Marie Rich

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Labrador winters are long and cold. January and February temperatures may fall to minus 45 to minus 60 with wind chills that close schools.

A widow with three young girls, I moved to Labrador to teach. Before the end of the school year, I was remarried and set to stay in Labrador for the long term. Coming from a long line of women who knew how to survive, I set about preparing for the years ahead. A few years later, girl number four came along. Sewing warm clothes such as moose hide boots; knitting warm socks, mittens, caps, scarfs and sweaters became a must.

Living in an isolated community, where all food arrived by freight boat or airplane, also meant having to store a years worth of food.

I had to figure out what food to order, what I could make myself; what clothes I needed to order and what I could make. I adapted the skills, learned from my Mom and Grandmother (she raised her own sheep, spun the wool, and knit items from sweaters and mittens to long johns) to suit the colder Labrador climate and keep my children warm in winter. I learned from experience that no man made fibre is as warm or as serviceable as natural fibres.

After retiring from the education system, I returned to knitting and other crafts, at first to provide warm outerwear for my grandchildren, then later as gifts.

Having honed my skills, I am ready to sell my unique knitted items to others who prefer the natural warmth of wool.

After 35 years thriving in the Labrador winter, I created my own designs using bulky and super bulky wool on smaller needles than recommended by the manufacturers, which creates a close knit product that keeps in the warmth. I have been heard to wish for a return to winter on hot summer days.

Mittens, boot liners, trigger finger mittens and some of the caps are thrummed with wool roving or merino roving for extra warmth. All products in the line will keep you and your family warm despite sub-zero temperatures.

Warm even when wet, the natural properties of wool meant it was the ideal fibre for outerwear wear worn by polar explorers of the early twentieth century.

Woolen wear by Nanny’s Trunk o’ Treasures created for the ultimate survivalist.


Angela Penton

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The mother of four, I live in Patagonia, Chile with my husband and three youngest children on a small farm.

I grew up in Northern Labrador, Canada; my husband is from Chile. I graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) in St. John`s, NL, Canada with a Bachelor of Arts (History, Newfoundland Studies) and a Diploma in Information Technology.

My husband, Jaime, has a Masters in Architecture from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Life in the south of Chile has been tougher than we anticipated. I will enjoy sharing with readers, how I use the skills I acquired as a child, to enjoy life in southern Chile.

I also hope to interest in readers so they will visit Chile.


Rochelle Rich

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Hello! My name is Rochelle and I am a stay at home mom of two amazing children. I’m completely Biased, to the core about them!

I met my hubby ten years ago while I was working and living in Dublin. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

I have three amazing older sisters, and I can’t imagine my life with out them. Our parents are the two most interesting and loving people you could hope to meet.

And I am a woman who loves theatre, reading, writing, poetry,cooking and my new love knitting!

I will be blogging about my cooking adventures (my toddler is allergic to dairy and tomatoes) so there will be interesting recipes to share. As well, I will write about life as a Canadian living in Ireland, and about parenting (my two children were very premature, so I think that there are readers who have gone or are going through early pregnancy).

I hope you will enjoy reading about my adventures as I will enjoy telling them

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