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Events: The Toronto 'One of a Kind' show
Fri, 01 Dec 2006

I've no time for a comprehensive review or the like, but I thought I would say a few words in case it would help anyone make up their mind on attending or not. Its running for the last few days and over the weekend on the CNE grounds.

The OoaK show is akin to an organized flea-market.. row upon row (upon row..) of booths for artists, crafters and odds-and-enders to sell their wares. If you've ever been the Canadian National Exhibition and wandered into the International Buildings sales section, you'll know the drill -- enormous and full of neat stuff, though this time of year its geared towards Christmas gifts and knick-knacks. Really, there were so many booths up that I am glad each specialized to one kind of ware, so that you could cruise on by and have a chance of knowing what they were up to without slowing.

I dp love this sort of event, and we all know people who should be there :) Know anyone who knits, or makes gadgets, or writes their own poetry .. maybe they can get in there next year? Or maybe it costs way too much.. if you don't know what to do, take my idea -- Rubiks Cube with fake jewels on the faces. There, run with it :P

Anyway, its very cool to see folks, from those running shops around Canada to those who just sell online or from their basement. Some crazy goths with nasty snowmen to spritely folks and their handmade faeries.. its all here, and I loved to walk around and catch sight of it all. Like a mystical gypsy sale, but organized by accountants :) Alright, you can tell I'm wiped out by this end of week, so I'll try to be brief: It was classy to see a random mix of photographers and painters imagery up on the walls, home crafted wooden toys for kiddies, blown-glass tree oraments, and all sorts of neat inventions.. too cool. Little nativities the size of a quarter, industrial wreckage painted into flowers and warped into coatracks, and far too many booths with fuzzy hats. With a little one on the way, we were hard pressed not to hand the wallet over.. with Christmas coming, these guys know their audience. Others might care for the fashions and whatnot, and there is always the treat-row where you can stock up on crazy-dessert apples (candied-apples dunked in chocolate, coated with brownies and caramel.. good god!) and insanely sweet bars and candied nuts.. man. But best to me were the little inventions that remind me of the crazy stuff my dad whips up in his shop -- it was difficult for me to walk away from a guy selling home-made nut crackers made from carved wood. But to me it was the wooden toys, and pillows made to look like animals, and really super soft blankets. We picked up one of those, for the little one :)

The one knock against the show, was the pricing; I'd say almost everything there was 30% or more than I'd like to pay, so we didn't walk away with much. But if you're looking for unique gifts or things to see.. its a good show to hit up. Like walking down Queen St, but with 20 times more stuff.

Tiredguy-out. Probably the worst grammar I've written up online. Sorry about that.

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