Workng from home, Anne focusses on uplifting and humorous creations. When asked where she gets her inspiration, Anne says, "All around me in God’s beautiful creation!" She also says, "I am addicted to sock knitting! As each pair comes off the needles, I immediately cast on another pair! There is nothing better than cozy hand-knitted socks to caress your feet!"

When asked how she occupies her mind while working, Anne says, "When knitting a complicated pattern, my attention must be strong, so then I like to be in silence. At other times, I like to have silence which allows my mind to travel and find inspiration and ideas. I am always at least a few projects ahead of what is being manipulated in my fingers. At other times, I listen to classic music. Mozart and Bach are my favourite composers. Recently I have also been listening to audio books from the library. "

As a creator of beaded bracelets, necklaces, earrings and bookmarks, Beth Gibson says "I have always loved beads and beautiful things. Creating jewelry allows me to share my passion with others and help make the world a better place to live in, one lovely creation at a time. Since each piece is hand crafted, they are wearable art."

Beth has the most fun creating earrings. "The earrings probably are the most versatile piece, they have the most variety. Some are long, some are short. I'm always experimenting with the materials." When not creating, Beth says she plays in two different concert bands, raises a houseful of teenagers, and works on some quilts she hopes to sell.

Beth usually works at her kitchen table, working "with natural materials, glass, pearls, semi precious beads. To bring a little bit of nature up close and personal." She also works in silence to have as little distraction as possible. The most difficult part of the process, Beth says, is "assembling the finished product. Sometimes the links are quite tiny. It takes a steady hand to coordinate."

"When my necklaces and bracelets are on display in the bright sunlight, they really sparkle. When people walk by, it's hard not to notice. And say how beautiful they look." Each piece is unique and Beth does do custom orders.

You can meet her at The Artisan Fair on May 5th at 90 Hunter St East, between 10 and 2. You can also see her work at the Toronto Art Crawl, Hamilton Supercrawl, Ancaster Fairgrounds, Milton Spring Show and Craft fair, Lakeshore Mardi Gras festival, and the Apothecary Muse.

A creator of hand-carved s​oapstone and alabaster jewelry, alabaster and soapstone animal carvings, and, crocheted handbags, Jennifer Dales first started carving soapstone over 20 years ago, when one of her instructors at Sir Sandford Fleming College brought in a soapstone carving kit. She ordered one, and started carving the moment it arrived, with files, a pocketknife, and even a spoon at one point. "I love the texture, shine, and strength of stone, and I find working in stone to be both grounding and empowering."

Jennifer works out of her home, crocheting inside during the winter, and carving outside on the deck or in the garage during the summer. She often crochets while watching TV, gaming, or Skyping with friends and family. When carving stone however, she prefers to work with only the sounds of the outdoors.

"The best compliment I have every received was from another artist I met at a craft show. I very much admired this person's work, and when they looked at my own work, they were very complimentary, and said I may actually be a better carver than themselves. That kind of positive feedback from another accomplished artists is golden! My carving and crochet are more than hobbies to me - they are therapy. A few years ago I had a mental and emotional breakdown, and am still recovering. My crafts are calming and meditative, and help me keep my mind balanced and on track. I would continue to carve and crochet even if I never sold another piece."

You can meet Jennifer at The Artisan Fair on May 5th at 90 Hunter St East, between 10am and 2pm!