Looking for unique, hand-made decor, food and fashion gifts?

I know I join other devoted fans of the One of A Kind Show (OOAK) in welcoming back an in-person winter event in Toronto.  Many of us can’t wait for that real-life experience — to see colours, feel textures, examine details, and marvel at the technique of the 400 artisans (50 of them new) who will be at the show, which runs until December 5^th at the Enercare Centre in Toronto.

Just walking the show puts me in a jolly holiday mood, and I feel good knowing any gifts I buy (including those for myself:) boost local economies. I also like to stock up on staples like, for example, good-quality, well-designed greeting cards and notes, which are often hard to find at mainstream retailers, as well as woven kitchen textiles, and interesting condiments for cooking and baking.

Among this year’s home décor, I coveted hand-blown glasses, hand-made ornaments, and ceramics, including delicate, colourful pieces from painter, illustrator, and ceramist Genie Kim (see link below).

The show runs until December 5 at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place. Tickets for adults are $15.00, seniors 65 and up are $8.50, students are $10. If you can’t make it, or are not yet ready for a crowd, remember that lots of OOAK makers also sell their art, jewelry, fashion, gourmet food, accessories, and home goods online.

Go to a Meet the Makers tab on the home page, and pull down and search by category, types of business, or company name. There, you’ll find links to artists like Malika Pannek of The Paperhood, a Toronto-based paper goods design studio, who’s been at the show since 2014, and Andrea Hurtarte, whose graceful watercolours communicate a sense of fluidity and movement.

I have a special fondness for textiles and linens, so I will probably linger at the booth of Tissage Magely Weaving, a New Brunswick-based workshop that handweaves blankets, kitchen linens, and other home goods. I especially love the boldly-stiped throws. I may even grab a few attractive dish towels to use as sustainable gift wrap for gifts of bottles of wine or boxes of home-made cookies.

Below is a sneak peek at a few items that caught my eye. Now I just need to decide what to give to whom! Which one do you think I’ll gift to myself? Which one would you like?

Featured pic is from Gnomeville