Crafters courses offered

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Ever wonder what it would be like to bead, do quill work, or make fish scale art or moccasins? As part of the Native Clothing Design Program, the Northern Lakes College in Grouard will hold a full week of four courses that will show you how. Courses are set to run from July 28 to Aug. 2.

"We are expecting people from other provinces to apply to this summer program. It will be all hands on. We are going to start right from scratch," said Margaret Cardinal, program co-ordinator. "You are actually going to take the porcupine and pluck its quills, and you are going to take the fish and wash the scales. When you are going to do the moccasins, you are actually going to draft the moccasins, cutting the design out, and we are going to show you step by step how to put it together," she said.

At the end of the program students will have to complete a small medicine pouch, a set of earrings, a matching pin, a dreamcatcher, a frame-ready art piece and a pair of moccasins.

"We are going to get students to make a small medicine pouch, but before they put the medicine pouch together, whether it be for a credit card or to just wear around your neck, they are going to do the quill work on it and we are going to show them approximately four different styles of applying quill work," said Cardinal. "We are definitely going to tell you that you are going to be scaling fish, boiling fish and all that stuff, so that people will know ahead of time what to expect."

"The deadline to apply to the program is June 26, so that will give us time to do our final preparations. We need a minimum of eight people and a maximum of 12 people in each course. The classes will be small, so that it will be really one on one. The intent is that people will walk away from this course knowing how to do this from start to finish," said Cathy Wilcox, access facilitator.

"The Buffalo Bay Centre is actually in Grouard. The community of Grouard actually looks over Buffalo Bay. It is quite a beautiful view. So people should enjoy a good time. What are available are eight bedrooms at the centre with bunk beds.

"There are two bunk beds in each room with every room having its own bathroom. There are showers elsewhere in the building and there is a small kitchen available where people can make their own snacks. The cafeteria will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; you have to pay for your own meals. You also get a chance to stay at a campsite, which is close by to where students can set up a tent. Everyone can come out and have a good time, as well as come out to make themselves some crafts, which they get to keep," she said.