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Make It a Handmade Christmas 2021 - Week 3

 

 

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!

 

 

 

Make It a Handmade Christmas 2021 - Week 2

 

 

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!

 

 

Fall Fun - Artisan Handmade

 

 

“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 . . . 

Necklaces and Earrings - New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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!

Christian Cross Jewelry - Artisan Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

 

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.

There are Always Flowers - Artisan Handmade - May 27, 2021

 

 

There are always flowers for those who want to see them - 

Henri Matisse

 

 

Henri Matisse is absolutely right.  There are ALWAYS flowers.  Even when it's winter and no flowers are found (except a few succulents that bloom inside during the winter), I have them in my heart, impatiently waiting for spring to see the hollyhocks, roses, geraniums, bottle brush, mimosa, lantana, Russian sage and other fine petaled friends again.  And they are beautiful right now, blooming away before the desert heat sets in.  To add even more floral beauty to this spring, I decided a colorful flower blog was needed.  Artist friends shared two of their handmade items with a flower theme.  If something catches your eye, be sure to click on the photo or the link below the photo to be taken to the item in the shop.  I hope you love these cheerful beauties.      

 

 

Eleven New Necklaces and Earrings Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

It has been quite a while since I shared new jewelry designs found in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop.  It seems the days . . . and the weeks . . . . and the months just speed right on by.  I've been spending a LOT of time outside working in flower beds and just sitting and enjoying all the birds and other animals that come to the back yard.  And watching Seamus be his goofy dog self.  The weather has been absolutely gorgeous so the pull to be outside is greater than the pull to be in front of the computer.  Today I'm sharing eleven new designs in my shop, all one of a kind jewelry.  As you can see there is a wide range of desgins:  some simple and some more comlicated, some small and some big and bold.   And there are several new animal rescue designs which, when sold, one-half of the purchase price goes to an animal recue organization.  I hope you enjoy these pieces.  And be sure to visit my shop to see other unique jewelry:  SHADOW DOG DESIGNS.

Make It A Handmade Mothers Day - Week 9

 

 

Watch out!  Mother’s Day will be here very, very soon, this coming Sunday, May 9!  It’s still not too late to order a handmade gift from the beauties shared this week on the Countdown to Mother's Day 2021, hosted again this year by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their The Blu Print blog.  This is Week 9 of the Countdown, the last week, 10 handmade artisans shared a total of 30 wonderfully unique items. Browse the wide range of eye catching 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!

 

 

 

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