Welcome! We're your hosts, Tanya and Phil Barnett. And although not born in Nova Scotia (gasp!), we are proud to have called it home for the past 30 years. We raised our family in the Annapolis Valley, where they all still live, but have now moved to the south shore to our beloved Salt Winds. Our many grands make this time in our lives most joyful! 

​

Phil is a building contractor, who is one of the best in the province. I know I'm biased, but he really is! He's changed the landscape through his work. A lovely legacy, to be sure. We have gone through many builds together over our forty-year marriage, but this build has been our favourite. His real love is his vintage tin-toy collection, and if you're lucky, he'll give you a tour of the toy room!

​

I’ve always been a maker. From felted handbags and jewelry, suitcase dollhouses and dinosaur masks, artisanal breads and wedding cakes, my hands are always quietly moving, always creating. Even as a small child, I’d knit and hand-stitch clothes for my dollies, sparking a life-long love affair with making. I studied fashion design in college, and several decades forward, you’ll find my sewing and paper-cutting machines vying for attention. Paper is winning out these days, as I cut and paint and glue expressive paper illustrations, an outlet for my vivid inner world, one I love sharing with my community. And through this work, I’ve become the snipped-paper storyteller! 

​

Together, we've built Salt Winds with love and a sharp eye for details. He's the builder, I'm the everything else. And the cleaner to boot! We hope that's what you notice as you explore our website and all that Salt Winds has to offer. This land is sacred, and we hope you feel the pull that guided us here. Hope to see you soon!

 

Tanya and Phil