Last week, I mentioned how important it is to support local and independent artists and makers (especially BIPOC ones), if you can. So, this week, I thought I would share some of my favourites (some local to me, some not) for anyone who might be interested. Please remember that these folks do not have Amazon-style resources behind them, so things like inventory and shipping may not be quite as on-demand as we’re all used to these days. Below, I will indicate the location of each artist and, if I know, whether they are able to ship within Canada and/or the US. I encourage you to check out their Instagram pages for more information if you are interested in their work.

Liezl is an Edmonton father-daughter duo who make incredible concrete art (like the example above) as well as wool needle-felting art. I have a few Liezl pieces myself, including a matchstick holder set (well, 3 of them to be precise) which is called the Adina set. So, yes, I am biased. But their stuff is legit amazing. I am also getting a couple of the plates in the style shown above; one for me, one as a gift for a friend.

Warren Steven Scott is a Toronto-based artist (ships to Canada and the US) who I have been admiring for a few years now. I have 3 pairs of his earrings, and I have plans to add more from his new collection Cedar in Sec-he Sky. His pieces are statement-makers, and I always get so many compliments when I wear them.

Huong is a dear friend and talented artist who paints using watercolour and acrylics. I have a few of her botanical watercolours (she makes cards as well as larger paintings) and plan to gift some for Christmas this year as well. She also paints custom pet portraits, landscapes, and more.

I have been coveting NYC-based Hola Luna’s pieces for a while now, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Their earrings in particular are stunning. They also have a website (shoplaluna.com) where you can see more.

Oscilatey makes incredible coats using vintage quilts which, some day, I will get to try for myself. She is based out of the US and has an Etsy shop as well (same name).

Speaking of upcycling, Prairie Trail Goods is an Edmonton-based artist who uses vintage granny squares and other thrifted materials to make coats, sweaters, totes and more. I am keeping a close eye on her page, as I am hoping to snag one soon.

My best friend, who is an earring aficionada, turned me on to Indi City and I am hooked. I recently purchased their Eagle Feather earrings, and have a few more in my cart that I’m dying to get. I just need an excuse … hmmm, maybe Christmas is perfect for that. They are Calgary-based, but I believe they ship both domestically and internationally.

Ross and Karen and friends of my husband and I, who also happen to be incredible glass blowers (among other talents). We are both obsessed with their pieces, and have a small collection started. I am planning to add to it this Christmas season, plus give a few as gifts. Their vases are like jewels — so bright and colourful and painterly. If you’re in Canada, you can definitely snag one, as they do ship domestically.

Samantha Chapelsky is an Edmonton-based artists who paints both abstract and landscape pieces. My best friend gave me one of her paintings as a birthday gift a few years ago, and I love it. Some day, I would love to add to it and make it a collection.

Last but not least Seven Prairie is an Edmonton-based jewelry artist. I have the exact pair of earrings pictured above, and it’s one of my favourites. It is even more stunning in real life. She usually has very limited inventory, but does make some pieces as custom orders. I believe she does ship domestically.

Hope you find some inspiration from these artists, and please feel free to share your favourites in the comments.

Chalet Chic

I almost forgot about this vintage Gap sweater, which is a shame because it’s so good. I got it for my son (I think it’s a kid’s size, it’s marked XL but is very small) last year, and instantly nabbed it for myself. Don’t worry; he wasn’t devastated or anything. But I do need to give it justice and wear it more often. I love how well it pairs with this Zara skirt; the pattern mix and the colours are excellent together. I already miss our early November weather, before the snow hit (because of course it did). It’s such a good time of year, sartorially speaking. You can wear sweaters (I love sweaters ) AND skirts (I love skirts) AND cute non-parka coats (I love those too) which is definitely a very nice trifecta.

Warm and Cool

I’m talking about the colour palette here, not the weather. Historically, I have always favoured cool colours over warm ones. I think it’s because I have a “warm” (i.e. pink and ginger) complexion, and I always feel like cool colours suit me better. But! I have been re-discovering warm colours lately, and enjoying them a lot, especially paired with one contrasting shade from the opposite side of the spectrum. Here, the blue YSL bag (my old favourite!) provides that contrast. I stuck with muted tones in both sides of the spectrum, so they would look cohesive, and I am very pleased with the result.

Geometric Mix

This might be my favourite way to wear this Carven skirt, which is saying a lot because I have enjoyed all my previous outfits very much. I just love the way the oversized polka dots match up with the irregular stripes in the skirt. Again, the colour palette is very cohesive, which is pleasing to my eye. But it’s the pattern mix that elevates this, imo. Is that predictable of me these days? Quite possibly. But hey, I’m all about leaning into your of-the-moment feelings.

Victorian Goth

Speaking of favourite ways to wear things, ditto for this Giambattista Valli x H&M dress. The way the dress is cut makes it a tad revealing in the bust for everyday wear, and this mesh turtleneck is my best (so far) solution. It looks like it belongs with this dress — like, if you told me it was a built-in mesh, I would believe it. I will say that this turtleneck has been one of those unexpected closet superstars in the sense that it has an uncanny ability to transform outfits. It’s just a cheapie one, too — nothing fancy. But if you enjoy a goth/dark romance type of aesthetic, I recommend looking into something like this, especially if you live in a cold climate where layering is de rigueur.

I signed up for my very first Christmas Craft Fair on November 27 (hosted by a local community league) so I have been working madly to add pieces to my inventory. The vendor fee was relatively inexpensive, so I decided to go for it even though I’m not sure that my work (especially jewelry pieces) lends itself to Xmas shopping. But, maybe, people will be tempted to buy for themselves as they’re shopping for their friends and family. I know I do that all the time.

Lately, I’ve been inspired to go back to doing more embroidery and beading. So I have focused on that, along with some embroidery hoops. Here are some of the pieces I made:

Once the craft market is over, I actually have a few commissions to get done. I am so happy to have people ask me to make them special pieces; it makes the work more meaningful somehow. Because of the time-intensive nature of the work, making a profit on these items is almost impossible. I am usually just happy to recoup my material costs, and creating custom pieces means having an extra bit of satisfaction on top of that, knowing my work will be appreciated and worn.

If you are able to, please consider supporting local independent artists and makers this holiday season. They are probably pouring a lot of themselves into their work, for the love of their craft more than anything; and the things you can get from them will be far more special than anything mass-produced. Plus, you will help to keep alive artisan skills and traditions.