Blog entry

4th of July - Celebrate a Handmade Red, White and Blue Holiday!

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson.

The 4th of July, also known as Independence Day or July 4th, has a tradition of celebrations goes back to the American Revolution.  When the initial battles of the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, very few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain.  But, by the middle of the following year, the idea of independence grew due to the growing hostility against draconian British laws and the spread of revolutionary sentiments, such as the pamphlet published in early 1776 by Thomas Paine, called “Common Sense.”

New Artisan Handmade Jewelry at Shadow Dog Designs

I love this quote by J. Donald Walters:

When you buy something handmade by a person, there is something special there, and you do feel it.  The consciousness with which the thing is made is often more important than the thing itself.

Gift Ideas for a Handmade Mothers Day - Week 8

Wow!!!  It’s extremely hard to believe that there only two more weeks of the Mother’s Day Countdown 2018 which is hosted again this year by Julie of Blue Morning Expressions on her The Blu Print blog.  Week 8 came and went and fourteen handmade artisans and one vintage seller shared a total of 45 wonderful items items. Since Mother's Day is quickly gaining on us, on Sunday, May 13, this is the perfect time to start buying a gift for your Mom.  Why don’t you browse the wide range of unique shares for this week - many of them one of a kind designs - visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom something that was HANDMADE from the heart!

Handmade Earrings and Necklaces for Mothers Day - New Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

It has been almost a month since I last shared my newest Shadow Dog Designs handmade necklaces and earrings.  Where does the time go? Most of my time has been spent getting ready for art shows and then selling at art shows.  My first was last weekend, the Kermezaar Art Festival, with two more big shows this month. Fortunately my stock of jewelry is pretty good, but I always like to have at least a few new things for each show.  Will continue with creating new pieces as soon as this is posted.