At this year's OMLTA Spring Conference, I met a gentleman named Jay Bailey who has traveled across Canada living the life of les voyageurs. I was drawn to his booth when I heard him playing the spoons and wasn't prepared to see the number of spoons he had collected during his travels. It really was an impressive collection and I soon realized that not all spoons are created equal. I ended up buying my first pair of Richard Cyr wooden spoons called the boîte à boîte at the One of a Kind Show here in Toronto but they cost a pretty penny. If you want an inexpensive alternative, Jay showed me how you can make your own set of spoons by purchasing a cheap pair from the dollar store, separate them with a wooden dowel and secure them with duct tape. You can see the metal spoons in the middle of the photo above. I think you could even use a wine cork if you don't have a wooden dowel. It would be fun to experiment with all the different sounds you can make. Thanks for the mini lesson on spoons, Jay!

Update: Voyageur Jay has recently created a video that demonstrates the different types of spoons and some of the basics for how to play. Check it out below!