Blog entry
Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 1
Posted September 22, 2020
WOW, wasn't last Christmas like . . . three months ago? With as strange as the year 2020 has been so far, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is only 93 days away (according to the ever ticking Christmas clock). It’s not too early to start thinking about your Christmas shopping list. A perfect place to start is the 12 week Countdown to Christmas 2020 hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions that is filled with a wide variety of handmade gifts. A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small businesses!
» 14 Comments
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.
Perfect Pink Pretties for Valentines Day - Artisan Handmade
Posted February 6, 2020
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, in just over a week, and the colors of Valentine’s Day - red, pink and white - are seen everywhere. Why these particular colors ??? Through the ages, red represents passionate love, beauty, courage and respect. White symbolizes true love, innocence, purity and charm. Since pink is a combination of red and white, taking the properties of both colors, it reveals a gentler, kinder love, perfect happiness, tenderness and grace.
Since pink is such a beautiful and meaningful combination of red and white, I decided to pull together a blog, “Perfect Pink Pretties for Valentine’s Day,” featuring a wide range of handmade gifts using pink as a major palette in the designs. You'll find most of these items are not your "traditional" Valentine's inspired gifts. And that's OK! It means they can be worn longer, sometimes year round, and not just for Valentine's Day itself. I hope you find something for your loved one . . . something that's a perfect pink pretty!
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.
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.
Make it an Artisan Handmade Mothers Day - Week 4
Posted April 2, 2019
Here we are already at week 4 of the Countdown to Mother’s Day. Hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their The Blu Print blog, this is the perfect time to start buying a unique, handmade gift(s) for Mom! This week, a total of 42 artisan items were shared on the Countdown - each one a delight for Mom - from 14 handmade artists. Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 3, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beauty that was handmade from the heart.
Artisan Handmade Gifts - Tuesday Tag
Posted January 22, 2019
Please share your links and comments on the host blog: CHRISTIE COTTAGE
A Joyful Heart - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday - January 20, 2016
Posted January 20, 2016
A favorite quote, one that I often remind myself, is from Mother Teresa: "A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love." Such true words!
