If you want to add a new piece of beautifully hand-crafted jewellery to your collection, L’Arb Saynt has the perfect pair of earrings.
“L’Arb Saynt means ‘wild sage’ in Michif” said the small business owner Jocelyn Leost of St. Laurent.
Leost explained that sage is important to her as she uses it in smudges to help cleanse the spirit.
She sells hand-beaded earrings and keychains at many craft sales and makers markets throughout the year.
She fell in love with beading over 15 years ago when she began beading artwork onto her own moccasins, mukluks and gloves.
“A few years ago, my friend taught me how to do the fringe on a pair of earrings and after she showed me how to make a pair, I self-taught myself how to do the rest of the designs I have been making ever since.”
Leost is a busy mom of three and an early childhood educator outside of beading jewellery. She turns to beading when she has some alone time and needs to relax.
“It is something I do on my spare time once my kids have gone to bed. I really really enjoy doing it as beading is my relaxing time.”
L’Arb Saynt earrings are inspired by Indigenous designs, but Leost does her beadwork from a spark in her head.
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“I love having an idea in my mind and implementing it into my beads,” she said. “I put my heart and soul into them and really hope for the best.”
Currently, L’Arb Saynt sells only earrings and keychains, but Leost hopes to expand her product line one day to include home-sewn clothing.
You can next find L’Arb Saynt at the St. Nicholas Church Winter Craft Sale in Winnipeg on Nov. 23. She will also be heading back to St. Laurent to attend the Merry Crafters Craft and Bake Sale at the St. Laurent Recreation Centre on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you want to follow along with Leost’s beading journey, she posts updates to her Instagram page @larbsaynt.
