Blog entry

Delicate Easter Colors - Artisan Handmade Three for Thursday

Easter is a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life. 

Janine di Giovanni

Since yesterday was Ash Wednesday - and Easter is approximately six weeks away - I started thinking about Easters past, always large gatherings of family and friends.  But, before everyone showed up at our house, we went to Easter Sunrise mass, the only time my father was ever cajoled into going to church. As a child, I always remember getting a new Easter dress, usually with a matching headband, socks and gloves(!) to wear to church on Easter Sunday.  And if my sister and I were lucky, a small purse would be included. Very stylish, indeed, and usually VERY itchy! The clothes were always spring pastel in color: pinks, pale yellows, pale greens, pale blues and such. A preview of all the pastel colored Easter eggs that were waiting to be found!

This week’s Three for Thursday features three items from three handmade artists that definitely are filled with the renewal of Easter springtime colors.  The artists are: jewelry artist Mary of PrettyGonzo; crochet artist Pamela of MagdaleneKnits; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs, also a jewelry artist.  I hope you enjoy my choices. And be sure to visit the artists’ shops for more splendiferous designs!

4th of July - Celebrate a Handmade Red, White and Blue Holiday!

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson.

The 4th of July, also known as Independence Day or July 4th, has a tradition of celebrations goes back to the American Revolution.  When the initial battles of the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, very few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain.  But, by the middle of the following year, the idea of independence grew due to the growing hostility against draconian British laws and the spread of revolutionary sentiments, such as the pamphlet published in early 1776 by Thomas Paine, called “Common Sense.”

Colors to Love! - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Most artists absolutely love a wide range of colors - that’s part of being an artist, right?  Vibrant colors and subdued colors, they all have their places in designs. As Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian painter who is credited with painting the first purely abstract works, once said:

"Color is a power that directly influences the soul."

I totally agree!

Red for Valentine's Day! Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Valentine’s Day will soon be here, so I thought I’d share some mainly red handmade items from talented Indiemade artists.  Now these items were purposely chosen to not be overly “Valentines” - no heart designs here!  Just wonderful designs that primarily deal in many shades of red, from deep reds to vibrant reds.  So these beauties obviously can be worn most any time of the year.