One of my favourite places to go at the beginning of the holiday season for the last handful of years, has been the One Of A Kind Show. I love browsing the endless aisles of local vendors while kicking off a little bit of my Christmas shopping. I don’t often buy a lot, but I follow about a bajillion new accounts on instagram so I can find them later, and always seem to walk away with at least ONE person crossed off my shopping list.
This year I made a point of taking photos of some of the vendors that stood out to me, and could make great gifts for a few from your own Christmas lists. Also making sure this is up while the show is still on, so that if you see something you like, you’ve got until December 2 to get yourself down there to do a bit of shopping yourself!
Almost immediately, I passed by this vendor. As a music lover I LOVE the idea of gifting with music. These beautiful handcrafted pieces could be gifted to someone of any age. It could replace that awful noisy 4 note xylophone your child has been banging on, or given to an already avid musician. Complete with pickups to plug into an amp!
Growing up, I can always remember having puzzles around. These wooden carved puzzles would not only be great to do with little ones, but also are beautiful pieces to display once completed! (There was a unicorn one that I LOVED, but I couldn’t get a proper photo of it with all the people)
To be completely honest, I didn’t even look at prices when I took these photos. So I apologize now. BUT, if my bank account weren’t an issue (because we’re looking at about $500CAD here), these beautiful upcycled vintage US Army ammunition boxes would be a beautiful gift! These wine racks and mini bars make for a gorgeous and functional display.
I am in LOVE with these lightboxes. Trying to describe them doesn’t even do them justice. They were so interesting to look at up close. The reels of film turned into a beautiful display.. very. VERY cool. Even my boyfriend was intrigued by this vendor. This would make a cool gift for any art/film lover. Guaranteed!
This is for your literature lovers. I’ve seen this vendor before and love the concept of these art pieces. Pay attention to some of the themes in each individual collection, you might be able to find one that is perfect for that special bookworm on your list!!
I realized I took photos of 3 different faux taxidermy style vendors who made these beautiful animal busts (see also katymontica.com, and lowpolycrafts.com). I also realize that most of my gift ideas from the show this year are art pieces, but it seems to be what I’m drawn to. I can assure you though, there are many many more options!! I just love how unique these pieces each were.
This was a very smart move by Husk&Brown. In a city where so many people get around by bicycle, and also where storage in so many of our homes is extremely limited, this simple yet extremely practical bike mount could be the perfect gift for the cyclist on your list! They also make a few other beautifully handcrafted wooden pieces, including a gorgeous Crib Board!
I was very clearly drawn this year to so many of the wooden vendors. I love the rustic, homemade feel these pieces have and think a classic wooden board game is a great addition to any game closet. This wins over a new video game any day!
Last but not least, the trending gift for Christmas 2018…. THE PEPPER GRINDER!!
….actually though, is this a popular gift item? I had to finally take a photo of a selection of them because I found it almost comical how many pepper grinders I saw at the show. Is this something that people regularly gift? I must be missing something.. Or I clearly have not stepped up my own pepper grinder game to be able to appreciate the selection at the show. Nevertheless, there is definitely a pepper grinder to suit any personality at this year’s OOAK event…
And that’s it! I took so many photos and loved so many more things but these items stood out to me. The One Of A Kind Show runs for the rest of the week/weekend, until December 2nd, so if you’re local, and you like to shop local, make sure you get in before it’s too late! Don’t worry though, if you miss this one, you can catch it again in the Spring and get a head start on next year 😉
Last but not least, the trending gift for Christmas 2018…. THE PEPPER GRINDER!!
Stefanie Drew - The Tallest Mermaid 