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Gorgeous Gifts - Artisan Handmade for Valentines Day!

 

 

Valentine’s Day, February 14, will be here before we know it.  When you walk into most stores shortly after Christmas (or even sometimes before!), hearts, cupids and other items in pink and red will assail you from every direction.  Flowers, candy and gifts are exchanged between loved ones throughout the United States and in many other countries around the world . . . all in the name of St. Valentine.  Although the exact history of St. Valentine (or Valentinus) is shrouded in mystery (there are actually three St. Valentines recognized by the Catholic Church to consider!), February has long been celebrated as a month of romance.  Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both ancient Roman (Lupercalia) and Christian traditions, with a few other influences thrown in for good measure. 

 

This year for Valentine's Day, don't think abour buying mass produced from large companies.  Think, instead of supporting a small, indie business, people who actually make or design the items themselves.  Scroll down and you'll see 26 items, many are one of a kind and handmade from the heart!  Any of items highlighted will make a wonderful gift for a loved one.  Remember:  SHOP SMALL and support a small indie artist!

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 4, 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:  

 

 

 

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! 

 

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - 2022 - Week 11

 

 

It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2022 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 3 1/2 weeks away - 25 days, where does the time go? The ever ticking Christmas clock doesn’t let up - those seconds just keep ticking down until the jolly man in red and white leaves wonderful gifts or lumps of coal under the tree.  Just what is the Countdown? It’s a place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. Need a perfect start (or finish) to your Christmas shopping?  Shop the Countdown to Christmas and purchase that special piece for that special person! An excellent motto to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses! 

 

 

 

New Handmade Earrings and Necklaces - Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

The heat of summer has set in here in the Desert Southwest.  Which means planting more flowers in the flower beds is pretty much a done deal until the monsoon season sets in shortly (hopefully - we really need some rain!).  More time is being spent inside during the day until the temps cool down when the sun starts to set, so I'm making good use of the extra time inside creating and listing new jewelry.  And I'm looking further down the road to the Labor Day weekend when the Franciscan Festival of Fine Arts is being held - my first big show of the season and my favorite.  Five new pairs of earrings and two new necklaces have been recently added to my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS handmade jewelry shop.  I also added three older pieces to make an even ten.  If something catches your eye and you want to look at more photos or need more information, please either click the picture or the description under the pic to be taken to the item listing.  I hope you enjoy these new necklace sand earrings, all of which are one of a kind designs.

Hot Summer Fun - Artisan Handmade Gifts

 

 

It’s hard to believe that we are already through a good part of the first week of June with most of the scorching summer still ahead of us - even though it’s not yet “officially” summer (June 21 at 3:14 a.m. MDT this year).  Up until the last few days, summer here in the Desert Southwest has been relatively mild.  BUT the triple digits have finally set in and the AC seems to run continuously.  As everyone says:  at least it’s a dry heat!  June is usually our hottest month.  And then the monsoon season sets in where we get most of the 9” of rain that is normal for this part of the desert.  Everyone is praying that the rains do start soon on schedule, normally at the end of June.  For the past several years, a big storm has shown up on the 4th of July where we can enjoy Mother Nature’s fireworks - and then the scheduled fireworks once the storm blows through, all from the comfort of our upstairs porch.  Hope that happens again this year since it’s quite spectacular.

 

 

 

Unique Handmade Necklaces and Earrings by Shadow Dog Designs - Jewelry

 

 

"Jewelry is a very personal thing . . . it should tell a story about the person who’s wearing it" 

Garance Daré

 

 

I love the quote above by Garance Daré since it is so true.  Jewelry IS a very personal thing.  It can range from very traditional jewelry to jewelry that is uniquely boho; from mass produced to individually handmade pieces.  I LOVE making unique jewelry!  Necklaces and earrings, as you can see in this post, that definitely lean to the fun, boho side and are mostly one of a kind (with the excepton of a few pairs of Christmas earrings).  Featured here are ten pieces of the newest jewelry in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS, six pairs of earrings and four pendant necklaces.  If something catches your eye and you want more information and more photos, be sure to click the photo or short description to be taken to the item in my shop.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Handmade Earrings and a Necklace - New Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

 

It’s been about six weeks since my newest earrings and necklaces were shared with you . . . so I decided a new blog post was in order.  I would have more new jewelry to share, but sales of new pieces have been excellent - yay!  I’m definitely NOT complaining!  Shared here are the newest seven pairs of earrings and one necklace listed in my Shadow Dog Designs shop since the last post: a wide range of jewelry featuring famous art, a Norse horse, pink waves, dragonflies, dog and cat earrings and others. Each piece is carefully designed and handmade by me and is one of a kind.  If something catches your eye and you want to browse more photos and information, please click on the item photo or the live link below each picture to be taken directly to the listiuing.  I hope you enjoy these news handmade jewels.

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