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Make It a Handmade Mothers Day - Artisan Gifts - Week 3

 

 

Week 3 of the Countdown to Mother’s Day 2024 seem to have blown right on by (where do the days go???).  Hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makes blog, 36 unique handmade items from 12 artists were shared on the Countdown - each beauty a wonderful gift for Mom in her bug day.  Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - on May 12 - this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your mom, grandmother, favorite auntie or other much loved woman.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 3, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your mom a unique gift that was artisan handmade from the heart.  Be sure to buy handmade this Mother's Day and support a small indie business!

 

 

Make It a Handmade Mothers Day - Artisan Gifts - Week 2

 

 

It's hard to believe that week 2 of the Countdown to Mother's Day 2024, hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog came and went so quickly.  A total of 30 unique items were shared from 10 talented artists - each beauty a perfect Mother’s Day gift!  Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - on May 12th, about 8 weeks from now - this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your mom, grandmother, aunties and other loves ones.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 2 of the Countdown, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beauty that was handmade / designed from the heart.  Many of the items are one of a kind designs.  This year, please support small indie shops!  When you do so, you make us VERY happy!

 

Here are my favorites from Week 2:

 

 

Make It a Handmade Mothers Day - Artisan Gifts - Week 1

 

 

Julie and the always Handsome Harry the Florida Dog of Blue Morning Expressions are again hosting the wildly popular “Countdown to Mother’s Day.” Last year's Mother's Day Countdown was a resounding success . . . so the 2024 version is up and running:  Countdown to Mother’s Day 2024 Week 1 on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.. Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - on May 12 - this is the perfect time to start thinking about buying a gift(s) for your mom, grandmom, aunts and/ or other beloved women.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares, visit the shops of the artists featured in this week's Countdown and buy your mother a beauty that was handmade / designed from the heart.  When you do so, you support a small, independent business (which makes us do a happy dance)!  Here is a favorite from each artist who shared their work from this past weekend:  

 

 

A Fantasia of Flowers - Artisan Handmade Floral Gifts

 

 

Here in the Desert Southwest, you can feel that spring is not far off.  The days are getting longer and warmer, the winds are getting . . . . well . . . . windier, and, despite not having much rain in the last several months, flowers are beginning to stir and put on buds, a prelude to their much anticipated appearance before the heat sets in.  I saw the first swallows of the season yesterday, soaring and dipping through the arroyo that butts up against our back yard.  Other bird migrants will soon be here - some will pass on through and some will stay to nest.  Hummingbirds are greatly anticipated as are the butterflies, bees and wasps, all of which I hope will make good use of the new pollinator flower bed that has been a long, slow process in the making.  Life is good.

 

Thinking about flowers reminds me of a favorite floral quote by the Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, who painted many amazing floral landscapes and cultivated large flower gardens at Giverny:  

 

 

“I MUST HAVE FLOWERS, ALWAYS, AND ALWAYS”  

 

 

I TOTALLY agree with him!

 

The flowers shared below blossomed in the creative minds, hearts and souls of each artist featured.  I hope you enjoy browsing all these cheerful artisan handmade / designed spring beauties.  And be sure to visit the shops of the artisans featured for even more to choose from.  After all, Easter and Mother’s Day will quickly be here!

 

 

 

Gorgeous Gifts - Artisan Handmade for Valentines Day!

 

 

Valentine’s Day, February 14, will be here before we know it.  When you walk into most stores shortly after Christmas (or even sometimes before!), hearts, cupids and other items in pink and red will assail you from every direction.  Flowers, candy and gifts are exchanged between loved ones throughout the United States and in many other countries around the world . . . all in the name of St. Valentine.  Although the exact history of St. Valentine (or Valentinus) is shrouded in mystery (there are actually three St. Valentines recognized by the Catholic Church to consider!), February has long been celebrated as a month of romance.  Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both ancient Roman (Lupercalia) and Christian traditions, with a few other influences thrown in for good measure. 

 

This year for Valentine's Day, don't think abour buying mass produced from large companies.  Think, instead of supporting a small, indie business, people who actually make or design the items themselves.  Scroll down and you'll see 26 items, many are one of a kind and handmade from the heart!  Any of items highlighted will make a wonderful gift for a loved one.  Remember:  SHOP SMALL and support a small indie artist!

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 11, 2023

 

 

It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2023 has already come and gone . . . . and there is only ONE more week left of the promotion!  When the Countdown starts, the end of the twelve weeks seems a looooong way off. Then - BAM! - here it is!  With Christmas just 18 days away, where does the time go? The ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock doesn’t let up - those seconds just keep ticking down until the jolly man in red and white arrives.  Since the holiday gift giving season is lurking just around the corner, Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions are once again hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2023 of artisan handmade / designed items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  The Countdown is the place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. This week ten artists shared 30 items, a wide range of beautiful gift ideas:  jewelry of all styles, ornaments, gift card holders, sweatshirts gearheads, lampwork glass beads, watercolor art prints and many other unique items.  Need a perfect start or end to your holiday shopping?  Shop the Countdown to Christmas; browse and purchase that special piece for that special person!  An excellent rule of thumb to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small, independent artisan shops!

 

In addition to promoting each handmade item from the Countdown collection to my "Countdown to a Handmade Christmas 2023" Pinterest board and on my Twitter feed, I decided to share one item from each of the artists who participated this week.  Here are my "favorites" picks of the items - hard to chose!  I hope you enjoy these unique items!

 

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 10, 2023

 

 

Wow!  Christmas will be here in only 25 days, less than a month away!  And there are only two more weeks left in the Countdown to Christmas 2023!  The ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock doesn’t let up and keeps ticking down those seconds until Santa and his herd of flying reindeer make a nighttime visit to leave welcome gifts or lumps of coal. Since the holiday gift giving season is lurking just around the corner, Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions are once again hosting a twelve-week Countdown to Christmas 2023 of artisan handmade / designed items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  The Countdown is the place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. This week nine artists shared 27 items, a wide range of beautiful gift ideas:  jewelry of all styles, ornaments, crocheted baby gifts, sweatshirts for aspiring writers and many other unique items.  Need a perfect start or end to your holiday shopping?  Shop the Countdown to Christmas; browse and purchase that special piece for that special person!  An excellent rule of thumb to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small, independent artisan shops!



In addition to promoting each handmade item from the Countdown collection to my "Countdown to a Handmade Christmas 2023" Pinterest board and on my Twitter feed, I decided to share one item from each of the artists who participated this week.  Here are my "favorites" picks of the items - hard to chose!  I hope you enjoy these unique items!

 

 

Christmas Open House 2023: Nina Eaton Photography / Shadow Dog Designs Jewelry

 

 

This coming weekend, December 2 and 3, 2023, Nina Eaton of Nina Eaton Photography is hosting a Christmas Open House .  And she invited me to participate in it again!  Yay!  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 gifts.  Nina will have a wonderful selection of her 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 sparkling Swarovski crystals and glowing Swarovski pearls.  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.  Bottled water and snacks will eb provided. 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 9, 2023

 

 

Christmas is barreling down on us like a runaway freight train!  It will be here very soon.  Week 9 of the Countdown to Christmas 2023 has come and gone and the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock doesn’t let up.  According to what the clock says today, Santa and his traveling buddies will start their journey in only 32 days, just a bit over four weeks from now!  The Countdown is a place for handmade artists to come together and share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations and then promote each other.  This week, eleven artists shared a total of 33 unique items.  The twelve week Countdown to Christmas, hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their Buy Handmade from Makers blogis the perfect place to start / end to your Christmas shopping - find those special gifts for a loved one!  An excellent motto to follow this holiday season is : SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support hardworking indie shop owners! 

 

In addition to promoting each handmade item from the Countdown collection to my "Countdown to a Handmade Christmas 2023" Pinterest board and on my Twitter feed, I decided to share one item from each of the artists who participated this week.  Here are my "favorites" picks of the items, in an order determined by drawing numbers from my trusty numbers bowl.  I hope you enjoy these unique items! 

 

 

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Favorites - Week 7, 2023

 

 

It is so very hard to believe (at least to me - how about you?) that we are already a week into November . . .  and that there are only 5 more weeks of the Countdown to Christmas 2023!  It’s also hard to believe that Christmas will be here before we know it.  According to the ever ticking Your Christmas Countdown Clock, there are only 46 days (as of today) until Santa drops down the chimney once again with his bag of goodies . . . or coal.  With Christmas rapidly approaching, Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions continue hosting the twelve-week Countdown to Christmas of artisan handmade items on their Buy Handmade from Makers blog.  Start or finish your holiday shopping now on the Countdown - Week 7 - a perfect place to buy unique handmade / designed gifts!  This week, 33 items from 11 artisans were shared in the wide-ranging gift collection: jewelry of many different styles, Christmas ornaments, gearhead sweatshirts, keychains, lampwork glass beads, baby gifts and more.  A wonderful motto to follow: SHOP EARLY and SHOP OFTEN!  And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE to support small indie businesses.

 

In addition to saving each handmade item from the Countdown to Christmas 2023 Week 7 collection to my handmade Christmas Pinterest board and Twitter feed,  I pick a favorite item from each artist (hard to do!) and feature them here on my blog.  Here  are my favorites for Week 7: 

 

 

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