Blue World Treasures
Blue World Treasures is a Canadian Indigenous owned business, jewellery brand, and local Alberta shop based in Medicine Hat.
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What inspired you to start your business?
I have always made jewelry, ever since I was a teenager growing up in the Yukon. I started selling my necklaces and earrings to the tourists in the summer while still in High School. I stopped selling my jewelry as a young adult due to work, University, etc., and just gave away my finished pieces to family and friends. When I was starting to think of retiring, I started selling them again at small markets locally, and in 2014 when I retired, I started getting serious about making a second income by creating and selling my jewelry at larger markets and online. I started selling first on Etsy, then added Amazon Handmade when it began, and finally I added my own online shop. Between the 3 online shops and my in person shows, I have enough work to keep my creative side happy and subsidize my old age pension.
How do you describe your business?
I use genuine gemstones and natural findings such as feathers, bone, wood, leather, etc. for all of my pieces. Each piece is my own design, and most are one-of-a-kind as I suffer from ADHD and find that creating more than a couple of any one design to be boring as I have millions of other ideas in my head waiting to be brought to life in my hands. I only use quality materials, and most designs are a combination of traditional and my own interpretation. Many people have told me that they can tell I am Metis because my designs are not purely First Nation, nor are they considered to be “trendy”. I collect, polish, cut and drill many of my own stones, and I collect the feathers, etc. on my travels. Whatever the Creator sends my way, I find a way of incorporating it into my pieces. Sometimes I have beads in my collection that are several years old before I decide what I want them to become, and other times I know immediately what a bead or feather or piece of driftwood is going to be made into.
What’s your bestselling product?
My best selling products are my Metis Sash line. I have bracelets, earrings and a pendant all incorporating a small piece of 100% Alpaca wool Metis sash in the L’Assuption weave. I purchase the sash from a Metis supplier in Winnipeg, Manitoba and then make it up into the jewelry pieces.
Why do you think it’s so popular?
I believe this is the most popular item I sell because from my research, I am the ONLY online seller of anything like it. Even the supplier of the sash does not sell jewelry like this. It is entirely my own design and I have made the bracelets adjustable to fit most wrist sizes from 6 to 8 inches to appeal to a wider range of buyers. The earrings are also available as studs, earwires and clip ons, again to suit more wearers. The other great thing is that you are supporting not just one (me) but TWO Indigenous businesses when you purchase them and they are a great way to show your Metis heritage. The bracelet and pendant both sport a medium sized silver infinity symbol, and the earrings also have teeny tiny infinity symbols in their design.
What’s your personal favourite product?
My personal favourite item right now is my cross-body phone lanyard. It is an adjustable lanyard that your wear cross-body and it comes with a clip and the insert for your phone case to allow it to clip onto the lanyard. I have beaded the bottoms near the clips in great colour combos, and if you have a phone wallet like I do, you only need to clip your phone to it and you are set. No need to bring a separate purse. It’s perfect for when you are at events and don’t want to set your purse down or your phone. I recently used mine at a Round Dance and had so many of the ladies asking where I got it. I wore it all night, even while dancing and didn’t have to worry about leaving a purse anywhere.
What’s your favourite local business?
My favourite local business right now is a small restaurant called “Papi’s“. It is family owned and the food is excellent. It is our favourite place to eat out.
