November 23, 2012 at 11:45 am
One of A Kind is Back
The annual Christmas craft show returns, with an eclectic bunch of gift ideas in tow.
By
Rachel Lissner • Photos by Corbin Smith
216653 Gabe Thrilwall's handmade finger puppets of Canadian politicians had us in stitches. We think this might be the first time Olivia Chow and Rob Ford have ever seen eye-to-eye. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0067-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0067-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0067-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0067-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"5.6","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353586349","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"60","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-146/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-146 0 0
216654 Artech Studios repurposes beer bottles given to them by local breweries. Green's never looked so good. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0048-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0048-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0048-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0048-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"4","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353585793","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"34","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-147/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-147 0 0
216655 The Recycle turns scrapyard bicycles into all sorts of crafty items. We imagine this will be a big hit in Toronto. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0038-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0038-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0038-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0038-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"3.3","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353585403","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"35","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-148/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-148 0 0
216656 Hockey player puppets for babies! Get ‘em while they’re young. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0035-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0035-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0035-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0035-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"3.3","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353585274","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"29","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-149/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-149 0 0
216659 This artist did a series of “monsters learning how to play.” 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0001-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0001-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0001-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0001-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"5.6","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353569982","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"70","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-152/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-152 0 0
216662 We loved Avril Loreti’s old-school hockey player pillows. With the lockout going strong, at least we can still dream of seeing our favourite teams back on ice. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"4.8","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353588120","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.008","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-155/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-155 0 0
216663 This little guy is playing a Tamboa, which sounds like a dreamy wooden chime. © Corbin Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0099-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0099-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0099-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 640 426 {"aperture":"3.3","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353587509","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-156/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-156 0 0
216683 Pook won us over when creator Kevin McCotter demonstrated all the different uses for this item, a cross between wooly long johns and a flannel trapper hat. He’s sporting the “Peter Pan” in this photo, which is recommended for first dates. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0167-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith1 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0167-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith1-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0167-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith1.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0167-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith1.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"4","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353590615","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"48","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-150/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-150 0 0
216685 One of a Kind has a ton of artists hailing from Quebec, but nothing said “Je Me Souviens” more than Richard Cyr’s musical spoons. He only sells them at this event. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0154-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0154-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0154-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0154-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"6.7","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353590027","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-154/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-154 0 0
216686 Ceramics are plentiful on the show floor, but Evelyne Rivest Savignac’s colourful and earthy items stood out. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0151-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0151-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0151-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0151-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"4.8","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353589238","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-157/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-157 0 0
216687 Roxypop has knitted apple cozies for all your apple needs. They also work well for the bottom half of a pear. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0109-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0109-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0109-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0109-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"2.8","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353587866","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"66","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-158/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-158 0 0
216688 Hilary Cosgrove's fox puppets were the cutest. The cutest! She also does squirrels and other Canadian animals. (Overheard: "They're so light, eh!") 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0087-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0087-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0087-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0087-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"5.6","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353587204","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-159/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-159 0 0
216689 Nothing says “cottage” like Jardinique's booth, decked out in Muskoka chairs and campy wooden signs. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0079-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0079-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0079-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0079-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"5.6","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353586695","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-160/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-160 0 0
216690 Daniel Pollak designed every piece of jewelery on this table by hand. In person, it was somewhere between absolutely dazzling and unbelievably blinging. 20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0030-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0030-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0030-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121122-One-of-a-kind-show-2012-0030-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1024 683 {"aperture":"5.6","credit":"Corbin Patrick Bradley Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","created_timestamp":"1353585096","copyright":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Corbin Smith"} https://torontoist.com/2012/11/one-of-a-kind-is-back/slide/a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-161/ a%c2%a9-corbin-smith-161 0 0
One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale
Direct Energy Centre
(100 Princes’ Boulevard )
November 22 to December 2
Weekdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The One of a Kind Show , now in its 35th year, is back in town until December 2. Looking for the perfect gift for the cyclist in your life, or for your friend’s newborn? Or maybe you want an instrument that’s perfect for jamming out in Trinity Bellwoods? Torontoist scoped out all 800 artisans on display at the Direct Energy Centre. Some of of our best finds are in the photo gallery, above.
The show will run late until 11 p.m. on November 29. It’s best to go early and during the week, though, because the place gets crowded. Happy shopping, and be thankful that you’ve avoided the Black Friday insanity down south.