If you’ve visited an artisan market in the Valley in the past few years, you may have come across Les Créations de Joli. Run by Jolianne D’Amour, it is a small shop that sells handmade jewelry.
D’Amour started this endeavour in 2021 when she was just nine years old. One day, she had made a few bracelets when the idea hit her. “I asked my mom if she thought if they would sell, and she asked me what I thought, and I said ‘yes!’” she says. After that conversation, her mother bought her some presentation stands, and she started setting up small selling points at depanneurs.
Currently, D’Amour – who is 12 years old and in Grade 7 – sells bracelets, necklaces, rings, and more. “I fell in love with Swarovski crystals, so you’ll see them a bit all over in what I make,” she says. She’s got all different colours and designs. This year, she’s been on a tour of the holiday markets, visiting places like Saint-Urbain, Huntingdon, and Chateauguay. “They’ve been going really well. I was really happy … I met lots of people and really appreciated their support,” she adds.
In the leadup to the 2024 holiday season, Le Domaine du Paysan approached D’Amour and asked if she would like her work to be a part of a gift basket they were assembling. This basket featured products from eight different female entrepreneurs in the region, five of whom are farmers; the goal was to raise awareness and resources for the mental health of farmers. “I really loved that because it’s a great cause … When they approached me and proposed that I join the basket, I didn’t hesitate for a second, I accepted it,” D’Amour says.
D’Amour’s favourite part of this journey is the people she gets to meet. “I really like selling [my jewelry] because I like meeting different people and engaging with them,” she says. She hopes that she can continue with this passion and develop it into something bigger.
On February 9, D’Amour will have her wares available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the Sainte-Barbe Winter Market at the Centre Barberivain. Fans can keep up with what she’s doing on her Facebook page, Les Créations de Joli.