Native craft fair

On Saturday, after we viewed the start of the Iditarod, we headed to the mall to pick up a new power cord for my laptop, yay!!

They were holding a native arts craft fair to coincide with the Iditarod. Here are some of the wares they had for sale. All vendors are local native artists.

a

aaPurses made from Seal & Ivory

a

a

aaDecorative masks

a

a

aaChildren's Mukluks

a

a

Many Alaskan natives still live in remote villages where there main means of survival revolve around subsistence hunts for whales, seals, and salmon. Although I am against most uses of animal skins, fur, bones, etc. this is one method that I 100% support. When the animals are harvested they use all parts of the animal from the meat as food, & skin and fur for warmth.

We have lived in Alaska for nearly 6 yrs and I have always had an eye for the ivory and whale baleen bracelets but due to the costs of them I haven't been able to afford one. I was lamenting that fact to Kyle as we left the craft fair and how I would love to someday own one. We got home from the fair and went about our normal routine of running the dogs out and getting ready for some supper. I ended up in our room to get a sweater and sitting inconspicuously on my dresser was...

a

a

How did he know that this was exactly the one I wanted? I didn't tell him about the bracelet until we were leaving the fair. Turns out he was browsing the booths, without me, and spotted the bracelet and thought I would like it. Needless to say he got a lot of kisses and I have been wearing it non-stop, even when doing the laundry and cooking breakfast this morning!

Words can't even begin to describe what a amazing man he is and how lucky I am to have found him...

a