COLD LAKE - Dawn Butler is a seasoned artisan and local favourite in the craft market scene. She made a return to the Cold Lake Craft Show on Nov. 30, hosted at the Cold Lake Energy Centre Field House.
Shoppers at the craft show were treated to a wide array of her handmade creations, including painted bowls, trays, boards, coasters, and house decor.
“I very much enjoy it. It's fun,” Butler shares. “I've been doing this pretty much all my life, I always was creative, doing stuff like that.”
A Lifelong Passion
Butler’s love for crafting began early, inspired by her carpenter father.
“My dad was a carpenter. He taught me a lot of stuff and I loved wood, like any kind of wood and nature. So then I just kind of combined the two,” she explains.
While she previously made larger garden pieces, a change in her living situation has encouraged her to pivot to smaller, more manageable creations.
Over the years, she has transferred into painting and using rub-on or heat transfers to create products and her small crafting business is known as Unique Designs by Dawn.
“Sometimes I take it off the internet and print it. Sometimes I order it online. It can be a rub-on transfer, or a heat transfer. It depends on what I'm looking for. And it depends on what's on sale, because I'm a cheap crafter. I like to find things that are on sale,” explains Butler.
Bringing affordable art
Butler’s work is not just about creativity but also about accessibility.
“I just love the people. It's nice and I like being able to make things that people can afford, that's not crazy prices,” she says. Her pricing reflects her empathy for the current economic climate, with items ranging from $5 to $80.
“Today, I don't have anything major expensive because I know times are tough for people,” she notes.
This year’s craft show marked Butler’s return to the craft show scene after a brief hiatus, much to the delight of her loyal customers.
“I used to come all the time and then I've taken a break for the last couple of years, which is why a lot of my customers that came were happy to see that I'm back,” she says, with a smile.
For Butler, the joy of crafting goes beyond selling products – it is also about connection.
“I haven't been in a show for a couple of years. I missed it actually. Missed the people,” she reflects.
Sparking joy through creativity
Butler takes pride in her ability to bring happiness to others through her work.
“It's just nice to know that you can bring joy to somebody else. So that's the reason I create. I want to bring a smile to someone's face or do something personal for them, which is why I have so many different ones,” she explains.
Her crafts are also collaborative, often shaped by customer feedback.
“Some people give me ideas too. They tell me what they want. He [a customer] was looking for a red truck, now I know I can do a red truck,” says Butler.
Butler hopes to see more events like the Cold Lake Craft Show, as they foster community and creativity.
“I think they should have them more often."
Butler envisions creating a large space with multiple bays to support local artisans, where she could showcase her work year-round, if resources allowed.
