My #CanadianVisitList for Supporting Locally-Made Crafts

One of the joys of visiting historic places is to see local craft practices in action. I love to buy locally made earrings – they are small, light, easy to pack and remind me for years about the interesting places they came from.  

Each pair includes materials that are typical of or unique to that place.  From broken pipe stems thrown up on the beach near Colony of Avalon, blown glass inspired by the sea in Mahone Bay, dramatic Kanien’kehá:ka beading from Kahnawake, modern beading inspired by a visit to the historic town of St. Albert, and historic trade beads from the Klondike in Dawson.  

And each pair recalls for me the rich history of the places and the inspired creative of people in these communities today.  These sites are found from east to west and north to south of our beautiful country – my own jewelry box reflecting the box of historic treasures found across this land.