Celebrating crafters in light of our heritage

We have celebrated Heritage Day in Nova Scotia since 2015.

The idea behind the holiday was to remind us of our provincial heritage, made up of people, places and events in our history.

In a way, that makes each Nova Scotian part of the day as we all make history in our own way.

There are three Nova Scotians who have been part of Absolutely Fabulous retail history, each one a gifted craftsperson. Each one an entrepreneur, talented and appreciated.

The first is Mr. Bishop. He wandered into the store many years ago, carrying a briefcase and wearing a big grin. He asked us if we wanted to buy some Nova Scotia weather buttons.

He opened the briefcase with a flourish and showed us dozens of wooden weather buttons. Each button had a card with instructions on how and where to hang it for maximum accuracy. Mr. Bishop made each one by hand right into his 90s and opened his packed briefcase for us the same way every time he visited. He’s retired now and his twinkling blue eyes are missed. If you have a Nova Scotia weather button, you have a piece of history hanging.

The second is Amy Scott of Laughing Pear Soaps. The company had its origins in the Annapolis Valley, started by a mother-daughter team who wanted to make good soap, free of fillers and harsh ingredients. They made very good soap. Amy bought the company a number of years ago and continues to make the same high quality, simple ingredient soap in so many wonderful scents. She’s a busy mother and wife, balancing a cottage business with family life. Laughing Pear Soaps smell great (except for the unscented which just smells clean), lather beautifully and last a long time.

The third is Angela Reid, the Ladybug Lady (and my sister). Angela started painting ladybugs on beach stones in 1994. Remember pet rocks? Angela painted many rocks and named every one. A few years later she got into ceramics and began to paint ladybugs on mugs, bowls, plates and so many other useful items. She has a studio in Cape Breton with a view of St. Ann’s Bay as she works. Two kilns, dozens of molds, and thousands of ladybugs later, the Ladybug Lady continues to delight. Why ladybugs? She liked the saying “May the luck of the ladybug be yours” and that’s how it started. Her quality is exceptional and every piece is unique.

Heritage is essentially a collection of things or properties, along with cultural traditions. People are the most important part of the collection. Mr. Bishop, Amy and Angela are three people who saw a way to add something to the lives of others. Whimsical weather buttons, lovely handmade soaps and cheerful painted ladybug ceramics continue to be part of our small store.

The crafters themselves are part of our Nova Scotia Heritage.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ladybugs are known as Ladybirds in England, with the ‘Lady’ referencing the Virgin Mary.