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New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs - Necklace and Earrings

 

 

It’s definitely been a loooong time since I last shared my newest jewelry designs.  Thanksgiving, Christmas and the year 2020 are finally behind us.  Good riddance to 2020, although, believe it or not, there were some bright spots!  I have to think and give thanks to those instead of dwelling on the depressing things of the past year.  One of the things that was good was the ability to sit and design lots of new necklaces and earrings, along with some bracelets, without the show season to interrupt (although I definitely DO miss meeting people and selling at shows!).  Online sales were excellent so many of the new designs listed before Christmas are gone, along with numerous oldies but goodies.  Since Valentine’s Day is looming, I decided to pull together ten of the newest designs still in my shop.  I hope you enjoy the new beauties!

Gotta Love Those Earrings! - Three for Thursday - November 26, 2020

 

 

Not sure about you, but I adore earrings.  If I walk out of the house and later find I forgot to put a pair on (which doesn’t happen too often), it seems as if the earth tilts a bit on its axis and the rest of the day seems kind of strange . . . until I can put a pair on.  I especially love long earrings, the more boho the better, but will also wear shorter earrings.  But rarely wear studs unless I put one in the second hole of my left earlobe (which normally has a small sterling hoop in it).  

 

Because of my love of earrings, my Three for Thursday blog features just that:  EARRINGS!  I chose three pairs of earrings that I would definitely wear from three handmade jewelry artists.  The artists are:  Elaine of ELDumontJulie and Harry of Blue Morning Expressions; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  And I do want to confess that it's hard for me to let some of the earrings I design to be offered for sale in my shop.  OK, a LOT of them!  I hope you enjoy these selections:  

 

 

Make It a Handmade Christmas 2020 - Week 5

 

 

Week 5 of the Countdown to Christmas rushed right on by (the time goes quicker and quicker each week, it seems!), and a huge variety of fabulous artisan handmade items were left in its wake.  According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there are only 65 days, barely over 2 months, before Jolly Ol’ Santa and his reindeer arrive once again. Now is the perfect time to start your holiday shopping and the Countdown is the perfect place!  Remember this motto: SHOP EARLYSHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!

 

 

 

Red, Roja, Rossa, Rouge! - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

 

 

Anyone who knows me well, knows that red is my favorite color . . . a color I have always adored, even as a small girl who only wanted to wear her “pretty red dress.”  If my Mom would have let me, I would have worn that “pretty red dress” until it disintegrated on me.  Red makes my soul sing.

 

An artist friend, Jacki of Christie Cottage, listed a beautiful red felted wool pouch recently in her shop, which got me thinking about a new blog featuring the color red.  So, here it is:  Red, Roja, Rossa, Rouge!    The new Red, Roja, Rossa, Rouge (English, Spanish, Italian and French for "red) Three for Thursday post features three items from three artists that feature a hefty dose of red in their handmade designs.  The three artists are:  Jacki of Christie Cottage; Charlotte of Covergirlbeads; and, me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope you enjoy all these unique handmade designs with blazing red!

For the Love of Earrings - A Short History

 

 

I don't know about you, but I feel strange when I hop in the trusty Dog Mobile and then notice I have forgotten to put on a pair of earrings!   At least there, in the driveway, I can hop out of the truck, run inside and grab a pair to put on.  But, heaven help me, if I get somewhere and realize I am earrings-less!  It's like the world has tilted just a bit on its axis and I’m in the Upside Down.  Being an ardent wearer of pierced earrings since the early 1970’s, I have quite the collection of handcrafted Native American earrings  - and earrings I’ve made myself and then couldn’t part with.  Just LOVE them!  

 

 

 

The Many Faces of Green - Artisan Handmade

 

 

 

 

GREEN is a favorite color of many people because of it being the predominant terrestrial color of Mother Earth.  It is considered by many to be the most restful color (green being a favorite color choice for bedrooms).  But the color green wears many faces, both in its numerous beautiful shades and its interesting historical context.  I found the history and symbolism of green to be fascinating and decided to share some of what I found:

 

 

 

Flora and Fauna - Artisan Handmade

 

 

The Earth is such a beautiful place to live on, if we just take the time to look and observe.  No matter where we go, unique plants and animals can be found, two very important parts of any ecosystem.  I’ve been lucky to have lived in many places and many different ecosystems, from Central Texas to North Carolina, from near Georgian Bay in Canada to a forest in Northern Virginia, from North Texas to an island in South Carolina.  Now I live in the gorgeous Desert Southwest.  The flora and fauna of each place was awe-inspiring - some the same but, most often, very different.  Since I love what Mother Nature has to offer, I find it all VERY, VERY interesting and want to keep on learning about how our wonderful Earth functions . . . and what we need to do to heal it.   

 

 

 

Hot Summer Reds, Oranges and Yellows - Artisan Handmade

 

 

Even though summer hasn’t officially arrived - that will happen on June 20 - it has been summer here in the Borderlands for several weeks now.  And it looks quite warm in many areas in the U.S.  So I made a call to artist friends to share some “hot” handmade items with me to be included in this blog.  You’ll find LOTS of fiery colored items in red, yellows and oranges, beauties that can be worn all summer long.  If something catches your eye and you want more information, please click on the item photo or the link below the picture to be taken to the artist’s shop.  I hope you enjoy all the sizzling hot items!

Summer Flowers - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

 

 

Summer will soon be here.  Despite the (expected) triple digit heat that has set in here in the Desert Southwest, the water wise flowers I planted last year and in the cool of this spring are blooming up a storm.  Everyone who knows me really well knows I love to work in my flower beds . . . and am ecstatic at the resulting blooms.  So my beautiful flowers are the inspiration for this week’s Three for Thursday where I feature three items from three artists.  This week the artists are:  Roxanne of watercolorsNmoreJacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  Enjoy the wide range of floral art.  Hopefully one or more of the items will soon be on the way to you!

 

Julia's Roses (And A Few Irises)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My good friend, Julia, `spent many years creating a most amazing rose garden in her backyard.  They are her “babies” and she spends many enjoyable hours working in the garden, talking to the roses and inhaling their heady scents when blooming.  She also communes with the wondrous nature that is all around.  However, in years past, she’s wasn't at home when the roses were in full bloom.  She would fly to Bolivia for three months in the spring (autumn in Bolivia) to visit her brother and other relatives in the town where she grew up.  I always felt sad for Julia when she was away, knowing how she was missing her amazing rose show. I’d go to her house, take photos of the roses, blog about them and then email her the link.  But that definitely wasn’t anything like being in her garden to enjoy the beauty each bush provided

 

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