The Magic’s in the Makers:

Meaningful Gifts with a New Brunswick Heart

Behind every thoughtful gift is a maker with a story. This season, we’re shining a light on three New Brunswick creators whose work turns everyday moments into something a little more magical.

From the delicate details of Hunter Street Silver jewellery, to the cozy shelves of Dog Eared Books, to the ocean-inspired resin boards from Ocean Boards by Eveline, each piece carries the heart, hands, and hometown pride of the person who made it.

In this edition of Meet the Makers, we’re going behind the scenes to share how their ideas come to life, what inspires them, and why supporting local truly makes all the difference.

Ocean Boards by Eveline: 

Bringing the Coast to Your Table

Every Ocean Board begins with colour. Eveline starts by mixing her own ocean-inspired blues into a food-safe resin, carefully blending pigments until they capture that “mesmerizing” look of real waves.

She then layers the coloured resin onto handpicked wooden boards, using hot air to move the resin and create wave action. No two waves are ever the same, and each layer needs a full day to cure before the next can be added. From first pour to final cure, an Ocean Board can take 5–7 days to complete.

Once the waves are just right, Eveline sands and stamps each board, then finishes the wood with her own blend of mineral oil and local beeswax. It’s her favourite moment—the oil wakes up the grain of the wood and reveals all the natural beauty within. A final clean, a tag, and the board is ready for its new home.

Perfect for Holiday Gatherings (and the Days After)

Ocean Boards by Eveline are made for sharing food and moments. They shine at holiday gatherings—especially when someone wants to “show off” with a beautiful charcuterie spread. But they’re just as perfect the next day, when leftovers from the fridge get arranged into a cozy, no-fuss dinner. The board turns odds and ends into something that feels special again.

A Customer Story She’ll Never Forget

One standout moment in Eveline’s journey came when a customer reached out—not just to say they loved their board, but to ask permission to feature her Ocean Boards on the set of “Sullivan’s Crossing.” Seeing her work step into the world of television was a surreal and unforgettable milestone, and a reminder of how far a small business based in the New Brunswick woods can reach.

A Piece of New Brunswick, Wherever It Travels

Eveline often hears from customers who are sending her Ocean Boards to family members who no longer live in the Maritimes. They frequently choose from her New Brunswick collection so they can mail “a piece of New Brunswick” across the country—or across the world.

It’s more than a serving board; it’s a way to send the feeling of home.

Dog Eared Books:

Stories & Rituals in a Box

At Dog Eared Books, owner Emily Arsenault doesn’t start a Signature Book Box with a product list—she starts with a feeling. Each box is designed to feel like a visit from your neighbourhood used bookstore, delivered straight to your doorstep with a little extra New Brunswick magic.

From Vibe to Signature Book Box

Every Signature Book Box begins with a question: What do readers need this season? A cozy escape, main-character energy, or something gentle after a hard year? Once that feeling is set, Emily wanders the shelves to find a story that matches it—often a local author or a hidden gem that deserves to be hugged when the last page is turned.

From there, she builds the box outward. The chosen book is paired with handpicked treats, self-care goodies, and curiosities from New Brunswick makers that echo the same mood. Laid out together, everything has to feel like a story before the book is even opened—a little Dog Eared Books experience in a box.

Turning Reading into a Ritual

Right now, Emily is especially drawn to items that turn reading into a ritual: small-batch teas, cozy-scented products, and mindfulness treats made by local artisans.

When a book from the shop is paired with a warm mug blended just down the road, an ordinary evening becomes something more intentional—a full, bookish ritual rooted in New Brunswick.

How Local Support Keeps the Story Going

Supporting local quite literally keeps the story going. Community support helps Dog Eared Books stay open as a cozy, welcoming used bookstore and hub for readers, writers, and neighbours. It allows Emily to pay local authors for their work, host book signings, and fill Signature Book Boxes with creations from New Brunswick makers instead of generic filler.

For the wider community, that same support loops right back into Oromocto and the surrounding area—helping authors finish their next books, makers restock their supplies, and the bookstore keep running book clubs, tarot nights, writers’ groups, and events that give people a place to belong.

Hunter Street Silver:

Upcycled Stories in Every Spoon

For maker Jennifer Hunter of Hunter Street Silver, jewellery is about more than shine—it’s about stories. For decades, she’s been giving vintage silverware a second life as rings, pendants, and keepsakes that feel like they’ve always belonged to you.

From Spoon Drawer to Signature Ring

A spoon ring starts long before the first bend. Jennifer has an ever-growing collection of vintage spoons, each with its own pattern and past. She chooses a mix of favourites, gives them a good polish, then carefully measures and marks each one so it will fit just right, especially when it’s a custom piece.

The handles are trimmed, smoothed, and gently coaxed into a ring shape using simple tools, steady hands, and plenty of practice. A little hammering, a final polish, and suddenly what once sat in a cutlery drawer is ready to be worn and loved every day.

Giving Old Silver New Life

In the last few years, Jennifer has fallen in love with working from vintage silver serving trays, turning them into upcycled earrings and pendants. She looks for trays with patterns that will translate beautifully into small pieces, so each earring or necklace carries a hint of its past life.

One of her quiet points of pride is using as much of each piece of silverware as possible. Every small offcut becomes a chance to create something new—it’s both a practical habit and a creative challenge she genuinely enjoys.

Why Local Support Matters

As a small artisan, Jennifer knows how much local support can change the shape of a business—and a life. The customers who come back year after year, the conversations at markets, the “I remember my grandmother had this pattern” moments: they’re all part of the village that keeps Hunter Street Silver shining.

This season, the magic isn’t just in what you give, but in who you’re supporting. When you choose locally made and thoughtfully curated gifts, you’re lifting up New Brunswick makers, keeping creativity close to home, and turning every present into a small moment of connection with the community you love.