1. Alisha Boyd of Alisha Marie Boyd Jewel, Booth: N-32, 5 Days (ends November 29)
2. Tania Gleave & Penny Gleave of Lemon Park, Booth: O-36, 5 Days (ends November 29)
3. Hilary Cosgrove of Hilary Cosgrove, Booth: Z-17
4. Katy Chan, Hilary Dennis & Katy Chan of Schoolyard, Booth: I-29
5. Heidi Flint of Muskoka Soap Company, Booth: H-38
6. Katya Revenko of Desperately Different, Booth: R-47
7. Jackie Wilson & Jane McMillan of Knit Twits, Booth: R-37, 6 Days (begins November 30)
8. Jenna Fenwick of jenna rose, Booth: I-04
9. Devorah Miller of Red Thread Design, Booth: G-49

In order to celebrate all the hard work and dedication our exhibitors put into each piece you see at the Show, the central theme to our campaign this year is “Love the Artisans”. With the holiday season just around the corner, we thought what better way to extend this theme than to ask our talented artisans to interpret the concept of Love in the annual exhibitor competition!

On Friday, November 26, Jen McNeely (editor-in-chief of shedoesthecity.com), Virgine Martocq (home editor of Chatelaine), and Jane Flanagan (of Ill Seen, Ill Said) came down to the Show to take on judging duties. After carefully assessing and deliberating the merits of each piece the three judges concluded the following winners:

Hugo Didier (Booth: P-09), winner of a $500 cash prize, click here to see his profile.

Rose Chang & Stephanie Drabik of Crywolf (Booth: Q-20, 6 days), winner of a $300 cash prize, click here to see their profile.

Jannis Ruck of Olio Studio (Booth: X-13), winner of a $200 cash prize, click here to see her profile.

Be sure to check out these and many more pieces at the competition display in centre aisle. While you are there, be sure to cast your votes for the People’s Choice Awards! The winning exhibitor will receive a $200 cash prize. Vote and support our artisans!

Today’s quick picks showcase the colour grey. In 2010, this subtle shade has been making a big splash in fashion, influencing everything from trendy hair colour to must have nail polishes. 

From concrete to gunmetal, here are some dynamic products you will find at the Show featuring this achromatic colour!

1. Pillows by Meghan Irish, Identity Apparel, Booth: L-33

2. Jacket by Annie Chagnon & Amélie Gingras-Rioux, Annie 50, Booth: O-46

3. Necklace by Shirley Park, Shirley Park, Booth: X-19

4. Purse by Sarra Tang, HOI BO, Booth: S-19

5. Painting by Erin Vincent, Erin Vincent, Booth: R-37, 5 Days

6. Canvas light by Christie Greyerbiehl, Christie Greyerbiehl, Booth: H-08

7. Ceramic mugs by Michelle Mendlowitz, Michelle Mendlowitz, Booth: S-08

8. Rings by Erin Tracy, Erin Tracy Designs, Booth: K-45

As a little girl, my favorite stories were the Czech fairytales of my heritage. Most often these were about a prince, sometimes aided by enchanted animals, on a quest to rescue a princess from an evil sorcerer. My love of fantastical worlds has stayed with me, so I now am drawn to exploring innocent, feminine characters in my work.  Here, I was inspired by the traditional iconography of the holiday season – antlers for the reindeer, birds (turtle doves or calling birds perhaps), our Canadian winter wonderland and the inevitable pleasure: the gift.

OOAK Customer Design Contest Winner
With over 130 contest entries, finding a winner for the OOAK customer bag design contest was a real challenge! After much discussion and deliberation between all of us at the Show, we selected Jennifer’s “handmade” snowflake as our winning design. This is what Jen has to say about her artwork:

My inspiration for the design was to convey what was important about the show itself. Christmas is a special time and unique to so many people in so many ways. The first snowflakes of the season are always special and they are said to be all different, much like the artists creations themselves, made with care and by hand. I wanted to capture the whimsical nature of children of all ages and to celebrate the joy they bring. To me, giving is such an integral part of Christmas, I’d hoped that my design would convey the uniqueness of the artists, the hands-on love of their craft, the individual tastes of guests at the show and the joy of the season.

Both bags will be available for sale at the show for $2 each! Alternatively, you can  pre-order your bags online, and pick them up onsite at the Christmas Show this year! For more information about pre-ordering your bags, please visit our ticketing page.

We want to thank everyone–exhibitors, visitors, fans of the One of a Kind Show–for your design submissions. We had a great time looking over all of the entries, and were deeply inspired by all of your creativity!

1. Cleopatra Bib Necklace, Camilla Jorgensen of Micalla, Booth Q-49

2. Flora Clutch in beige and red ostrich leather, $785, Christine Vonbun of Morris B, Booth: L-21

3. Ceramics by Sara Victor, student at Kootenay School of Arts, Booth: E-29

4. Claro walnut table with glass base, Marc Honsberger of Holtz Furniture, Booth: H-08

Hilary Dennis and Katy Chan
Schoolyard Toronto ON Booth P-24

Item featured in Gift Guide:
Hemp and Cotton Apron $42 (see gift guide here)

Tell us a little about yourself and your company?
Schoolyard is a collaboration between myself (Hilary Dennis) and Katy Chan. We started Schoolyard in 2007 after deciding that we wanted to create a product line that was stylish, fun, and environmentally friendly. We love designing patterns and we love screen-printing!

Since the Spring Campaign focuses on unique, individual style…what are three words that best describe your company’s style?
FUN, PATTERNED, and ECO-FRIENDLY!

Is this your first time at the One of a Kind Show? If yes, how did you hear about One of a Kind Show? If no, how long have you been doing the Show?
This is our 2nd year in the show, and our first ever Spring Show.

What can we expect from Schoolyard at the Spring Show?
Schoolyard is bringing fresh new patterns, and our collection is growing! We are responding to our cutomer’s requests and adding some more linens and a larger size range in our underwear and PJ’s

For the Kitchen:

• Tea Towels…with our new Organic Linen fabric, and fresh prints for the spring and summer season
• Napkins… NEW! Brighten up your kitchen in an eco-friendly way with these fun, washable napkins!
• Aprons… our great full coverage work apron, great for any chores around the house

For the Baby in your life:

• Super soft organic cotton fabrics and new onesies, bibs, and blankies for baby

Sleepwear and underwear:

• Lots of new undies for ladies and gents with fun prints, and super soft eco fabrics!
• Unisex PJ’s from XS to XXL

Paper collection:

• FSC and recycled paper greeting cards featuring unique Schoolyard prints for all occasion

More about Schoolyard:
Website: http://www.schoolyardstudio.com/
Blog: http://www.schoolyardstudio.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=165539965695&ref=ts

Victor Nolivos and Sandra Singh
Rimanchik Co. Montreal, QC, Booth K-03

Item featured in Gift Guide:
“Penelope” Clutch Bag $350 (see gift guide here)

Tell us a little about yourself and your company?
Rimanchik is the union of two curious individuals interested in exploring the realms of design, manufacture, and artistic expression. The product of our development has been a well-rounded sense of style, as well as an understanding of people’s daily needs. Integrating these factors into the design of our accessories has led us to experiment with ideas of form and innovation.

The Rimanchik line of accessories is created with the belief that good design must be simple, elegant and refreshing.

Since the Spring Campaign focuses on unique, individual style…what are three words that best describe your company’s style?
Intelligent, inspired, contemporary.

Is this your first time at the One of a Kind Show? If yes, how did you hear about One of a Kind Show? If no, how long have you been doing the Show?
This will be our fourth year with OOAK, with each year bringing about exciting changes in our medium, our style and our focus.

What can we expect from Rimanchik Co. at the Spring Show?
Fresh and fun ideas blended with colors and textures to chase away the winter blues.

More about Rimanchik Co.
Website: http://www.rimanchik.com

Vincent Pérez
Everlovin’ Press, Kingston, ON, Booth L-04, Ontario Crafts Council’s Eastern Gallery

Items featured in Gift Guide:
Assorted Letterpress Greeting Cards $5.95 each (see gift guide here)

Tell us a little about yourself and your company?
I’m a Kingston, Ontario based letterpress printer and graphic designer. I trained at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design under the mentorship of book conservator Joe Landry, and managed Halifax’s legendary Dawson Printshop, a teaching print shop for the book arts. After returning to Ontario, I began assembling the skill sets, equipment and infrastructure to found Everlovin’ Press, Fine Letterpress Stationers. Most of my work is printed on a Vandercook proof press, a mid-20th century machine, and I have a couple of cabinets of antique wood type and metal type. Though I work with vintage machines from as far back as the nineteenth century, my aesthetic is contemporary. My work features fine typography and a warm illustrative style.

Since the Spring Campaign focuses on unique, individual style…what are three words that best describe your company’s style?
Tactile, Nostalgic (but) Contemporary

Is this your first time at the One of a Kind Show? If yes, how did you hear about One of a Kind Show? If no, how long have you been doing the Show?
This is my first time at the One of a Kind Show. I heard about the show through a call for submissions from the Ontario Crafts Council. The council was looking for Eastern Ontario artisans to participate in a regional showcase at the One of a Kind. I’m grateful for this opportunity and the generous support of the OCC.

What can we expect from Everlovin’ Press at the Spring Show?
Everlovin’ Press will be unveiling a brand new line of greeting cards, many with a spring theme. Expect some old tricks alongside a few new ones. A portfolio of custom work will also be available for browsing.

More about Everlovin’ Press:
Website: http://www.everlovinpress.com/
Tumblr: http://everlovinpress.tumblr.com/

Marie-Claude Girard
Marie-Claude Girard, St Alban QC, Booth M-34

Items featured in Gift Guide:
Cups $20 each and Teapot $110 (see gift guide here)

Tell us a little about yourself and your company?
En affaire depuis moins de deux ans, je tente de créer une gamme de produits qui allient, à la fois, le côté brute de la matière et l’esprit design de l’objet et ce, en toute simplicité.

Since the Spring Campaign focuses on unique, individual style…what are three words that best describe your company’s style?
Sobre, Design, Sensuel

Is this your first time at the One of a Kind Show? If yes, how did you hear about One of a Kind Show? If no, how long have you been doing the Show?
C’est ma première présence à One of a Kind, c’est excitant! Ça fait déjà quelques années que plusieurs amis artisans me parlent de cet événement, et je suis vraiment très heureuse d’y participer enfin.

What can we expect from Marie-Claude Girard at the Spring Show?
Beaucoup de bonne humeur, de curiosité et de désir de laisser les gens partir avec mes produits!