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Make It a Handmade Christmas 2021 - Week 3
Posted October 5, 2021
It's amazing how quickly Week 3 of the Countdown to Christmas sped right on by . . . and a wide variety of gorgeous artisan handmade items have been left in its wake. According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there are only 80 days until Christmas is here . . . once again. Shopping the Countdown to Christmas is the perfect place to start your holiday gift gathering. A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses!
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Make It a Handmade Christmas 2021 - Week 2
Posted September 28, 2021
Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas 2021 has already come and gone . . . and unique artisan handmade items have been left in its wake. According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there are only 87 days until Christmas is here . . . once again! Need a perfect start 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!
Make It a Handmade Christmas 2021 - Week 1
Posted September 21, 2021
My gosh! Wasn't last Christmas like . . . three months ago? With as strange as the year 2021 has been so far, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is only 94 days away (according to the ever ticking Christmas clock). It's definitely not too early to start thinking about all those people on your Christmas shopping list. A perfect place to start looking (and buying) is the 12 week Countdown to Christmas 2021 hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions that is filled with a wide variety of handmade gifts. A new collection will be added each week.
A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses!
Fall Fun - Artisan Handmade
Posted September 11, 2021
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been
saving up all year for the grand finale.”
Lauren DeStefano
For many, many people, fall is a favorite time of the year, when the heat of summer dissipates into the coolness of autumn and the deciduous trees are a riot of color. Here in the Desert Southwest, the temperatures are still reaching the mid-90’s during the day. But the temps in the morning are dipping into the mid-60’s, a glorious reminder that the first cool front will blow through any day now. A perfect time for gardening. And just to sit and watch the grand finale . . . and to just be . . .
Christian Jewelry - Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted August 26, 2021
Religious jewelry is always a perfect gift for the Christian woman, especially when the necklaces and earrings are one of a kind, artisan designs. Today, I’m sharing ten pieces of beautiful, Christian inspired jewelry from my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop, seven necklaces and three pairs of earrings. As I mentioned above, all are one of a kind designs so you can rest assured no one else has a piece just like it! If something catches your eye and you want more information and photos, be sure to either click the item photograph or the live link below the picture to be taken to the listing. I hope you enjoy these meaningful beauties!
Necklaces and Earrings - New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted August 12, 2021
I've been working hard these past several weeks crating and adding new jewelry into my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop. Below are the latest necklaces and earrings that have been listed, an even dozen, all unique and all one of a kind designs. You’ll find a wide variety of styles, from boho to elegant . . . with some designs combining both! Also you'll find two new pieces from my "dog / cat rescue jewelry" line, where, when purchased, one half (1/2) of the purchase price is donated to an animal rescue group. If something catches your eye and you want to see more photos and information, please click the item photo or the link below a picture to be taken to the listing. I hope you enjoy each piece. And remember . . . Christmas is only 134 days away! It's never to early to stary holiday shopping. Yikes!
Handmade Hot Summer Fun
Posted August 5, 2021
Here it is, already August and a good part of scorching summer heat is behind us. Summer here in the Desert Southwest, so far, has actually been pretty mild - at least for here. Other places haven’t been so lucky, unfortunately. With the days of summer rapidly waning, I asked artist friends to share two items that represent “hot summer fun” in shades of red, oranges and yellows. Some items are more on the hot, hot hot summer side and some are more on the mellow cool summer side. But all are artisan handmade / designed and many are one of a kind. So if something catches your eye on the Handmade Hot Summer Fun blog, please click the photo or the link below the photo for more information. I hope you enjoy all these beauties. And remember: SHOP SMALL and SHOP HANDMADE!
Every Flower - Artisan Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted July 6, 2021
EVERY FLOWER IS A SOUL BLOSSOMING IN NATURE
Gerard de Nerval
Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love growing flowers. Since moving to the Desert Southwest, it has been a long experiment to see what survives and what doesn’t. Not only does the summer heat make some plants struggle, but we had an unexpected deep freeze this past winter. But since the monsoon season has arrived early this year with much needed rain (yay!) and cooler temperatures (yay!), my flower beds are thriving. The zinnias that were grown from seed have just started to bloom - they are an experiment so we’ll see how they do. Grandpa Otts morning glories and sunflowers are aso blooming, along with the yellow and native lantana (which started back in March) and cheerful moss-rose purslane. And, of course, the bright fuchsia pink Knockout roses keep chugging right along. An all-time favorite flower, hollyhocks, are just about bloomed out. I've been taking photos and hope to share some in a blog later on. I revel in the beauty of flowers!
Oldies but Glorious Goodies - Artisan Handmade Gifts
Posted June 24, 2021
I don’t know about you, but whenever someone mentions “oldies but goodies,” most people flash back to an old song, maybe their favorite vintage car, possibly antique furniture or, (shudder) themselves after . . . ahem . . . reaching a certain age. “Oldies but goodies” can also refer to items in handmade shops that have been around for much longer than we would like them to be. I, for one, always hope that whenever a new beauty is created and then listed, it will sell right away. Sometimes they do. But sometimes, for whatever reason, the item sits there . . . and sits there . . . and sits there some more. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that particular piece - not at all! It just hasn’t found that forever person to give it a forever home.
I asked artisan friends to share two items from their shops that they considered “Oldies but Glorious Goodies.” Most of the items shared are one of a kind creations and would make a perfect gift for that certain someone for their birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Mother’s Day, or just because . . . I hope one of these “oldies” catches your eye. Please be sure to visit the artisan shops for even more exceptional handmade lovelies.
Christian Cross Jewelry - Artisan Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted June 13, 2021
To a Christian, crosses are a symbol of atonement and reminds them of God's love in sacrificing his own son for humanity. Despite being associated primarily with Christianity, many cross symbols were used as religious symbols pre-Christianity, especially in Europe and western Asia. Crosses can be found carved on rocks and in caves dating back to the Upper Paleolithic period, approximately 50,000 to 12,000 years ago. During the European Bronze Age (app. 3200 - 600 B.C), cross symbols seemed to carry a religious meaning, possibly a symbol of consecration especially during burials. For at least two centuries after the crucifixion of Christ, the symbol of Christianity (when it was depicted) was a headless T-shaped Tau cross. Gradually over time, the Tau cross was replaced by the Greek cross, with arms of equal length, then by the Latin cross (or Roman cross) with a longer descending arm, which is the most common cross used today. Crosses come in many different variants, all having a religious meaning. If you are interested in seeing some of the variants and what they mean, I find these two links to be especially helpful: Christian Cross Variants and Kinds of Crosses--What the Different Designs Mean.
