Thanks to the generous support of the Woodcroft Community League The Ardent Sparrow Craft Sale was created allowing local artists and crafters to celebrate their creations. 

 

As the coordinator of this event, I am honoured to share my vision with you.

 

Ar·dent (/ˈärdnt/): enthusiastic or passionate

Sparrow: A social bird, found in Alberta known to be creative and hardworking by making indestructible nests of straw and mud.

 

Eight years ago I felt I had a deeply meaningless life, filling my time with reality television that consumed my life outside of work. As a career advisor at the University of Alberta I told students, "you don't have to BE or do just ONE thing, you can do multiple things to fulfill your multiple interests." I wish I had taken my own advice sooner. Driven by the desire to add value to my life and create something meaningful, I jumped at the chance to buy a co-worker's 1954 Singer sewing machine that would change my life. From that day on I started making handbags. Since then my handbags have sold by word of mouth to friends and family, some ending up as far as the Ukraine, Egypt, Crotia and Seattle. 

Fast forward a few years to 2009. I met a young woman from India at the U of A who had just moved to Edmonton in the dead of winter. Shortly after arriving she fell into a deep depression, never revealing it to anyone. Having struggled with mental illness in my own family I didn't realize how much this would actually prepare me for what was about to happen. 

One day I received a call from her at my office, this woman who I had only spoken to a handful of times. After greeting her warmly on the phone I asked how I could help her. She said she was calling because she had decided to commit suicide. I froze. I didn't know what to do other than to talk to her. We stayed on the phone for over an hour. I knew she lived on campus and so I asked her, "If I just happen to go for a walk and I pass by your house, would you let me in?" She hesitantly replied yes, so I switched to a cell phone and kept her on the line as I walked over to knock on her door. We spent the rest of the day together in her room where our friendship solidified.

 

She decided to choose life that day and she credits me in saving her life; however, I always tell her, even today, that she saved her own life because she called for help. Months later I asked her why she called me and she said that it was because I always smiled at her when I walked by. A small gesture, yielding amazing results.  

When she graduated with a degree in Psychology about a year ago and she returned to India she insisted I keep all of her clothes since she wanted me to make bags out of them and she could have more clothes made in India. I've been working on transforming these beautiful clothes into bags, every stitch reminding me of our friendship. 

 

I asked her if I could share our story and this is the response I received:

"I am, of course, happy for you to share the story Amy and not just because it embodies the things you believe in, but also because it highlights that to help someone, you do not have to be a close friend or family to begin with and what may seem simple to some people can mean a lot to someone who is experiencing mental health difficulties."

 

A few months ago she told me that she's getting married in India and I knew this was my opportunity to stand by her side once more. 

Thanks to the generous support of the Woodcroft Community League The Ardent Sparrow Craft Sale was created allowing me to have a venue to raise the money to travel to her wedding in India. The craft sale is open to other crafters, like myself, who use their crafts as therapy or to celebrate their ability to create. 

 

I look forward to seeing you there! 

 

Amy Roy Gratton

Coordinator

The Ardent Sparrow Craft Sale