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Artisan Valentines Gifts for Loved Ones - Week 4 - 2025

 

 

Just a warning:  Valentine's Day is only 1 week away, this coming February 14!  In case you still need a gift for the big day, Week 4 of the Valentine’s gift blog on Shadow Dog Designs features artisan handmade / designed beauties.  Each piece makes a wonderful gift for your loved one.  Traditional and non-traditional Valentine's designs are included.  Many of the artisan items can be worn / used all year long!  If something catches your eye, be sure to click either the photo or the description below the photo to be taken to the artistan's shop.  To see all of the gift ideas in one place, here’s a link: Artisan Valentine's Gifts for Loved Ones - Week 1 - 2025ALL of the gifts shared here were created by small business owners.  Please be sure to SHOP SMALL this Valentine's Day and support an indie artist.  We will certainly appreciate that!!!

 

 

Christmas Open House: Nina Eaton Photography and Shadow Dog Designs Jewelry

 

 

This coming weekend, December 7 and 8, 2024, Nina Eaton of Nina Eaton Photography is hosting a Christmas Open House.  And she invited me to participate in it again!  THANK YOU, Nina!!  If you are finishing up your holiday shopping, or haven't even started yet(!), or need unique stocking stuffers, stop by for a wide assortment of unique gifts.  Nina will have a wonderful selection of her award winning El Paso photography:  matted and gallery wrap prints, note cards, stone coasters, trivets, calendars, mouse pads, and other photographic beauties.  I'll have a wide variety of my mostly one of a kind handmade jewelry, including many Christmas earrings created with mega-sparkle vintage 1950's Austian / German crystals, glittering Swarovski crystals and whimsical artisan dangles.  You'll find many more designs at the Open House than are listed in my Shadow Dog Designs shop.  Additionally, the wide selection of Christmas earrings will be 10% off and there will be some deep discounts on other pieces of jewelry.  

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 4 Favorites - 2024

 

 

Who would have believed how quickly Week 4 of the Countdown to Christmas 2024 went by . . . but here we are!  Left in its wake is a wide variety of wonderful artisan handmade / designed items.  According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock, there are only 70 days until St. Nick pays a visit to let you know of you have been naughty or nice.  With the rapidly approaching gift giving season, Julie and her faithful sidekick, Handsome Harry, are hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2024 of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, part of their Blue Morning Expressions Shopify shop.  This week, there were 36 shares from 12 artists featuring a wide range of gifts:  unique jewelry designs, custom dog portraits, photographic and digital art, home decor, gift tags and stickers, tote bags, t-shirts and a host of other beauties.  If you need a perfect start (or ending) to your Christmas shopping, the Countdown is the place to do just that!  An excellent motto to follow is: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN.  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses!


Each week during the 12 week Countdown, I pick a favorite item from each artist (hard to do!) and feature them here on my blog.  These are my favorites for Week 4:  

 

 

Western Hills UMC Autumn Bazaar - Saturday, October 19, 2024

 

 

The Western Hills UMC Autumn Bazaar is back this coming Saturday, October 19, 2024!  Hosted by the ladies of the church (this is their 46th year!)!), 50+ booths of local El Paso artists and other vendors will be there, including Nina Eaton of Nina Eaton Photography and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  Admission is free.  AND, as you can see from the information below, there are many more things going on besides shopping at the vendors booths (my personal favorites are the book sale and Grandma's Attic).  Plus there's a silent auction, door prizes and many other fun things.  All proceeds go towards UMW charities / mission projects.  Please stop by my booth and say "Hi!"  Look forward to seeing you there!

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 3 Favorites - 2024

 

 

It's amazing just how quickly Week 3 of the Countdown to Christmas 2024 sped right on by . . . with a wide variety of gorgeous artisan handmade / designed items left in its wake.  According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock, there are only 77 days until jolly Santa Claus and his merry band of reindeer are delivering packages once again. With the rapidly approaching gift giving season in mind, Julie and her wonderful four-footed sidekick, Harry, are hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2024 of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, part of their Blue Morning Expressions Shopify shop.  This week, there were 36 shares by 12 artists featuring a wide range of truly unique gift ideas: jewelry of all types, coffee mugs, party tags, photographic and digital art, baby gifts, watercolors prints, and a host of other beauties.  If you need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping, the Countdown is the place to do just that!  An excellent motto to follow is: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN.  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses!


Each week during the 12 week Countdown, I pick a favorite item from each artist (hard to do!) and feature them here on my blog.  Here are my favorites for Week 3:  

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 2 Favorites - 2024

 

 

Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas 2024 has already come . . . and gone!  No worries, however, because unique artisan handmade / designed items were left in its wake.  According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clockthere are only 84 days until Christmas is here.  With the rapidly approaching gift giving season in mind, Julie and her wonderful four-footed sidekick, Harry, are hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2024 of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blogpart of their of Blue Morning Expressions Shopify shop.  The twelve week time period was chosen to correspond with the ubiquitous Christmas carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas''. This week, there were 39 shares by 13 artists featuring a wide range of gift ideas: unique jewelry, Christmas tags, watercolor art prints, an original book, photographic and digital art for the home, ornaments, key chains and a host of other beauties.  If you need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping, the Countdown is the place to do just that!  An excellent motto to follow is: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN.  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses!

 

Each week during the Countdown, I pick my a favorite item from each artist (hard to do!) and feature them here on my blog.  These are my favorites for Week 2:   

 

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 1 Favorites - 2024

 

 

How mind boggling is it where it seems like Christmas was here just a few short months ago?!?  The ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown clock says there are only 91 days (as of today) before Christmas is here!  With that in mind, it's definitely not too early to start thinking about all those people on your Christmas shopping list.  Where to start????  What should you get for them???  A perfect place to shop (and hopefully buy) is the 12 week Countdown to Christmas 2024 collections.  Hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog, the collections will be filled with a wide variety of artisan handmade / designed gifts.  A new collection will be added each Friday through the beginning of December.  On week 1 of the Countdown to Christmas, there were 30 shares from 10 artists: unique jewelry, Halloween gifts, lampwork beads, party invitations / stickers / kits, Christmas ornaments, baby gifts, home decor and more.  A good motto to follow through these weeks leading up to Christmas is:  SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie sellers!

 

Here are favorites from Week 1 of the Countdown to Christmas:

 

 

 

Christmas in July 2024 - Artisan Handmade Gifts - Week 5

 

 

 

Here we are at the last full week og July!  How does the time go by so quickly???  This is the last full week, Week 5 of the Christmas in July 2024.  Since Santa and his merry bunch of reindeer will visit before we know it, it’s never too early to start shopping for unique holiday gifts for a loved one.  There are now only 152 days to Christmas (from when this blog was posted) according to the ever ticking CHRISTMAS CLOCK.  

 

Artist friends were asked to participate in a “Christmas in July” promotion, sharing three of their favorite items - one that was “Christmasy” (in design or colors, etc.) and two others that didn’t have to be.  The first week was only Christmas items - the weeks since have been a mixture.  Since I miscalculated the number of weeks, a Week 5 was added where friends shared one more item of their choice.  Many of these beauties are one of a kind, so be sure to shop early (and often) so you don’t miss out.  And please visit the shops of the artists for even more wonderful items that are handmade / designed from the heart.  Hopefully items featured here or in the shops will make it into your shopping basket.  Buy for a loved one . . . and be sure to treat yourself!   Remember:  SHOP SMALL and SHOP HANDMADE!

 

 

Christmas in July 2024 - Artisan Handmade Gifts - Week 4

 

 

 

Well, here we are a bit more than halfway through July and Week 4 of the Christmas in July 2024 is posted.  It’s never too early to start shopping for unique holiday gifts for a loved one since Santa and his reindeer will be here sooner than we think right now.  There are only 159 days to the big day (from when this blog was posted) according to the ever ticking CHRISTMAS CLOCK.  

 

Artist friends were asked to participate in a “Christmas in July” promotion, sharing three of their favorite items - one that was “Christmasy” (in design or colors, etc.) and two others that didn’t have to be.  The first week was only Christmas items - the weeks since have been a mixture.  There is only one more week to go, Week 5.  Since many of these beauties are one of a kind, be sure to shop early (and often) so you don’t miss out.  And please visit the shops of the artists for even more wonderful items that are handmade or designed from the heart.  Hopefully items featured here or in the shops will make it into your shopping basket.  Buy for a loved one . . . and be sure to treat yourself!   Remember:  SHOP SMALL and SHOP HANDMADE!

 

 

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