I love local under my Christmas Tree

Shop Northern Ontario handmade products this holiday season.

By Julieanne Steedman Julieanne Steedman is a visual artist and map maker from Northern Ontario.

April 12, 2023

I love being able to do my holiday shopping from local producers, artists, and makers. We have an outstanding array of talented people right here in Northeastern Ontario, and as co-founder of Makers North in Sudbury I am continually impressed by the movers and shakers who are working hard to make their handmade dreams come true. It feels wonderful as a shopper to support their work and delight my family and friends with something not only made locally, but of high quality craftsmanship.

I’m about halfway done my holiday shopping. Under my tree this year I have items from many talented local folks, including some of these:

Envy Jewels North Bay Ontario.

envy jewels, north bay

Detailed rings, earrings, and necklaces made with silver, mixed metals that quickly become staple pieces in your collection. Maker Laurie Shore describes her work as "earthy and organic," and I admire the beautiful textures and attention to detail.

Available at The Farm in North Bay.

Mighty Village, Sudbury Ontario.

mighty village books, sudbury

Stunning prints, notebooks, pencil cases, and more featuring the artwork of visual artist Danielle Daniel. I picked up some of the beautifully illustrated notebooks as teacher gifts for my son's teachers this year. 15% of profits are donated to Our Children, Our Future, to help purchase new books for vulnerable children living in Northern Ontario.

Chemistry + Craft, Little Current Manitoulin Island.

chemistry + Craft, little current

Hand died fabrics, original patterns, and bags sewn to last (until they don’t anymore…and won’t harm the earth)—Mariana Lafrance’s small business is run with sustainability at its core. Rucksacks, tote bags, and aprons are available in both cotton and waxed canvas.

View this post on Instagram

For the past few months, I haven’t been able to work fast enough to keep up with your insatiable appetite for Sloppy Head. We’re currently SOLD OUT but we’ll *hopefully* () have some in a few weeks! Keep you in the loop.

A post shared by wolf & pine herbals (@wolfandpine.co) on Dec 4, 2019 at 5:56am PST

wolf + pine herbals, lively

Body products made with handpicked wildcraft botanicals beautifully packed, with a bold punch of humor. My favourites include the face oils and dry hair shampoo.

Chuck + Wood, North Bay Ontario.

chuck + wood, North bay

Handcrafted wood chopping boards, charcuterie boards, serving trays and more. Terry has been fine-tuning his woodworking skills for over 10 years, and you can tell in the craftsmanship of his products. I gifted one of these to my father for Christmas last year it was very well received.

Hooks & Tangles, Blind River Ontario.

hooks & tangles, blind river

We all need five million hats and scarves to keep us warm here in the winter. It’s a bonus if they can be really lovely plus keep the cold away. Anna crochets the loveliest hats using a stunning array of wool—her colour choices are totally on trend.

More Adventures in The Seven—Northeastern Ontario!

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About Julieanne Steedman

Julieanne Steedman is a visual artist and map maker from Northern Ontario. She runs her own businesses, Heirloom Island, selling her art and prints. She is also co-founder of Makers North in Sudbury; an artist collective that aims to support Northern Ontario artists and makers.