Art, pottery, glass, woodworking, textiles… the traditional mediums and more are staples of One of a Kind, a twice a year artisan show and sale that gets me excited for all things textural, tactile and most important: handmade.

Designed. Created. Crafted. 

There’s still a thrill to meeting the maker of beautiful things, and even better when you can commission custom work … of your pet, of course.

No surprise, I have an agenda when visiting this expansive marketplace of 800 vendors at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I’m ferreting out animal stuff of all kinds – images of dogs on t-shirts (which I found at Jon Wye Designs), pots and plaques – and handcrafted stuff specifically for cats, dogs and event pocket pets.

Crafting for pets is so popular now, there’s even a category for it in the One of a Kind program. Twelve show artisans are listed, including friends we’ve met previously, RUCKUSdog and Rover Pet Boutique (check it out here) and a few new ones:

• Lex and Joe Collar Co. from Newmarket, Ontario specializes in clever print fabric canine collars.
• RePaws Apparel & Accessories creates hand-knit dog sweaters and up-cycles people sweaters into dog coats and accessories like leash bags.
• Sisu Ornaments are hand-painted clear tree ornaments featuring different dog breeds and cats. Yes, you can custom order your pet’s pic too starting at $55.
• Good Girl/Good Boy from Quebec creates pet soap, paw balms and sprays all made from organic and vegan raw ingredients, checking a lot of trendy boxes and making them very safe for furry friends.
• Past into New from Wainfleet, Ontario doesn’t design only pet products but creates many types of items – including dog collars and leashes – from used fire hoses and fire fighter uniforms, which might appeal to the first responder lover in you.

It’s that time of year when markets blanket major cities, and Toronto is no exception – check out our Distillery District Market coverage. But there’s something nostalgic for me about One of a Kind specially, since I’ve been attending for at least three decades.

Yet, organizers have done a bit of an upgrade this year, adding a DYI demonstration main stage (and removing the fashion show), a WiFi lounge, enhancing the dining options with food trucks and more seating.

One of a Kind Winter  runs November 22 to December 2, 2018 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. Spring One of a Kind runs March 27 to 31, 2019.