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Autumn Artisan Handmade Gift Ideas - Three for Thursday
Posted November 8, 2018
According to the calendar, we're about ½ way through autumn, the favorite time of year for many people. I live in the Desert Southwest and most people don’t associate the desert with fall color. But we have it! Granted not as eye catching as the forests in along the East Coast or the aspens in many places in the Rockies. Color is here, nonetheless: glowing yellows and reds and purples of the deciduous trees. And my amazing cosmos are looming up a storm with carmine reds, pale pinks and glowing white. The hummingbirds left about a month ago (always sad to see them go) but new migrant birds are showing up, especially the cheerful little juncos. Am waiting for the beautiful blue scrub jays with their raucous calls and jaunty attitudes to show up under the bird feeders.
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Need Some Love - Artisan Handmade
Posted August 18, 2018
There is something ALL handmade artists go through: you design a beautiful piece of jewelry, or create a fabulous painting, or crochet an intricate piece of table art, or . . . the list goes on and on. You have put so much of yourself into the piece, you love it and you are sure it will sell very, very quickly. Unfortunately, there it still sits in your shop . . . and you have no idea why!
Unique Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday
Posted August 2, 2018
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.
Dieter Uchtdorf
Two weeks have already flown . . . and here it is, time for another Three for Thursday blog post. Three wonderful handmade items from three different artists are featured. The artists highlighted this week are: Marcia of MarciaMcKinzieArt with unique watercolor batik paintings (I chose all beautiful landscapes); a wide range of fiber crafts by Jacki of Christie Cottage; and unique boho style jewelry by me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. If something catches your eye, please be sure to click on the photo or the link below the picture to be taken to the item for more photos and information. I hope you enjoy the unique artisan handmade items featured below. And, remember: BUY HANDMADE!
Necklaces and Earrings - New Jewelry from Shadow Dog Designs
Posted July 29, 2018
That's the thing with handmade items. They still have the person's mark on them, and when you hold them, you feel less alone.
Aimee Bender, The Color Master: Stories
I love the idea that when you hold a handmade item, that you feel less alone. I hope that everyone who wears a piece of my handmade jewelry feels that way! The one of a kind jewelry definitely has my “mark” with many good wishes and peaceful intentions added.
School Daze - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade
Posted July 24, 2018
When I drive the back way to Spa for Paws, where Seamus goes to romp and play with his doggie friends three days a week, we pass by an elementary school. Today I noticed on the school sign that the first day of school is August 13, with teachers back at school August 3!!! What??? No wonder I have been bombarded with “back to school” brochures and coupons in the mail. I imagine that there a huge amount of ads on regular TV, but since I only watch PBS, NetFlix or the like, I don’t see them. Thank heavens for that! But it sure seems awfully early for school to begin. Where has the summer gone???
The school sign prompted the theme for today’s Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade, titled School Daze. The artisan handmade items chosen will be welcome “just because” first day of school gifts, to help counteract the daze of school starting up again. The meaningful, unique items chosen span a wide range of ages, from kindergarten/first grade through high school. I hope one of the beauties goes to school that first day!
It's an Artisan Handmade Christmas in July!
Posted July 12, 2018
I always thought Christmas in July was a very modern “holiday,” a marketing ploy since there are no holidays between July 4 and Labor Day (in the U.S.). But much to my amazement, the first mention of Christmas in July was in Werther, an 1892 French opera with libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet, and Georges Hartmann. In the opera, a group of children rehearse a Christmas song in July, to which a character responds: "When you sing Christmas in July, you rush the season."
Summer Fun - Artisan Handmade
Posted June 7, 2018
Even though summer has not officially arrived - the Summer Solstice will show up on Thursday, June 21 at 4:07 a.m. Mountain Time here in the Borderlands - thermometers tell another story. June is the month for triple digits here with a high UV index. Then the temperatures cool down when the monsoon season arrives with its amazing lightning displays and much needed rain. Despite the June heat, we go about our daily lives enjoying the out of doors, albeit in the mornings and evenings mostly: gardening, cooking on the grill, hiking, star gazing, birding, etc. With an altitude of 3740’, we still have gloriously cool mornings and evenings to enjoy being outside.
New Jewelry Designs by Shadow Dog Designs, Necklaces and Earrings
Posted February 7, 2018
It has been three weeks since the last blog share of the new handmade earrings and necklaces in my Shadow Dog Designs jewelry shop. I have been extremely busy making new pieces with the resulting product photography, photo editing and listing the new pieces . . . with MUCH more to come. Shared below are the nine new pieces listed since my last “new” blog. Also two “oldies but goodies” necklace are included, two of my favorites.
Three for Thursday - Artisan Handmade
Posted February 1, 2018
As I was toying around with the idea for a new set of blog posts, Three for Thursday became an “Aha!” moment. My plan is to feature three items from three handmade artists in each post, hopefully at least twice a month. The items will be wide ranging from a variety of materials, most, but not all, one of a kind beauties. In this inaugural post, the artists I have chosen are: Mary of PrettyGonzo; Jacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. If something catches your eye, please be sure to click on the photo or the link below the picture to be taken to the item for more photos and information. I hope you enjoy the unique artisan handmade items featured below:
Make It a Handmade Christmas - Countdown - Week 2
Posted September 26, 2017
Tick, tock, tick, tock . . . the Christmas Clock shows that there are only 89 days left until the Jolly Man in red arrives.
With the approaching gift giving season in mind, Julie and Blu of BlueMorningExpressions are hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2017 of artisan handmade items on their BluPrint blog. The twelve week time period was chosen to correspond with the Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Week 2 has come and gone on Julie and Blu's "Countdown to Christmas 2017." In its wake, a wonderful assortment of handmade items were shared: from jewelry to crocheted and knitted items; from lampwork glass beads to wooden Christmas ornaments; from photography to original art, and many, many more creative beauties!
