Article content Claudette Deveau celebrates her Acadian heritage with handmade items that show her pride. ContributedArticle contentTalented bunchArticle contentPutting together a business like this was not far-fetched for this already creative family who has been crafting most of their lives. In fact, their mother once owned a small craft supply store.Article contentAs their mother has always been a multitalented lady, each child has inherited at least one of her skills. Deveau herself has been crafting and sewing commercially for the past eight years under the name Claudette’s Creations. Other family members, she says, also make and sell items, but on a smaller scale.Article content“We all come by our talents and interests honestly,” says Deveau.Article contentDeveau’s sewing skills go back to her childhood, when she got a kids’ sewing machine for Christmas when she was around nine years old. With it, she mostly made Barbie clothes, she says, but it sparked a lifelong passion. She completed her first quilt, with her grandmother’s guidance, at age 14. That interested her the most, she says.Article contentArticle contentBoth Lisette and Hélène are fantastic cooks, bakers and painters, says Deveau.Article contentMonique doesn’t sew, but her talents rest elsewhere — she was responsible for personalizing many items and making bows. Both of Monique’s her daughters are also crafty, but only the oldest one, Elayna, was old enough to participate.Article content Monique Deveau and her daughter, Elayna Foote. ContributedArticle contentAnd because of these diverse talents, the family could offer so many different items for sale at the Congres. Deveau also says it was relatively easy to work together because of these different interests and talents. There were no duplications.Article contentSending items around the worldArticle contentWhen it came to deciding exactly what to make, Deveau says they took into consideration that many people in attendance were travelling to the area, “so whatever we decided to make, it had to be packed easily.”Article content The Deveau family’s creative skills come from their mother. Each of her daughters have inherited at least one of her skills, from faux stained glass painting to sewing. ContributedArticle contentBeing at the Congres meant meeting people from around the world, and also having their products go far and wide. For example, one of the items Deveau made were finger and thumb potholders in Acadien colours. One of the presenters at the Surette family reunion had earlier bought a personalized set and told Deveau they were on their way to France to be given to the mayor of the little town where Pierre Suret, their ancestor, migrated from. Deveau said she felt so honoured.Article contentArticle content“We were all also very amused that many gentlemen were buying the large bow ties to wear at the big Tantamare, a very noisy event through the Yarmouth downtown on Aug. 15, our National Day,” says Deveau.Article content Throughout the year, Claudette Deveau makes and sells items under the banner Claudette’s Creations. ContributedArticle contentNow what?Article contentIt’s been almost a year, and Deveau says the family members have gone back to their individual creative lives. Some of them have items in local gift shops, while Deveau participates in some vending markets and hopes to expand from there.Article contentShe would love for some of their items to be featured in various shops throughout the province, if not the Maritimes.Article content Because of these diverse talents, the Deveau family could offer so many different items for sale at the Congres ContributedArticle contentFor now, however, they have some products in Grand-Pré and in local gift shops in the tri-counties of Southwest Nova Scotia.Article contentDeveau can also be found on Facebook under Claudette’s Creations. The family also attends market and vendor events throughout Southwest Nova but are hoping to venture further. Their goal this year is to have a better online presence.Article content
MEET THE MAKERS: Yarmouth family combines creativity to celebrate Acadian heritage
