The theme of the Christmas Craft Fair last weekend seemed to be the teamwork among artists and their loved ones.

Many vendors in the packed Midnight Sun Complex were selling on behalf of the artists in their families, whether the creators had to stay home with the children, were on the land travelling, or otherwise.

Cecile Bleakney was selling her daughter SimeraSA国际影视传媒檚 painted rocks.

SA国际影视传媒淪he loves to paint,SA国际影视传媒� said Cecile. SA国际影视传媒淚 have mine outside my garden, all over my yard.SA国际影视传媒�

Simera was born and raised in Inuvik but is now attending Grade 12 in Alberta. After that, she hopes to study to become an ultrasound technician.

SheSA国际影视传媒檚 been painting rocks for a little more than a year and had some for sale at the Great Northern Arts Festival, which also runs the Christmas craft fair.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey have to be perfect rocks,SA国际影视传媒� said Cecile.

Simera picks out the smoothest and best rocks she can find, creates a pattern and then fills them in dot by dot with a paintbrush.

SA国际影视传媒淪he does this as her relaxation,SA国际影视传媒� said Cecile. SA国际影视传媒淪he gets a little stressed out over school and she sits down and paints a rock. She can do two or three a night.SA国际影视传媒�

On the subject of rocks, Debbie Gordon-RubenSA国际影视传媒檚 husband, Stanley Ruben, appears to have found some unique petrified wood and amber outside of Paulatuk.

He had fashioned some of the amber pieces into pendants with muskox horn and ivory.

SA国际影视传媒淎 few years ago he found a petrified tree while he was subsistence harvesting in the Paulatuk area, where heSA国际影视传媒檚 from,SA国际影视传媒� said Gordon-Ruben, who was selling the items on behalf of her husband.

SA国际影视传媒淭his summer he was doing the same thing on the land (and) he noticed a petrified tree trunk, so he stopped and he took it. He started cleaning it and looking at it and he noticed it had the petrified sap or resin around the tree, so he decided to make some jewelry and itSA国际影视传媒檚 beautiful.SA国际影视传媒�

Gordon-Ruben said the petrified wood near Paulatuk is identifiable by the way it juts out from the ground. Axel Heiberg Island in Nunavut is also known for its petrified forests.

SA国际影视传媒淗e loves doing this type of carving and jewelry with all his heart,SA国际影视传媒� said Gordon-Ruben. SA国际影视传媒淗e puts a lot of thought and work into (it). It doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 just take him a day. It takes him a few or sometimes months to do.SA国际影视传媒�

Nichol Pidborochynski was selling some of her own products and those of her partner Scottie Kasook.

He had made coloured-pencil muskrat stretchers, plus prints and carved earrings. Pidborochynski also had some of her own jewelry for sale.

SA国际影视传媒淗e slices the antler and hollows them out for me, and then I do the jewelry,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that the fair had been wonderful.

SA国际影视传媒淓verybodySA国际影视传媒檚 been really friendly. EverybodySA国际影视传媒檚 looking for Christmas gifts and sometimes a little something for themselves. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been really nice getting to see all the people out.SA国际影视传媒�

The rec centre was nearly full for the three-day fair, which also offered food products and some good prices on crafts for locals, as items at the fair are not subject to the same commission and markup as those in the annual Great Northern Arts Festival.