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Halloween and Day of the Dead Handmade Jewelry - Three for Thursday
Posted October 10, 2019
Halloween and Day of the Dead will be here very soon. Halloween is the last day of this month, October 31, when ghouls and goblins and vampires and princesses and more show up at your door for tricks or (preferably) treats. Day of the Dead is actually celebrated on two days: November 1 for Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels - for deceased children) and November 2 is Dia de los Muertos (for spirits of all the dead). Women who celebrate these holidays definitely need unique handmade jewelry! To help with this, three jewelry items from three handmade artists are featured in this Halloween and Day of the Dead Jewelry blog post. The artists are: Mary of PrettyGonzo; Linda of VictorianStyleTreasures and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy the earrings, bracelet and necklace that are showcased. Please visit the artists’ shops for more wonderful handmade jewelry, many one of a kind designs.
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It's an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 2
Posted October 1, 2019
Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas 2019 has come and gone . . . and unique handmade and vintage items have been left in its wake. According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there is only 84 days, 23 hours, 5 minutes and those quickly descending seconds (as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning) until Christmas is here . . . once again! Need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping? The Countdown is the place to do just that! A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!
Radiant Red - Artisan Handmade Three for Thursday
Posted September 26, 2019
For friends who know me well, they know red is my all time favorite color. Always has been and probably always will be (although fuchsia and turquoise are right up there, too). I love the vibrancy of the color and that, in ancient Egypt, it represented life, health and victory. Yay!
So when I was musing on what the theme of this week’s Three for Thursday blog, I decided RED was it! Three handmade items with red as a main component of the design are featured from three artisans. The three artists are: Charlotte of Covergirlbeads; Jacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy these picks and will visit the artists studios for more handmade beauties.
New Jewelry - Handmade Earrings and Necklaces by Shadow Dog Designs
Posted September 12, 2019
It has been quite a while since I shared new, one of a kind necklace and earrings designs. The autumn show season has started and it seems I’m making new items, setting up at shows, selling at shows and packing up from shows. So my Shadow Dog Designs online shop hasn’t seen a whole lot of new handmade items posted lately - and many that were posted have sold. But I wanted to share the five newest pieces, plus three that are fairly new and one Halloween and one Christmas design. To see more information about individual items, either click on the photograph or the link under the photo - both will take you to the item in the shop. I hope you enjoy looking . . . and maybe buying!
We Have the Blues - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Posted August 22, 2019
Blues is a tonic for whatever ails you. I could play the blues and then not be blue anymore.
B. B. King
Even though the above quote by B. B. King is about music, it can also be about the color blue. According to psychologists, the popularity of the color may take root in our evolutionary development. In the early hunter-gatherer days, those drawn to positive things - like clear blue skies and clean blue hued water were more likely to survive. Over time, this preference for the color blue may have become hard-wired. To this day, the color blue is still a favorite color worldwide.
Affirmation and Inspiration - Artisan Handmade Three for Thursday
Posted August 15, 2019
“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
In these days which seem filled with words of hate and division, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there is MUCH more good in this world than there is bad. We just have to be aware of it. The smile of a friend or stranger. An unexpected helping hand. A kind word. Being strong in the face of adversity. That’s why I love the quote above . . . and sometimes use it as my mantra while doing some deep breathing to slow down my sometimes very active monkey mind.
Oldies But Definitely Goodies - Unique Artisan Handmade
Posted July 31, 2019
Whenever someone mentions “Oldies But Goodies,” most people think of old songs, vintage cars, antique furniture or, possibly, themselves (after - ahem - a certain age). “Oldies But Goodies” can also refer to items in handmade shops that have been around for longer than we would like. Whenever something is created and then listed in our shops, we always think it will sell right away. But, for whatever reason, the beauty sits there . . . and sits there . . . and sits there some more. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that particular item - 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 goodies.” Many of the items are one of a kind creations and would make a perfect gift for a birthday, anniversary, Christmas, or just because . . . I hope something catches your eye and that you visit the shops of the artists below.
New Jewelry From Shadow Dog Designs - Handmade Earrings and Necklaces
Posted July 21, 2019
I like for jewelry to tell a story and to be able to tell a story about what I’m wearing. That’s more important to me than a name, brand or label - Nikki Reed
I just love this quote because I love jewelry that tells a story, too. And if you look at the jewelry in my Shadow Dog Designs handmade shop, many, many of the pieces have such interesting stories to tell. Why buy mass produced necklaces and earrings when artisan handmade jewelry, often one of a kind pieces,has GREAT stories to tell!
Christmas in July - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Posted July 18, 2019
All this month, merchants celebrate “Christmas in July.” Believe it or not, the real Christmas will be here before we know it - yikes! To celebrate Christmas in July, I decided to share items from three handmade artists that either have holiday items on sale or are offering free shipping. The items range from sweet baby clothing, to unique ornaments, to fun Christmas art, and to sparkling holiday jewelry. The three artists are: Pamela of MagdaleneKnits; Jacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.
I hope you enjoy these selections. Don’t wait! Start your Christmas shopping early while there is a wide selection of unique handmade beauties.
Hot, Hot, Hot Dogs Days of Summer - Artisan Handmade
Posted July 11, 2019
The dog days of summer are here and the temperatures have gotten hot, hot, hot. It seems heat records have been shattered worldwide, especially in places that normally don’t get that hot. Weird weather all over. Climate change is real, folks!
So, just how did the term "Dog Days of Summer" come about? Depending on latitude and longitude, the Dog Days usually start the beginning of July and end the beginning of September in the Northern Hemisphere and between early January to early March in the Southern Hemisphere. Most people believe the phrase "dog days" developed by observing domestic dogs (such as our Seamus) laying around in shady areas during hot days. Another old myth, first attributed to Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist, stated in his Natural History that rabid dogs are supposed to be more common during this time of the year because the heat drives them mad. He advised feeding dogs chicken manure to curb the tendency!!!
