Enjoy

*** FREE SHIPPING ***

(First Class Ground Advantage - U.S. Only)

 

Blog entry

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 4 Favorites - 2024

 

 

Who would have believed how quickly Week 4 of the Countdown to Christmas 2024 went by . . . but here we are!  Left in its wake is a wide variety of wonderful artisan handmade / designed items.  According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock, there are only 70 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, Julie and her faithful sidekick, Handsome Harry, are hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2024 of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, part of their Blue Morning Expressions Shopify shop.  This week, there were 36 shares from 12 artists featuring a wide range of gifts:  unique jewelry designs, custom dog portraits, photographic and digital art, home decor, gift tags and stickers, tote bags, t-shirts 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 2024 - Artisan Gifts - Week 8

 

 

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 blogeach 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 a Handmade Mothers Day - Artisan Gifts - Week 4

 

 

It's hard to believe that Week 4 of the Countdown to Mother's Day 2024 Week 4 has come . . . and gone so quickly!  We're near the end of March with Easter next Sunday, March 31.  But the Countdown to Mother's Day 2024 doesn't take a break!  The fun Countdown, hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, is the place where artisans come together and share three of their unique items.  This week 13 artists shared a total of 38 lovely items - each one a perfect gift for Mother’s Day.  Since Mom's day will be here before you know it, this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your Mom, grandmother, aunties and other much loved women.  Be sure to browse all the wonderful handmade / designed shares for Week 4, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy  a unique beauty that was artisan made from the heart.  This year, definitely Make it a Handmade Mother's Day!  

 

 

 

Make It a Handmade Mothers Day - Artisan Gifts - Week 3

 

 

Week 3 of the Countdown to Mother’s Day 2024 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 beauty a wonderful gift for Mom in her bug day.  Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - on May 12 - 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 gift that was artisan handmade from the heart.  Be sure to buy handmade this Mother's Day and support a small indie business!

 

 

Make It a Handmade Mothers Day 2024 - Artisan Gifts - Week 1

 

 

Julie and the always Handsome Harry the Florida Dog of Blue Morning Expressions are again hosting the wildly popular “Countdown to Mother’s Day.” Last year's Mother's Day Countdown was a resounding success . . . so the 2024 version is up and running:  Countdown to Mother’s Day 2024 Week 1 on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.. Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - on May 12 - this is the perfect time to start thinking about buying a gift(s) for your mom, grandmom, aunts and/ or other beloved women.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares, visit the shops of the artists featured in this week's Countdown and buy your mother a beauty that was handmade / designed from the heart.  When you do so, you support a small, independent business (which makes us do a happy dance)!  Here is a favorite from each artist who shared their work from this past weekend:  

 

 

A Fantasia of Flowers - Artisan Handmade Floral Gifts

 

 

Here in the Desert Southwest, you can feel that spring is not far off.  The days are getting longer and warmer, the winds are getting . . . . well . . . . windier, and, despite not having much rain in the last several months, flowers are beginning to stir and put on buds, a prelude to their much anticipated appearance before the heat sets in.  I saw the first swallows of the season yesterday, soaring and dipping through the arroyo that butts up against our back yard.  Other bird migrants will soon be here - some will pass on through and some will stay to nest.  Hummingbirds are greatly anticipated as are the butterflies, bees and wasps, all of which I hope will make good use of the new pollinator flower bed that has been a long, slow process in the making.  Life is good.

 

Thinking about flowers reminds me of a favorite floral quote by the Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, who painted many amazing floral landscapes and cultivated large flower gardens at Giverny:  

 

 

“I MUST HAVE FLOWERS, ALWAYS, AND ALWAYS”  

 

 

I TOTALLY agree with him!

 

The flowers shared below blossomed in the creative minds, hearts and souls of each artist featured.  I hope you enjoy browsing all these cheerful artisan handmade / designed spring beauties.  And be sure to visit the shops of the artisans featured for even more to choose from.  After all, Easter and Mother’s Day will quickly be here!

 

 

 

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 7, 2023

 

 

It is so very hard to believe (at least to me - how about you?) that we are already a week into November . . .  and that there are only 5 more weeks of the Countdown to Christmas 2023!  It’s also hard to believe that Christmas will be here before we know it.  According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock, there are only 46 days (as of today) until Santa drops down the chimney once again with his bag of goodies . . . or coal.  With Christmas rapidly approaching, Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions continue hosting the twelve-week Countdown to Christmas of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  Start or finish your holiday shopping now on the Countdown - Week 7 - a perfect place to buy unique handmade / designed gifts!  This week, 33 items from 11 artisans were shared in the wide-ranging gift collection: jewelry of many different styles, Christmas ornaments, gearhead sweatshirts, keychains, lampwork glass beads, baby gifts and more.  A wonderful motto to follow: SHOP EARLY and SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses.

 

In addition to saving each handmade item from the Countdown to Christmas 2023 Week 7 collection to my handmade Christmas Pinterest board and Twitter feed,  I pick a favorite item from each artist (hard to do!) and feature them here on my blog.  Here  are my favorites for Week 7: 

 

 

Artisan Handmade Gifts - Thank You

 

 

Recently, I asked several artisan friends to aprticipate in a "Christmas in July - Artisan Handmade Gifts - 2023" blog promotion, involving leaving two items on an InLinkz.  Once the InLinkz ended, I pulled together a blog featuring the wonderful items.  All items from the InLinkz and the blog were to be promoted on at least two social media sites.  That's the usual deal for the many years we have been promoting each others items.  Twelve friends participated, making a total of thirteen counting me.  To thank the seven artists who took the time to stop by and leave a blog comment (as of writing this, Wednesday morning the 19th), I decided to pull together an "Artisan Handmade Gifts - Thank You" blog.  From each shop, I chose an item that immediately caught my eye and shared them here in the order of the comments left.  I hope you visit the shops of these wonderful artists.  And remember to SHOP SMALL and to SHOP HANDMADE.  

 

 

New Handmade Earrings and Necklaces - Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

Since the heat wave that set in about a week ago has not let up, I find it too hot to go outside and photograph new jewelry (which I normally do around noonish).  Photographing is something I really need to do, but I'll wait until it cools down a bit.  So I decided to pull together a blog that features the eleven newest jewelry designs in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS jewelry shop,  three new necklace and eight pairs of earrings.  Each piece was designed and handmade by me and they are all one of a kind designs.  If something catches your eye and you would like to look at more photos and read more about the piece, please click on the picture or the description underneath to be taken to the item listing.  I hope you enjoy each and every piece as much as I love creating them!

Syndicate content