How Beading Helped Me Reclaim My Story — and Build a Movement!
How Beading Helped Me Reclaim My Story — and Build a Movement!
Most people don’t know this, but Sundaylace Creations started in a bedroom — not a boardroom.
I was a 30-year-old Mi’kmaq full-time auntie-mom, on EI at first, then welfare, living in Eskasoni First Nation, and caring for my nephew (who's now 16). At the time, I didn’t have much, as I had just moved back to the Reserve after years at the University of Saskatchewan. My energy was stretched thin, most likely edge of burnout, and my sense of identity (of graduating with a master's in Epidemiology) felt like it had been pushed to the background behind motherhood, family responsibilities, and the daily grind of surviving.
Then one day, I joined a beadwork class taught by the iconic Mi’kmaw artist Aggie-Baby Gould. That single class changed everything.
It lit a spark I didn’t know I had.
Beading Was My Way Back to Myself
At night, after the baby was asleep, I would pull out my beading tray and get to work. I didn’t know what I was doing at first — I just knew it felt right. The repetition, the colours, the beauty of it all grounded me in a way nothing else did. It gave me purpose. It reminded me who I was.
I started posting photos of my beadwork online. People noticed. I got orders. Then I started vending at craft fairs and powwows. One Canada Day weekend, I made over $2,000 in sales — and it hit me: there was real demand for authentic Indigenous beadwork, and even more for high-quality beading supplies that supported Indigenous artists like me.
That’s when Sundaylace Creations was born.
From One Beader to a Nation-Wide Movement
At first, it was just me — filling orders out of my living room with my nephew playing Minecraft beside me. I used my welfare cheques to buy my first boxes of beads. I shipped everything myself. I begged Canada Post to put a drop box in Eskasoni to avoid standing in line for hours with a toddler and 40 bubble mailers.
It wasn’t glamorous. But it was mine.
Today, Sundaylace Creations is one of the few Indigenous woman-owned bead supply stores in Canada, proudly serving thousands of beaders across Turtle Island. We stock over 4,000 curated products — including Delicas, seed beads, Sheen Charlottes, cabochons, leatherette, and more — handpicked with Indigenous artists in mind.
We’ve grown from my kitchen table to a warehouse. From one Facebook post to a vibrant online store. But the mission hasn’t changed.
Why We Do It: Beadwork Is Medicine
Beadwork is more than a craft. It’s a ceremony. A coping tool. A connection to who we are.
At Sundaylace, we serve:
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The auntie is beading late at night after the kids are in bed.
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The teen learning beadwork as cultural reconnection.
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The powwow vendor who beads to pay for groceries and gas.
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The teacher looking for kits for their classroom.
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The elder making earrings to honour survivors.
We exist to keep beadwork accessible, respected, and visible — and to empower Indigenous creators to thrive.
We know what it’s like to grow a bead business from nothing. We’ve been there — digging through Facebook groups for colour codes, struggling with overpriced shipping, and wishing for better access to the right supplies. That’s why we offer fast, affordable shipping across Canada, curated kits, cultural respect, and a community-first mindset.
What Makes Sundaylace Creations Different?
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We’re proudly Mi’kmaq-owned and operated in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia.
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We don’t just sell beads — we uplift beadwork culture.
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We prioritize Indigenous artists. Always.
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We offer quality supplies, beginner-friendly kits, and inclusive support.
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We use our platform to share teachings, stories, and survival.
We believe that every bead carries a story. And when you bead, you’re carrying on a tradition that’s both ancient and alive.
This Is Bigger Than Business
My grandparents sold handmade baskets door to door. My mom sewed regalia and ribbon skirts, beaded gifts for my father. I bead and build, and uplift everyone with me. This work isn’t new. It’s just ours — done in our way, with modern tools and ancestral wisdom.
So if you’ve ever felt the pull to create, to connect, or to reclaim your own story through beadwork, I see you. I’ve been you. And I’m here to help you grow, one bead at a time.
Because this isn’t just a business.
It’s a movement — stitched together with love, resilience, and a whole lot of sparkle.
🪡💜
Bead with a Happy Heart,
Mariah
Founder of Sundaylace Creations
