Story Behind the Name:

I wanted to create a brand where customers felt like they could escape and “Retreat” to by enjoying my treats

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Travelling, trying new places to eat, naps and going to the spa.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I discovered that no one was really making marshmallows and working in the baking industry for almost 20 years, so I decided to make them myself.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Halloween marshmallows

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Boxing Day shopping!

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

True crime, Radiohead, cats, vegan cooking/baking

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How Did You Get Started?:

After leaving the graphic design field to work in my first passion, veterinary medicine, I found myself yearning for a creative outlet. From there Woodlot was born!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Tassel earrings!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Hibernating ;)

Story Behind the Name:

Using her mom's sewing machine, Kim McCallum began creating simple and functional products for her home. After a few years of practice, she sold her goods at local shops and markets under the name lot8, the location of her home according to a 1910 survey map of The Junction neighbourhood in Toronto. Kim's goal is to create durable, functional products using natural and reclaimed fabric for maximum positive environmental impact.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Fav neighbourhood is The Junction in Toronto

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How Did You Get Started?:

See 'blurb' above in the Story Behind the Name.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Linen bread bags are my 'bread and butter.' Hah! They took off in a way I hadn't anticipated. I love making them for a number of bakeries and shops both in and outside of the city. I also love tweaking products we use every day to improve their function and that is how I created my most recent product: Face the Day Facecloths (a new cloth for a new day!). Did you know that using a fresh face cloth every day can improve your skin? These facecloths are two-sided. One side is ivory cotton flannel (wash your face in the morning with this side). The other side is black cotton flannel (wash your face in the evening with the side to minimize stains from dirt and makeup that appear on the cloth). Each cloth is labelled with the day of the week and has a handy loop for hanging.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Celebrating Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, with neighbours in the backyard. We build a fire in the fire pit, play games with the kids, roast marshmallows, eat chili and drink lovely cocktails! Adding the tradition of making your own lantern to bring is something I'll try this year!

Story Behind the Name:

Coop was my little bunny, Abby is (one of) my daughters.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Awful reality TV shows (the worst ones), baking (and eating) all of the sweets, running and my fam!

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How Did You Get Started?:

I had gotten a sewing machine for my wedding and I've been using the same machine ever since.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Patterns and combos I've never done before!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Christmas morning mimosas :)

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Baking and spending time with my kids.

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How Did You Get Started?:

If you’ve tried our cookies, then you know the love and passion that goes into each one. The love behind our product starts with Ida herself. Through worldwide travels, hard work, and heartache, Ida’s Cookies has emerged.

Ida is a George Brown College graduate in Pastry Chef training. She is also a self-taught Chinese fusion dessert chef. After a brief stay in Hong Kong, she moved back to Canada and settled in Toronto. It was here that she was encouraged by her mentor Donald Tse to open a chain of Chinese dessert cafes. Through a lot of ups and downs, and two kids later, Ida’s Cookies was born in November of 2018.

Ida is not merely an entrepreneur, but a mother, and has always balanced motherhood and business ownership. With her six-year-old son Lucas in tow, and her 2-year-old daughter Kaylee by her side, she manages Ida’s Cookies as a single mother.

An entrepreneur at heart, Ida and her two partners hustles Ida’s Cookies with love and determination. In her own words, “the good life is always ahead of us - when life hands you lemons, make lemon shortbread cookies!”

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Asian style desserts.

Story Behind the Name:

Retired business executive and now a full time husband, father, grandfather and part time woodworker and sausage maker.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Chinese, Spanish, Italian and Indian Food

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How Did You Get Started?:

High School Shop

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Figured Wood Bowls

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Prime Rib - Medium Rare

Story Behind the Name:

Grandview Beach is where our family cottage is. It's a little strip of sand on Georgian Bay just outside of Midland, and it's my happy place.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Love Kensington Market in Toronto, Greece is my favourite country, a perfect weekend would be visiting my son in Montreal and having a meal at Aux Vivres (vegan restaurant), and of course the very best place to be is Grandview Beach.

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How Did You Get Started?:

Started with knitting and wanted to make hats but they all turned out wonky. Then I took the millinery program at George Brown College and made some hats that weren't so wonky, and everything grew from there - felting, dyeing, sewing...

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

This changes mostly daily... currently I'm loving eco-printing and natural dyeing vintage linens, but felting scarves and shawls with beautifully coloured silks and merino fibre is pretty amazing too.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

On Christmas Eve, we all drink ginger ale and grape juice. I don't know why but it isn't Christmas without it.

Story Behind the Name:

Just my plain old birth given name.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

To put it simply, I really enjoy drawing! It's always been one of my most favourite things to do, alongside reading, spending time on hikes in the woods, listening to my favourite albums on repeat, playing video games and cuddling with my puppy.

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How Did You Get Started?:

The genuine epiphany to get started occurred in my early years spent at the Ontario College of Art and Design, while collaborating with fellow artist friends as well as teaching watercolour and pottery classes at a small art studio outside of school. During that time, I realized that I should start shedding my creative insecurities, stop being an observer and aim to become a part of the art and design industry. Now I've been working professionally as a freelance illustrator as well as artist for four years and hope to never stop!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I enjoy everything I work on and create, especially the beginning stages, coming with ideas and sketching them out. However, most recently I've been getting back into my roots of sewing and have been drawing textile patterns to make into decorative pillows. So that has been a whole new and exciting challenge!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Mainly being cozy with a warm mug of tea and snowshoeing, which I started doing last winter.

Story Behind the Name:

We all have an inner sanctuary. Being outside working with plants in the fresh air of my rural home or sewing in my studio are mine. I design and make clothing from the best certified ecological fabric and use plants to colour and infuse them with healing qualities. The new term "innerwear" reflects the intention of natural self-care when the cami's, corselettes, bodices, briefs, and nighties are worn next to your skin.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Sunshine and clean air, colour, life, old ways.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I've been sewing for 50 years. I'm a gardener who explores and exploits "volunteer" plants. I also love to cook and am learning herbalism, distillation and soap making. When I put all these together, out came Sanctuary Innerwear!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Dyeing with indigo is my favourite thing to do. My LOVE Chemise and Short is dyed with indigo, and much of the indigo I use I have grown in my garden. I've also done workshops on indigo dyeing at http://abbeygardens.ca/ in Haliburton.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Christmas Eve campfire.

Story Behind the Name:

Padma's Butterfly originated with my firstborns’ name, Padma. It means lotus flower, which grows out of the depths of muddy waters and emerges to bloom into a beautiful flower above the surface of the water. The butterfly is an insect that holds a special place in my heart. They symbolize change and transformation within your life. The name Padma's Butterfly, reflects the connection of the raw products used to produce the creations for you to enjoy with our environment and nature.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Being outdoors, going on hikes and enjoying a good cup of coffee.

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How Did You Get Started?:

After learning about the countless different man-made chemicals that are in skin products, Our skin is the largest organ and our little family was already conscious of what we ate so why not what we put on our skin. At that point, I decided to learn how to make my own natural products. When my children were infants, I wanted to ensure I did not put anything that would disrupt their little growing bodies. I began making my own body butter, lip balms and the rest of the products that would assist in our own natural wellness.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Lip balms, they have many different functions :)

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Sitting in front of a fire in our wood stove and watching the snow fall.

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Story Behind the Name:

I wish it was more exciting, but it's just two of my favourite things - purple and watermelons! It sounded catchy when I put them together and went with it!

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Cooking, travelling, hiking and running!

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How Did You Get Started?:

I've always been a crafty person and loved doing little craft/DIY projects around the house. After i made my first doormat for my own home, family and friends started commenting on it and wanted one for themselves and it just kept going from there and I finally decided to start an instagram page and share my creations with the world. Since then I've added the screen printed tote bags and Swedish Dishcloths which have been a big hit.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Custom order doormats - seeing the sayings/fun things people want on their doormat is like a little window into who they are and the vibe of their home.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Watching Christmas movies throughout the month of December to get into the holiday spirit.

Story Behind the Name:

I feel that looking to the past never lets you forget where you came from.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Reading trashy romance novels, watching silent movies and creating new undies.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I made a few pairs for myself, then wondered whether others would appreciate them too...

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Making a completely new style of undies for the first time. It has the excitement of Christmas for me.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Baking cookies

Story Behind the Name:

Milica Tempest

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

favourite tv show:70's show, places travelled: Australia, Spain, Italy, Ireland, France, Croatia, Favourite past time: Biking to the Lake

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How Did You Get Started?:

I went to school for fashion design and worked in the business for a lot of years. I wanted to start a part-time business that would express my creative side in a more personal setting. Black Dahlia was born and has now become my full-time job and i am the happiest i have even been.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I love working with natural crystals. They are all unique and have different energies. I remember every crystal i work on and the ones i become super attached to become part of my personal collection.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Spending time with family.

Story Behind the Name:

The name Purabeada was inspired when we spent the winter in Costa Rica in 2017. The local saying in Costa Rica is Pura Vida, which translates to Pure Life and is the common answer to any greeting. We are Purabeada which we feel translates to Pure Beads. All all our bracelets are made with semi precious beads and no charms for a simple pure look.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

We love to go for hikes in beautiful Ontario and travel to warm places in the winter.

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How Did You Get Started?:

We were collecting crystals for over 10 years and eventually started wearing crystal beaded bracelets. People started asking us to make them bracelets too, and it the business organically evolved.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

We love to make our Time Traveller Bracelet. It's our only combination bracelet consistently in our bracelet line. Time Traveller is made up of 5 of our favourite crystals, including Picture Jasper known to protect one on their travels and inspire creativity.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Every year we love to visit the One of A Kind Holiday Show. It's nostalgic and inspiring to see all the artisans.

Story Behind the Name:

Mindmade creates Spiritual Meanings Jewelry of gemstones/crystals and earth-derived materials, made to invest in moments healthy and mindful living, in a way that works best for the lifestyle through self-care and well being.
The value of helping my customers is what makes this all such a rewarding experience!
Find more about the brand and the jewelry designer at www.mindmadeshop.com

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

My favourite thing to do is being aware of the beautiful MOMENT around my children and family.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I'm Ana, the designer behind Mindmade and as a practitioner of yoga, I uncovered a whole new world studying gemstones and the properties each one contains as well as the spiritual benefits. I began to create unique handmade Mala’s and crystals jewelry pieces for meditation aid that reflects our spiritual journey and positive intentions!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

The hand-knotted mala necklaces is such a joy to make setting positive intentions for the person to wear it!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

My favourite winter tradition is going sledding with my children on the first snow day and get good laughs!

Story Behind the Name:

We wanted our business name to reflect that our products are made from upcycled and/or recycled materials.  Being a sustainable business and focusing on renewable and ethically sourced materials is something we are very proud of.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Travelling and exploring and spending time with family and friends over good food, wine and conversations.  Nice weather takes me to my garden.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I have always loved sewing and spent many hours altering wedding dresses and the like.  When I had some free time, I would sew for pleasure and took an interest in upcycling used garments and making useful items.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Definitely making mittens is my favourite…  when wool is felted perfectly it is so soft and warm.  I am always excited to see what the final product will look like and with using upcycled garments, no two pair are the same.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Cooler darker weather takes me to my books and I love reading when it is too cold to be outside.  Christmas holidays are always a favourite surrounded by family.

Story Behind the Name:

What is jewelry but the final tweak of an outfit!

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Tropical plants, ice cream, anything yellow and a great statement earring!

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How Did You Get Started?:

A friend took me to a bead store when we were looking for a study break...it was all downhill from there!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

It’s too hard to choose! I love anything that I can add some Dalmatian jasper to.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Baking all the cookies and sharing them with friends and family. I have been known to make double layered cookie boxes with - flavour legend!

Story Behind the Name:

I loved the idea of “Common House” because I wanted to create product that could be used anywhere, especially people’s homes; Planters you could find in a common home. I added “Studio” to the name because my long term goal is to expand my product line and offer a variety of plant themed items.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

I love painting (obviously), hanging with friends & family and exploring new places.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I was looking to make a change in my life. I had wanted to start my own business for years. So one day I just set my mind to it and made it happen.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I always feel a great sense of accomplishment when I finish a Retro pot. It’s reminds me of a rainbow and it makes me happy.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Drinking eggnog.

Story Behind the Name:

My tarts are the product of multiple years of experiment with both crust and filling. They truly were and continued to be crafted by hand, one small batch at a time. In fact, I have never really stopped toying with the formula....

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

My life partner and soulmate, my daughters, eating well...

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How Did You Get Started?:

After over 20 years of sporadic attempts at creating a butter tart worthy of its name, Eureka! Too good not to be shared!!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Sauces and Pasta

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Life is a Holiday

Story Behind the Name:

My last name is Salter, my husband's last name is Zubek, and we make bath salts as well as natural skin care products and salt-based soaps!

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

The beach, the ocean, the smell of pine forests, making and decorating things, planning my dream home, fine Italian food!

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How Did You Get Started?:

I have been making bath salts for family and friends for a long time and someone told me I need to sell them because they are beautiful. The rest is history!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Holiday cake soap. The top is 'frosted' with sea salt and natural golden mica and it is made with essential oils of clove, orange, lemon and vanilla, so it smells like holiday baking.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Buying the real pine tree from the stand at Chester & Danforth that donates to the homeless, and bringing it home and decorating it with pine cones that we have frosted ourselves, as well as pulling out all the ornaments we have collected over the years. And, watching Polar Express - the first movie my kids actually ever got into. It's an annual tradition and we're adding Elf to the mix because my husband's cousins play that one all the time!

Story Behind the Name:

It translates to ‘Queen of the Hive’ from French. I knew I wanted to focus on honey-based goods and I wanted that to be reflected in the name. Reine de la Ruche was born from a word cloud and I loved the alliteration! Plus the Rs came together to form a great logo (in the bee’s wings and arms).

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

I love anything creative! I also make jewelry, knit, and sew.

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How Did You Get Started?:

Professional training, a small business loan, tons of research, lots of love and support, and a dream.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

That’s like asking me to pick a favourite child!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

I love all the little things leading up to Christmas - decorating the tree, gingerbread houses, cookie decorating parties with our neighbours, seeing the lights. All the good quality family time.

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Family is one of my most important things! I also love bringing a smile to someone’s face.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I love gnomes and I thought to myself I should make it so that people can enjoy them to. Every home really needs a gnome!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Christmas Gnomes

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Relaxing by the tree with my family!

Story Behind the Name:

Bearded Nomad came to be after Jacob's love for the outdoors. As someone who loves the wilderness I wanted to give the business a name other people could connect with. Most burly bearded men love the outdoors and after brainstorming for some time the name just sort of clicked.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Traveling, Outdoors, Music, Art, Family and Friends, Festivals and Markets

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How Did You Get Started?:

We started in a time when Beards were just on the come up again and Jacob being dissatisfied with other products on the market. After trying a few that left the beard greasy and filled with chemicals we created an all natural male grooming line with strong branding and great scents that have made some very satisfied beards.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Soup and Apple Pie but if you're referring to our products then the Beard Oil.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Favorite Holiday is Christmas and just the tradition of seeing family and friends for a full week. Also all the food, drinks and laughter.

Story Behind the Name:

A roving is a long, narrow bundle of fibre and wool roving is what's used to create felt balls. Roving also means wandering from place to place and I am definitely happiest when on the move.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

My favourite things include: travelling anywhere, but especially places where I'm immersed in nature; canoe tripping and camping with my family and friends; the summer camp where I worked, met my husband and got married; Wayne's World; The Office; and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I took a wet felting workshop several years back and had some left over roving that I kept meaning to use. Finally, last winter, after watching some youtube videos I made my first felt balls. Then the ideas for how to use them just started flowing and haven't stopped.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I just made a mobile with driftwood that I really loved and hope to make more of!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Tobogganing with my kids.

Story Behind the Name:

Credit goes to my husband for the name. It is how we feel about our children, they inspire us to wrap them in clothes we love and hold them close.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Cooking and then eating, binge watching whole series on Netflix while I sew, singing with my toddler, running.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I have always been a maker, but when my first daughter was born I started sewing for her because I was uninspired by the baby clothes I saw in stores.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I love making the front placket on the rompers, it’s fiddley, but doing a good job of it is so rewarding.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Where to start?! Everyone coming home for Christmas Eve dinner at my parents’ place, going to the movies on Christmas Day, slow afternoons doing a giant jigsaw.

Story Behind the Name:

Our name comes from two things that are very important. The first part is our commitment that our raw ingredients are made naturally and are safe for your homes. The second is we are just plain sassy and it reflects in our candle names.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

My favourite things to do is make candles while sipping on a glass of wine. Can't think of a better way to spend an evening! After candle making, I get an appetite and I love to cook and experiment with new ingredients. .

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How Did You Get Started?:

I have always loved candles, and tried to buy sustainably sourced candles. I found a lot of the ones I found were not in line with my budget and decided to make them myself. After a year of fiddling around with candle science I decided to start selling candles, and so far been a great learning experience (even with the bumps).

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

My favourite thing to make is dinner! (of course candles as well)

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Watching a production of the Nut Cracker.

Story Behind the Name:

I combined my middle name with that of my former husband in order to create my business name.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Some of my favourite things include being outside as much as possible in all seasons. I love to ski and I walk places when I can.
I love pizza.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I started my business in 2004 strictly as a hobby that allowed me to help provide extras for my family.
By the time 2012 rolled around and I was divorcing, I'd grown my business to the point of it providing me with income sufficient to support myself & my 3 children.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

My favorite thing to make is most definitely my sterling silver stretchy bracelets. I love being able to customize them to tell a different story for each customer.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

I'm not big on traditions but now that I have 2 kids in university and one at home, the time that we spend together will be all the more meaningful. I look forward to spending time together irregardless of what we are doing..

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

I love colour! I love traveling! I love Disney!

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How Did You Get Started?:

I started taking baking classes at George Brown. I then started to focus on Chocolate and Confections. I have always been into art and decided to combine my 2 passions to create edible art!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I love to experiment with Chocolate Barks. By changing the type of chocolate and the add-ins there are so many potential combinations!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Hosting a Holiday open house and filling the table with handmade sweets and baked goods!

Story Behind the Name:

A funny nickname gained while living in Jamaica. The name pays homage to my Jamaican roots and long standing friendships there.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Food, spicy food, Soccer, planes, trains, automobiles, bikes, boats and bridges.

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How Did You Get Started?:

Explored a passion. Pursued what I loved, which is hot and spicy food. That passion, that love became products that other people loved and were willing to pay for.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Hot Sauce.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Jamaican Rum Cake, Egg Nog.

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Antiquing, cooking, traveling.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I studied Jewelry design but had never worked in the industry, despite having worked in design for over 15 years. I decided to go back to my roots.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I love necklaces! A simple necklace can elevate the look of anyone!

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Giving gifts!

Story Behind the Name:

Coco and June are two kitties that I had/have the luck to share my home with. Both beautiful, quirky, and full of personality. It just seemed natural to include them in what I love doing.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Authentic Italian pizza; reading fiction about the Cold War; binge watching Netflix (Dead to Me; Handmaid's Tale; Stranger Things); listening to my vinyl collection which I dare say includes a tonne of disco (I don't apologize); gardening; doing brunch with my hubby on the weekend; beaches in the Caribbean; all four-legged furry beings.

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How Did You Get Started?:

Got into painting mason jars after leaving a long career in legal that just didn't fit anymore. I started a therapeutic purge of my kitchen and felt guilty to throw all these mason jars into recycling. Then it struck me! I remembered how I used to love being creative with painting and sewing during my high school years and so off I went to buy some paint... and here I am!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Mason jars with my handpainted wooden knobs.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Re-inventing ways to decorate my faux tree every year so it looks new.

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Our family loves visiting Barbados. It is tradition to bring the new baby to meet family there. It’s a home away from home! Love french fries, re watching my favourite shows (friends, Gilmore girls, greys anatomy etc), huge leafs fan. We love to bike the trail as a family and being outside with the girls.

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How Did You Get Started?:

Needed a creative outlet after my first was born 3 years ago. I developed anxiety, I found creating and crafting made me feel a lot better. One day I decided to make some bows and felt flowers for Emma, the rest is history!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Our new Aspen bow is my favourite item to make! Along with custom crowns. They are a ton of work but my customers have the most amazing vision.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Decorating our tree, sledding, watching Emma play in the snow and being with family over the holidays.

Story Behind the Name:

I say bb all the time and broidery is an archaic term from embroidery so just like my work it’s a mix of old and new.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

I love soups of all kinds, true crime tv shows and anything glittery.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I started working with textiles because I was very bored as a child and my aunt taught me how to hand sew while she was babysitting me. Embroidery quickly followed and I ended up getting my bfa in textiles with a minor in fashion

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

I really love making hair clips (my mom is always my model for them)

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

My family and I always have a puzzle on the go during Christmastime.

Story Behind the Name:

In 2008 I married the love of my life and while I adored him (and still do!), it took me over a year before I decided to take his last name. I thought it would be an easier decision but apparently I was a little fonder of my maiden name than I realized! When I started my handmade business, adding an ‘ie’ to my new last name – Gertz – helped me adjust to a single syllable name and allowed me to pay a small homage to my former self.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

My favourite things tend to be my happy things (often reflected in my work) and these include music, concerts, singing, dancing, roadtrips, Vancouver Island, the TV shows Friends and Schitt’s Creek, my husband and mini goldendoodle, my circle of friends, chocolate, super crispy bacon, swimming, sunsets, mountain air, and sunshine! 

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How Did You Get Started?:

Initially I wanted to find a specific pendant for a friend who had suffered a loss. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I figured out a way to make my own. Thankfully my friend loved her new keepsake and that same year I decided to make a few other pendants to give to family as Christmas gifts. However when I showed some friends what I’d been up to, they started buying the pendants from me and though a slow start, this essentially became the gentle push behind me starting my own little handmade business.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

My Tree of Life glass pendant. I love that it’s a photograph I took and that it has such a meaningful story behind it. It resonates with so many people and remains one of my best sellers.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Visiting the local 'Christmas house' on Christmas Eve and watching White Christmas, It's A Wonderful Life, and The Holiday.

Story Behind the Name:

Knitting Legends was originally incepted in Vancouver, BC but the business was reborn and took its first baby steps in Parkdale, Toronto.We named ourself Knitting Legends because the artisans who make our products are the original Legends in the world of Knitting. It was only fair to name the company Knitting Legends because it represent who we are and who we want to be.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

Watching Shark Tank and getting inspired every episode.

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How Did You Get Started?:

We started by opening a booth at Toronto Designers Market last year on Sept,2019. Once we started our booth it gave us a-lot of exposure and confidence to do pop-ups as well as markets.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Designing hand warmers and merino socks were definitely the most challenging and fun experience.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Decorating the Christmas tree while drinking my special spiked eggnog.

Story Behind the Name:

I wanted to make it easy to connect my name and the stamp on the bottom of my ceramics with my business. And ta da! Stainsby Studios.

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Some of My Favourite Things Include:

I absolutely love to eat well and spend time with the people I love. It's even better if I can combine these two things and feed everyone too! I also love learning new things and ceramics is a never-ending learning process from making to decorating to firing. One of my absolutely favourite things to do is open a kiln after a glaze firing. It's so thrilling! Even though ceramics is my current obsession, I love to do all kinds of crafts and I've tried almost everything. I'm a voracious reader and I read two to three books a week.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I absolutely love making ceramics. When we started having to keep my pottery in boxes, I realized it was time to seriously consider starting a business. I have just figured it out as I go along. I know I'll make mistakes but, as one of my kids says, you miss every shot you don't take!

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Oh that's a hard one. I really love making mugs because I have such special relationships with my favourite mugs. I love making match strikers because they're pretty cool.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

I love lighting the Chanukah candles with my family. And I love Christmas morning with my family. Yes, we do all the holidays and it's amazing!

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

We love hiking the valley with our husky Maya, working in the garden, woodworking, birdwatching, hanging in the bee yard & the smell of strong, dark coffee in the morning.

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How Did You Get Started?:

We are 3rd generation beekeepers who started on Scugog Island, where Daves Grandfather originally kept bees. His mother now owns the property, and when they located a swarm on the island in 2012, they figured it was “meant to bee” and got back into beekeeping. We purchased the Millbrook farm in 2016 and began work on our 5000 sq ft honey house & educational facility.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Small batch, floral sourced honey.

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Favourite Holiday/Winter Tradition:

Cold camping & hiking with our husky Maya.

Some of My Favourite Things Include:

I love to travel when time permits, explore local coffee shops, local boutiques, new fun places around Toronto. FOOD! This may be obvious looking at my products :) Food is definitely one of my favourite things because it makes you happy and brings people together.

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How Did You Get Started?:

I am a surface designer and I create patterns to be used on various products. I wanted to create a fun, unique line of products that would make people smile. Who doesn't love food? All my prints are designed by myself and I look forward to expanding my collection with more prints, more food and different products.

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What is Your Favourite Thing/Item to Make?

Ultimately, I just have a lot of fun creating the patterns in general. Creating seamless patterns is somehow therapeutic for me. I enjoy designing my notepads the most because I live on notepads and taking notes! I love to see my patterns come to life on a product.