout human history. The first historical record of a purple dye, called Tyrian purple, indicates that it began to be manufactured in the Phoenician city of Tyre in the eastern Mediterranean in the 14th century BCE. The dye was extracted from the glands of several types of shellfish, but especially the Murex brandaris. The process to extract the dye took about three days. Thousands of putrefied, crushed shellfish were left to bake in the sun. Salt was then added and the mash of glands were boiled down. (Can you imagine the overwhelming stench of the process!!!). It took about 12,000 shellfish to extract 1.5 grams of the pure dye, barely enough to dye a single garment the size of a Roman toga. In 301 A.D. during the reign of Roman Emperor Diocletian, one pound of purple dye cost 150,000 denarii or around three pounds of gold. This is the main reason the purple color was reserved for emperors or individuals with titles of royal authority.
