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Flowers are Food for the Soul - Artisan Handmade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.

Luther Burbank


 

I love this quote from Luther Burbank because it’s true!  For those who are not familiar with Luther Burbank, he was an American botanist, horticulturist and pioneer in agricultural science, developing more than 800 strains and varieties of plants during his lifetime, including the tasy plumcot (fruit trees being a special passion of his, it seems).  One of my favorite things to do doing the winter months was to constantly browse through Stark Bro's and Burpee Seed Co catalogues (both companies sold quite a few of Burbanks’ seeds and plants after his death), planning my flower beds and vegetable gardens. Looking at the brilliant pictures and dreaming of all the flowers and veggies spring, summer and fall would bring made those winters quite a bit easier to bear.  Even now, living in the Desert Southwest where the winters are mild in comparison, I still dream of the promise of flowers.

Flower Earrings - Artisan Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower.  I want them to see it whether they want to or not. Georgia O'Keeffe

 

 

One of my all time favorite artists is Georgia O’Keeffe.  Whenever I’m in Santa Fe, I'm always drawn to the museum named after her.  While there, I almost go into a meditative state while contemplating her paintings.  Her flower paintings are dear to my heart.

 

All through my life, I have had flower gardens, some rather grand and some on a much smaller scale, such as the one here in the Desert Southwest.  I cannot imagine life without the beauty and cheerfulness of flowers (or dogs, for that matter!). Life would be so bland with out them.  Because of that, flowers designs can always be found in my handmade jewelry, especially the earrings.  For this blog post, I chose 10 pairs of earrings, some new and some that have been in my shop a while, to feature. There are many others in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop.  I hope you will stop by and take a look . . . and maybe buy a pair for yourself or a loved one.

Valentines Day Jewelry, Earrings and Necklaces Handmade by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

If I had a flower for every time I thought of you . . .

I could walk through my garden forever.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

 

Valentines is just a bit over two weeks away, on February 14.  It is a day a day filled with pink and red hearts, flowers, cards, candy, and other tokens of love and devotion.  With that in mind, I wanted to share a collection of handmade Valentine’s Day jewelry, mostly earrings but two necklaces are also included.  Some of the jewelry from my Shadow Dog Designs handmade shop are traditional Valentine’s Day designs; others are not and can definitely be worn all year long.  There are even a couple for a dog lover.  I hope you enjoy this beautful collection . . . and maybe one or more of the one of a kind designs will end up with your sweetheart!  

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.

Unique Jewelry, Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

 

 

Buy Handmade - Be One in a Million, Not One of Millions

 

I don’t know about you, but I HATE to buy jewelry that everyone else can buy.  I don’t want to see a stranger three states over wearing a piece of jewelry that I might be wearing.  That doesn’t happen, however, because I have almost always worn artisan handmade jewelry that is one of a kind, whether the earrings, bracelets or necklace are created by another artist or created by me.  There is something so soul satisfying in that, knowing that I’m the only person in the universe wearing a particular design - unless an evil twin in an evil alternate universe is up to her evil copying of designs.  

 

The three handmade artists that are features in this new “Three For Thursday” blog all make one of a kind jewelry designs:  Mary of PrettyGonzo; Julie of Blue Morning Expressions; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. I hope you enjoy this small sampling of the one of a kind jewelry designs that are in their shops.  Please visit each shop for more eye catching and soul satisfying beauty. I hope you enjoy these selections:

New Handmade Earrings - Jewelry Gift Ideas for Women

 

 

It’s hard to believe that 2018 is drawing to a close and that a new year will dawn in just a matter of days.  2018 was a very creative year for me as I found items from new artists (to me) to incorporate into my work - and continued working with pieces from old artist friends.  Playing with unique color combinations was also fun. My creative spirits have been active lately as you will see with the newest handmade earrings below, great gift ideas for a favorite woman on her birthday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day . . . or just because.  I hope you enjoy these new handmade creations found in my Shadow Dog Designs jewelry shop.  Click on either the photo or the link below the photo to be taken to the item for more information and pictures.  

 

New Christmas Gift Ideas - Give Handmade Earrings This Year!

 

 

Earrings are always a great gift for the woman who loves to wear them.  They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and colors and price ranges - always something perfect for the intended wearer that won’t break the bank.  I’ve featured twelve pairs of earrings that can be found in my Shadow Dog Designs handmade jewelry shop: eight of the newest pairs listed and four sparkling pairs of Christmas earrings.   I hope you enjoy browsing the beauties . . . and maybe at least one pair finds its way into your shopping cart and then under the Christmas tree.

Make It an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 12

 

 

 

Tick . . . tick . . . tick.  According to the Christmas clock, there are now only 13 (!!!) days until Christmas!  It’s hard to believe that December is already here and, with it, the last week of the Countdown to Christmas 2018.  The Countdown has been graciously hosted by Julie and Blue of Blue Morning Expressions on their The Blu Print blog.  Yes, week 12 has come and gone and 45 artisan handmade and vintage items from 15 artists were left in its wake, any of which will be perfect for a Christmas gift that was individually handmade from the heart.  Help Santa make it a HANDMADE Christmas this year!

Handmade Jewelry Gift Ideas by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

The Christmas shopping season will soon be here (if you haven’t already begun your list making and your shopping!).  I’ve been working hard to list new pairs of earrings and necklaces in my Shadow Dog Designs handmade jewelry shop and wanted to share the new creations with you.  Each piece is a perfect gift for the discerning woman who enjoys wearing truly unique artisan handmade jewelry. With the exception of two of the Christmas earrings at the end of the post, all of the jewelry designs are one of a kind pieces.  Just think - you or a loved one will be the only person in the universe wearing that particular piece when purchased!

Artisan Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

 

 

Since the autumn arts festival season is in full swing, I have been thinking a lot about handmade items, especially since I mostly make one of a kind jewelry.  People always ask me, “How do you come up with the design.” I reply something like this, “To tell the truth, I’m not sure. Most of the time it just happens.” Or, “The Muses were good to me.”  I’m sure a LOT of artists give some semblance of those answer since the “creative idea” is often elusive. But the answers definitely don’t take into account all the years and years of working to perfect your art through taking classes, people giving their opinions, selling (or not) at shows and by trial and error . . . and more trial and error . . . and more trial and error.  Then, suddenly, it just happens.

 

I found this poster at WalchaHandmade that pretty much sums up the process:  

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