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We’re always striving for Five Stars!

Everybody knows how important online reviews are. Many businesses regularly ask their customers to provide a stellar review. We don’t do that but we hope that we always earn one, whether or not it gets posted.

I recently had occasion to look at our reviews on the Yelp platform. Only three reviews were visible; two negative and the third positive. The two negative reviews both indicated that our staff is too vigilant when watching children handling our many fragile items. I had a closer look at the review page and saw that there are two more reviews, but they are hidden and not recommended. They are both very good and I was confused as to why they aren’t included on the main page. I called, and spoke to a person who told me that their software discounted those reviews. Hmmm…they allowed the bad reviews to show but hid the good reviews.

Google lists the Wolf Den as the number one location in Parry Sound to buy cigars. We’ve never, ever, sold cigars. I called and eventually found someone to look into this, as we get a lot of calls about cigars. I was eventually told that their algorithm verifies that we sell cigars, and nothing can be done about that. Hmmm…

We work very hard to give you as much information, and the correct information about our products. I wish we could count on the internet to do the same for us. As always, please let us know if we can help in any way. A good review will always be appreciated, but isn’t necessary. We know we’re doing our best!

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Getting back to normal…

It’s been a while since I’ve posted but it’s time to get back to normal! The last two or so years have been tough. We were locked down twice (for a total of 9 months) and on strict capacity limits (just 2-4 people) otherwise. With the support of our amazing customers – we made it!

Our big news is that we moved to a better location. We’re just a few doors away from where we were for over 50 years, and our new location will seem familiar to our customers who shop in person. We kept the lay-out, the shelving and the displays as much the same as possible.  We have more space for stock, and best of all, we now have a mail-room.  Our online sales continue to be strong and we finally have a dedicated space to process and wrap orders. Do you know that we ship everywhere? We have even shipped our Canadian-made moccasins to China. That’s a win!

We love our new space and we’re so happy to finally be welcoming everybody back to the store. It’s wonderful to see people we haven’t seen in almost three years. If you are starting to travel again, and are in Ontario, we hope you’ll stop in.  Parry Sound has a lot to offer and we know that you’ll enjoy browsing here. We are all about Made in Canada, and very proud of it. We look forward to serving you (whether in person or on-line) and sharing our pride in this wonderful country and it’s talented artisans and craftspeople.

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Baskets, Baskets & More Baskets!

I’m just back from another road trip – this time through Manitoulin Island and up to Thunder Bay. The scenery was incredible (the views over Lakes Huron and Superior are breathtaking), but the trip was successful because I brought back porcupine quill baskets. Many…many…porcupine quill baskets!

Those who know me know that my passion is baskets. I was so excited to see a vibrant community of quillworkers on Manitoulin Island. Sadly, in many parts of Ontario, the artform is being lost. Every culture has the same issue. I’m sure that most people don’t have the same skills their grandparents did!

I was thrilled to see that there are so many styles. One family produces baskets in a contemporary style – vibrant colours and designs that I had never seen before. Others work in a more time-honoured manner – using undyed quills, for example. Each is a unique work of art and each and every one is beautiful!

Porcupine quillwork is an ancient artform – until the late 1800s it was typically used to decorate clothing, moccasins, medicine bags and other items. Beads eventually became easily available and began to replace quillwork as a form of decoration. At about the same time, tourists began to venture into previously remote areas around the Great Lakes. The demand for baskets decorated with quills was immediate, and the era of baskets as ‘Tourist Art’ began.

This has again evolved and now these baskets are coveted as pieces of art. I think you’ll agree that they are stunning and deserve to be seen as just ‘ART’, not tourist art.

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It’s All About Respect!

There is a lot of discussion in the media and on social media about cultural appropriation – First Nations designs are being stolen and used in a variety of inappropriate ways. I travel a lot and it amazes me to see dream catchers, for example, available as souvenirs everywhere. I’ve seen them in South America, Africa and Asia…and they are always made in China! Why would anybody buy a dream catcher as a souvenir of Africa?? Chinese knock-offs of First Nations’ objects is a troubling issue.

The other troubling issue is the taking indigenous images and decorating various items with them; from clothing to accessories and more. We, at the Wolf Den, are very careful to only carry items that are authentic. This means that we often source our pieces directly from the artists that make them…such as our baskets, jewellery, and carvings. We also source and sell items decorated with indigenous imagery, but we are careful to ensure that the original artist is aware that the image was used, was paid for it, and allows its use. Of course, all of those pieces are made in Canada.

We are very pleased to have a new collection of moccasins, mitts, coin purses & journals decorated with images by the renowned Haida artist, Eric Parnell. We know that Eric collaborated closely on the use of his images and we are proud to showcase his talent!

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Oh Canada…!

I make a point of travelling in Canada as much as possible. I’ve just returned from a trip to Labrador and Quebec and came back with some really great memories…and lots of wonderful new items for the Wolf Den, with more to come. Check out the moccasin section of the website for new styles for babies, women and men. Each of them is a one-of-a-kind original and reflect the traditional techniques and craftsmanship of the Inuit and Innu cultures. We especially love the pleating technique and we know you’ll find the baby booties as adorable as we do!

Sealskin is a controversial material, but we are pleased to support the cultures that use it in a traditional manner, and harvest the animals ethically and legally. The fur is truly beautiful, as well as durable. Perfect for moccasin making! Wool duffle is another traditional material used for moccasin making, and sadly the one producer in Canada will be closing up shop soon. It’s so important to support these producers before we lose even more of them. The same holds true for artists and craftspeople – we hope you’ll agree that Canada is a special place, in large part because of them, and they deserve our appreciation and support.

 

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Nothing Typical Here…

I’ve just returned from a trip to Canada’s Northwest Territories – what a great experience! I try to travel somewhere in Canada every October to find new merchandise and meet some talented artists and artisans and hear their stories. Fort Liard, NWT is a Dene community known for the production of baskets and beaded moccasins. Only about 500 people live there but 40 of them are making and selling their beautiful products.

We’ve been accused of selling ‘typical overpriced tourist stuff’. Nothing could be further from the truth! We work hard to find unique and interesting items and are happy to promote and sell the work of so many talented people. These moccasins are a perfect example. They are made of smoked moosehide – the smell is intoxicating. The beadwork is different on every pair and they are trimmed with beaver or rabbit fur. There is nothing typical about that!

I’m always on the lookout for baskets, moccasins, carvings, jewelry and more. There are so many talented people out there, and nothing makes me happier than seeing their handcrafted products inspired by the landscapes and cultures of this amazing country.

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Not Forgotten

It’s difficult but so necessary to write about this subject. In the past 30 years, over 1,000 native women have gone missing or have been murdered in Canada.

In March 2016, the Canadian government finally committed to launching an inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Hopefully, additional resources will mean that more of these cases are solved and justice for many of these women and their families is achieved.

In order to bring awareness to this issue, some artistic initiatives have also been launched. An exhibit titled ‘Walking with our Sisters’ was created, and is travelling through Canada and the United States. It features the tops (vamps) of over 1,800 pairs of moccasins. These are individually beaded and decorated, and together create one huge collaborative memorial. If you have the opportunity, visit this powerful exhibit.

Finally, Manitoba-born Sioux artist Maxine Noel has created ‘Not Forgotten’, an image designed to honour the spirits and presence of those missing and murdered. We are very proud to support this initiative by selling coffee mugs with the image. Sales support Sisters In Spirit, an anti-violence against women initiative run by the Native Women’s Association of Canada.

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I’m on the Road Again

One of the best things about having a shop that specializes in “Made in Canada” is being able to travel across this amazing country. I’m heading to Montreal this week, with stops in Ottawa, Tyendinaga Territory and Ohsweken. I’ll be meeting with lots of artisans and craftspeople, and I hope to bring many new and interesting pieces back with me. Baskets, masks, one of kind bags, carvings, drums…who knows what I’ll find! We’ll have the store filled by the end of May, and the new website launched around the same time. Talk about busy!

I love Montreal, and always look forward to its cosmopolitan vibrancy and spirit. It’s a big contrast to my last merchandise scouting trip – to Churchill, Manitoba. That’s where I took this photograph.

I have the best job ever!

 

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Do You Make All This Stuff?

We get this question just about every day at the Wolf Den. It’s funny because we have about 3,000 different items on hand (you’d never believe it if you saw how small our space is). Obviously, we’d have to be a pretty talented crew to produce moccasins, carvings, jewellery, pottery, baskets, purses and more, ourselves. Only three of us work here!

I’ve always said my talent is recognizing talent in others. I can’t actually make anything myself, but I love finding and connecting with people who do have talent. We actually deal with hundreds of suppliers. Some are companies but many are individual craftspeople and artists.

Everybody who shops at big box and chain stores is used to seeing rows and rows of identical, manufactured items. Most of our items are handmade and I think that’s what is intriguing. Pop in to the Wolf Den, or browse the website. You’ll see what’s so special about items crafted by hand, and will appreciate the talented people who make them – even if it isn’t us!

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What’s So Great About Moccasins, Anyway?

What’s so great about moccasins, anyway?  Well, actually…everything! Did you know that a 5,500 year old moccasin type ‘shoe’ was found in Armenia?

Good ideas never go out of style! While moccasins today may look a bit more impressive, the basic concept is the same; soft leather is cut and sewn into a shape that cradles the foot. If you’ve tried on a pair, you know just how comfortable they are.

Moccasins made of real leather; moose or deerskin, sheepskin, buffalo or caribou hide (to name a few options) fit like a glove. With just a little bit of wear, they will shape to your foot and you’ll think they were custom made just for you! Real leather also breathes. You can wear moccasins barefoot or with socks, and you’ll find them just right no matter what the temperature. You don’t get that kind of comfort from fake leather.

They are perfect around the house, or even outdoors if made with a rubber sole. You won’t find a more comfortable, or timeless, shoe.

 

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