Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 14/05) - As the National Women's Association of Canada met in the Explorer Hotel over the weekend, aboriginal women entrepreneurs set up tables to showcase their products for the delegates.

Karen Wright-Fraser had a table in a prime corner outside the auditorium to display the items she makes, distributes and sells through her business, Whispering Willows. Originally from Inuvik, she's been making and selling traditional clothing and crafts for nine years.

She makes custom items including intricate beaded vests, moose hide jackets and wall hangings. Beaded purses are hot sellers, she said. She also sells slippers made in Inuvik and beaded wool and leather panels for do-it-yourself projects.

She ran her business out of Igloo Plaza as a gift shop for about five years before closing in the spring. Business was too good.

She had so many custom orders that she had no time to step away from her sewing to run the store. She kept the space to use as a sewing room.

One of her biggest projects is making custom canvas portfolio bags with beaded leather fronts.

She filled custom orders for RCMP "G" Division, the Canada Day planning committee and the recent Assembly of First Nations conference.

In 2000 she made 75 bags for an international ombudsmen conference.

"I'm in a transition where I'm trying to expand," she said. "I turn away many orders because I can't handle it. But the demand is there."

She plans to train a couple of workers to use the sewing machines so she can accommodate larger orders.

She will also re-open her store front.

At this stage she's pursuing investor funding and loans through some aboriginal business initiatives.

Peggy Sanderson and Shelley Ross set up a table at the Explorer on Sunday afternoon to display their Home Interiors products.

The women sell candles, decorations and framed art prints from their home-based business.

They sell their products by word of mouth and through home parties. Ross started the business in the spring and Peggy just got involved recently.

Vendors from the south also set up tables.