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Blog entry
Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 9
Posted November 17, 2020
Christmas is barreling down on us - it will soon be here! Week 9 of the Countdown to Christmas 2020 has come and gone. The ever ticking Christmas clock doesn’t let up - according to what it says today, Santa will start his journey in only 37 days, just barely a month from now! The Countdown is a place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. Need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping? Shop the Countdown to Christmas: browse and purchase that special piece! An excellent motto to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!
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Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 6
Posted October 27, 2020
It’s hard to realize that we’re half-way finished with the twelve week Countdown to Christmas 2020! Yikes! That means Christmas is bearing down on us and will soon be here, just a bit less than 2 months! According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there are only 58 days until ho-ho-ho-ing Santa and his merry band of clattering reindeer arrive once again. Now is the perfect time to start your holiday shopping and the Countdown is the perfect place! Remember this motto: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP ARTISAN HANDMADE!
Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 5
Posted October 20, 2020
Week 5 of the Countdown to Christmas rushed right on by (the time goes quicker and quicker each week, it seems!), and a huge variety of fabulous artisan handmade items were left in its wake. According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there are only 65 days, barely over 2 months, before Jolly Ol’ Santa and his reindeer arrive once again. Now is the perfect time to start your holiday shopping and the Countdown is the perfect place! Remember this motto: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!
Red, Roja, Rossa, Rouge! - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Posted September 10, 2020
Anyone who knows me well, knows that red is my favorite color . . . a color I have always adored, even as a small girl who only wanted to wear her “pretty red dress.” If my Mom would have let me, I would have worn that “pretty red dress” until it disintegrated on me. Red makes my soul sing.
An artist friend, Jacki of Christie Cottage, listed a beautiful red felted wool pouch recently in her shop, which got me thinking about a new blog featuring the color red. So, here it is: Red, Roja, Rossa, Rouge! The new Red, Roja, Rossa, Rouge (English, Spanish, Italian and French for "red) Three for Thursday post features three items from three artists that feature a hefty dose of red in their handmade designs. The three artists are: Jacki of Christie Cottage; Charlotte of Covergirlbeads; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy all these unique handmade designs with blazing red!
Autumn Beauties - Artisan Handmade
Posted September 3, 2020
"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." — Albert Camus
I don’t know about you, but autumn is my favorite time of the year, although it’s somewhat bittersweet since winter follows. It’s a time where the temperatures (at least here in the Desert Southwest) are moderating and thankfully, the gates of the blast furnace of Hell for this extreme heat summer have closed. It’s a time for rethinking and replacing plants that didn’t make it through this summer. Many people start fall gardens and farmers bring in their harvest. Fall is part of that ongoing cycle of loss, rest, regeneration and, ultimately, regrowth. The Autumn Equinox is a balance between light and dark, a balance between the season that happens again in the spring. And who doesn’t love the trees and some shrubs with their gorgeous leaf displays as they prepare for their winter sleep.
For the Love of Earrings - A Short History
Posted August 16, 2020
I don't know about you, but I feel strange when I hop in the trusty Dog Mobile and then notice I have forgotten to put on a pair of earrings! At least there, in the driveway, I can hop out of the truck, run inside and grab a pair to put on. But, heaven help me, if I get somewhere and realize I am earrings-less! It's like the world has tilted just a bit on its axis and I’m in the Upside Down. Being an ardent wearer of pierced earrings since the early 1970’s, I have quite the collection of handcrafted Native American earrings - and earrings I’ve made myself and then couldn’t part with. Just LOVE them!
Awesome Animals - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Posted July 30, 2020
Anyone who knows me knows I love animals, always have and always will. No-footed, two-footed, four-footed, six footed or more (except, to tell the truth, female mosquitoes and ticks - uck!). I love animals of all sizes, from huge ones to wee, tiny ones - from blue whales, the largest mammal on earth, to Kitti's hog-nosed bat (or bumblebee bat) the world's smallest mammal at just over 1” long. And I’m always amazed at how animals have evolved to survive. Just think of the Griffon’s vulture which is recorded as the highest flying bird at 37,000 feet to deep sea creatures which live in harsh conditions thousands of feet in the ocean where light doesn’t reach. Amazing!
When I was mulling around what the theme of this week's Three for Thursday blog, I decided on animals. Three animal related items from three handmade artists are featured. The artists are: Linda of VictorianStyleTreasures; Roxanne of watercolorsNmore; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy this collection of animal themed items. Be sure to visit the shops to find even more beauties.
New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted July 19, 2020
You would seem due sheltering in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d have more time to create new jewelry and blog. Before, my days were very structured. Now they’re not, even though I try to structure them. It seems I find myself saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow” . . . and then when tomorrow rolls around, it becomes “tomorrow” again. So, this morning, I sat myself down to create a new blog showcasing the newest pieces of jewelry in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop. Fourteen handmade beauties: nine pairs of earrings, four necklaces and one bracelet. They are all one of a kind creations from a variety of materials including, gemstones, polymer clay, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals and a host of other things. I hope you take the time to browse and to check out all the other jewelry in my shop. After all, Christmas will be here before we know it - get a head start with your holiday shopping! Enjoy.
The Many Faces of Green - Artisan Handmade
Posted July 12, 2020
GREEN is a favorite color of many people because of it being the predominant terrestrial color of Mother Earth. It is considered by many to be the most restful color (green being a favorite color choice for bedrooms). But the color green wears many faces, both in its numerous beautiful shades and its interesting historical context. I found the history and symbolism of green to be fascinating and decided to share some of what I found:
Red, White and Blue, Happy 4th of July to You - Artisan Handmade
Posted July 2, 2020
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the first day of July (when I wrote this) with the 4th of July just around the corner. When you mostly are self-isolating, one day looks pretty much like the next. But July 4th will be here this Saturday and I’m looking forward to sitting on the upstairs back porch and watching at least three fireworks shows from the comfort of our own house. Seamus the Moose Dog will sit out there with us - fortunately he is not bothered by the booming noises fireworks can make.
Since the 4th will be here very soon, I wanted to feature three red, white and blue items from three artist friends. The artists are; Charlotte of Covergirlbeads; Pamela of MagdaleneKnits; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy this selection of patriotic colored items and will visit the shops (and hopefully purchase) a beauty there.
