Blog entry

Make it an Artisan Handmade Mothers Day - Week 5

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, so if you haven’t thought about a gift for Mom, now is the time to start!   The Countdown to Mother’s Day 2019 is the perfect place to start! The Countdown is by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their The Blu Print blog.  Each week, handmade artists will share three of their unique items, each one a perfect gift for even the most hard to please Mom. This week, a total of 30 artisan items were shared from 10 handmade artists.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 5, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beauty that was handmade from the heart.

Make it an Artisan Handmade Mothers Day - Week 2

Week 2 of the Countdown to Mother’s Day 2019, hosted by Julie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions on their The Blu Print blog, quickly came and went.  A total of 48 unique items were shared - each one a perfect Mother’s Day gift - from 16 handmade artists. Since Mother's Day will be here before you know it - about 9 weeks from now - this is the perfect time to start thinking about and buying a gift(s) for your Mom.  Browse all the wonderful handmade shares for Week 2, visit the shops of the artists featured and buy your Mom a beauty that was handmade from the heart.

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!

Handmade Valentines Day Jewelry Gift Ideas - Three for Thursday

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.  

-- Maya Angelou

Valentine’s Day will be here before we know - a day filled with pink and red, hearts, candy, cards and other tokens of love.  Speaking of tokens of love, I thought I’d pull together some charming artisan handmade jewelry from three different artists in this new post of Three for Thursday.  The first two jewelry selections are heart themed, but with a difference. Just in case, however, hearts aren’t your thing or your loved ones “thing,” then I also included a third item that would make a superb gift but that isn’t overtly Valentines-y.