Hi! My name is Elina, and I’m a young Indigenous artist and the creator behind Leans Beads, my small beadwork business. I’m Passamaquoddy and proudly from Sipayik, Maine. I started beading four years ago, and what began as a fun hobby quickly turned into a true passion and a meaningful way for me to stay connected to my culture, express myself creatively, and share my heritage with others.

Beading has become something I genuinely love and look forward to every day. Most of my work focuses on handmade earrings, and I’ve recently started incorporating porcupine quills into my designs,a traditional and beautiful material that adds deeper cultural significance to my pieces. Every pair of earrings I make is created with care, patience, and pride, and no two are ever exactly the same.

As I continue to grow Leans Beads, I’m always trying to improve my skills, learn new techniques, and challenge myself with different styles and types of beadwork. While earrings are my specialty right now, I’m excited to expand into other items in the future. I also love working on custom orders, creating one-of-a-kind pieces that are meaningful to you.

Woliwon (Thank you) so much for supporting my journey, my art, and my small business. Your support means more than I can put into words, and I’m so grateful to be able to share my beadwork and culture with you through Leans Beads.