Guest Blogger Picks: Jen Anisef.

Here’s a little City of Craft secret: the show’s three founders – Becky, Leah, and I, have always had the hardest time jurying the jewellery aspect of the show as none of us are big jewellery people. We understand that many folk love to make, buy, wear, and give jewellery – so we have always tried our hardest to ensure that some quality bling is available at the show. Well, I can honestly say that this task is becoming increasingly less difficult as more and more of the jewellery vendors applying express a novel and contemporary sensibility. I would happily sport any of the following on my neck, fingers & ears:

Fierce and dainty porcelain bear claw pendants by Lana Filippone.

Industrial chic screw rings by Old Weston.

Geometrically pleasing square turquoise necklace by Happy Camper.

Whimsical toadstool necklace by Emily Taylor...

...only to be rivaled in hippie dreaminess by Eau Claire's carnation horseshoe collar clip.

Raw and majestic rock, mineral & gemstone earrings by rare specimens.

With these guys and many more amazing makers on the roster, I have no doubt you'll find a piece or two that speaks to you or the people on your list this weekend!

Jen Anisef is a co-founder of this here City of Craft.  In a past life she ran the Toronto Craft Alert and is currently semi-retired in Hamilton sewing quilts, making sausages and candy with the Beehive, and hatching new crafty plots.

Guest Blogger Picks: Leah Buckareff.

Watching City of Craft go down each year from afar always makes me a little misty.

I think if i had these Hankies by Civic Trust on hand it would ease my homesickness just a wee bit.

 

 

Some other stuff that I'd like to surround myself with would be the warmth-exuding wrist warmers by extase while I flipped through the Fruiting Bodies zine by Emily Taylor.

Of course next to me would be a cup of tea (the leaves in said cup would be ones gifted to me by Becky!) resting on the fantastic cat potholder by maudstitch.

And on my shelf would rest one of Krystal Speck's corked vessels just because they're really beautiful.

Leah is one of the founders of City of Craft.  She now lives in Berlin, Germany where she creates handmade books, doom metal, and brings zines in to the lives of unsuspecting Berliners through  her mobile library, the lesen lounge.

Guest Blogger Picks: Ron Nurwisah.

I pride myself on finding great, and often unexpected, gifts for my friends. I’ll be on the lookout for unique things for them and maybe an item or two for myself.

1. Doublenaut

One of my favourite designers of concert posters in the City, twins Matt and Andrew McCracken have made eye-catching prints for the Polaris Prize, Broken Social Scene and more. Their non-music posters also deserve a spot on your wall.

2. Civic Trust

Gentlemen a simple fashion tip for 2013: pocket squares. A little piece of fabric in your jacket pocket makes every outfit just a bit more dapper. These nautical-themed handkerchiefs are also a big step-up from a boring white piece of cotton.

3. RCBoisjoli

Blame it on my west coast upbringing, but I’ve always had a weird obsession with whales. This handsome beastie would be a welcome addition in any kitchen. Well, maybe not Captain Ahab’s.

4. Bespoke Uprising

A few years ago I was shopping for wedding gifts. Not surprisingly, this year I’m shopping for baby gifts. Babies are already pretty darned cute but can they be even cuter? Yes, if they’re wearing this great-looking onesie.

Ron Nurwisah is the community manager at the Huffington Post Canada. He can be found on twitter @boyreporter.

Guest Blogger Picks: oh yenner!

I’ve never been to a craft show I didn’t like and City of Craft is no exception. From the creative displays to the unique pieces for sale, this show is an inspiration haven for craft junkies. While I’ve had a terrible track record of actually gifting away my purchases, my intentions are always good! This year’s intentions include:

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Team Art

Jon Hamm – A Colouring Book

There’s something about Jon Hamm that makes me go insane. I’ve never fan-girled a celebrity as much as I have with dear old Don Draper so this Jon Hamm colouring book from Team Art is the perfect item for me to ogle this holiday season. The 90s Pop Divas and Hunky Dudes editions are on the list for lucky friends but trust that this one is all mine.

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Falconwright

White Leather Card Holder with Double Pink Dots

I’ve never met confetti art I didn’t like and combined with perfect white leather and a cute snap button, I’m envisioning this Falconwright card holder as the sweetest little treat for a coworker.

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rare specimens

Citrine and Pyrite Stud Earrings

During last April’s City of Craft show, I stood in front of the rare specimens booth for several minutes with a furrowed brow and stacks of earrings in hand. I left in a panic, unable to decide which pair to take home. Having studied the selection online and narrowed down my picks between the citrine and pyrite studs, I am confident that success is on my side this time around!

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the workroom

Scrap Bundles

The number one cause of chaos at City of Craft is the mad scramble to grab as many scrap bundles from the workroom booth as possible. These curated bundles are perfect for holiday crafting and beyond and I have every intention of getting my hands on these this year while dreaming of fabric buntings, homemade tape, and pom-pom garlands!

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Coriander Girl

Mini Arrangements

There is no simpler joy than walking home with a vase of flowers in hand. Alison Westlake of Coriander Girl creates the most delicate collection of wildflowers and sweet blooms that are perfectly giftable to BFFs, party hosts, girlfriends and more!

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Old Weston

Paper Sea Urchins

This last pick is all for me. In my search for unique ornaments to adorn my first Christmas tree in the city, I’m terribly excited to get my hands on these Paper Sea Urchins from Old Weston.

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Yen Tran is an avid City of Craft supporter, living out her crafting job dreams vicariously through the vendors at the show. She shares her thoughts on all things happy on her personal blog oh yenner! and can often be found live tweeting from an alarming number of craft shows at @ohyenner.

Guest Blogger Picks: Katie Merchant.

1)  Worn Fashion Journal Issue 15:  First on my list is the newly designed, newly spined issue of WORN Fashion Journal.  This is seriously the best issue yet and belongs on everyone's bookshelf.  

2)  Coriander Girl - Coriander Girl bouquets are the subject of many an Instagram and blog post of mine, and although I visit Alison's beautiful Parkdale-based shop often, I'll take any excuse to pick up some of her pretty (and long-lasting!) flowers.  

3) Snacks Zine by Caitlyn Murphy and Sandi Falconer:  Hi, this is an amazing zine full of SNACKS!

4) Good Night Day Elora Slouchy Toque: Winter is coming and this slouchy hand-knit toque by Tara-Lynn looks like something I need on my head.

5) Zip Pouch by Falconwright - I have one of Falconwright's well-patterned clutches already, but I see no reason why I shouldn't add this pouch to my collection, especially to use for a secret candy stash, as Sandi and Danielle suggest.

Katie Merchant lives in Toronto and blogs for herself at thank you, ok. You can check out more of her photos of snacks, flowers, and magazines by following her on Instagram @thankyou_ok.  

Guest Blogger Picks: Covet Garden.

City of Craft has always been one of the Covet Garden gang’s favourite destinations for finding fantastic and affordable artwork — both for our magazine and our own homes. Over the years, we’ve amassed quite the collection of prints and original paintings for our walls and have all sorts of amazing sculptures and other 3-D pieces decking our halls.

This year, we’re saving our pennies to finally pick up a piece by ceramicist Julie Moon. Specifically, this matte and shiny skull is calling out to us!

And we cannot wait to see crafts made by some of our favourite artists, such as Shannon Gerard, who crochets plants, makes books and draws beautiful pictures like “Mr. Tough Guy,” pictured above.

Another favourite vendor is Doublenaut, makers of bright and graphic screen printed posters such as this here wordy bird! We first spotted their stuff at City of Craft and have featured them in our online magazine and blog a couple of times now.

We’re also looking forward to discovering new makers — like Touch the Dutch. While artist Anneke van Bommel’s specializes in gorgeous jewellery pieces with a distinctively Canadian feel, we found this woody wall piece of high-fiving grizzlies on her Etsy shop, and can’t wait to see what else she’ll have in store on December 8th and 9th.

Covet Garden is an online interiors magazine dedicated to taking you into the creatively decorated homes of Torontonians from all walks of life. We feature spaces that have been styled by their inhabitant. We also have projects and inspiration to give readers ideas to help them create their own ideal space.

Guest Blogger Picks: Serena McCarroll.

This was a tough assignment. Tough but fun! Like when you enter a shopping spree contest and then spend days meticulously planning out exactly how you would go about it should you win (but you don't win. YOU NEVER EVER WIN). So, here we go, if I won the chance to pick out eight things at City of Craft I would end up with something like this:

1: Julie Moon makes me swoon! Isn't this beautiful? Seriously, stunning.

2: All or nothing! Go big or go home! This hard-carved brass pendant is all in, yo. It references Kierkegaard which is totally dope. Not dopey, D-O-P-E. From the "Protect Ya Neck" collection by Old Weston.

3. Wood is good! This wood belt buckle is made of recycled off-cut scraps. Eco-fantastic! By Broundoor.

4: Blinging it up is totally cool but it's also nice to have jewelry you can wear on casual Friday. Here we have a hand-tooled, hand-painted, hand-dyed and finished leather necklace in a primitive pyramids design. By Scouts Handmade.

5. Stamps! These ones are hand-carved out of rubber and mounted on a piece of salvaged wood that's been sanded and lacquered for a durable finish. I love the impossible cube and penrose triangle designs but I'm also generally a big fan of crystal configurations. By Stephanie Galea.

6. Learn To Multiply. Yes, please!

7. The Misanthrope Specialty Company never fails to amuse and astound.

http://misanthropespecialty.blogspot.com/

8. And finally, something practical! I really like this. I like it aesthetically but also it is a useful postal tool. And made from wood! By Sweetie Pie Press.

Serena McCarroll is a visual artist. She recently received her MFA in Documentary Media from Ryerson University. You can check out some of her work here. She maintains a blog called "What a Deal!" about, you guessed it, D-E-A-L-S.

Guest Blogger Picks: Rosalyn Faustino.

i. bunny tote made by morico

ii. wooden sugar bowl made by offcut studio

iii. pins made by sweetie pie press + sarah mcneil

iv. mini blackboard pennant banner made by killside krafts

v. anchor pill bottle made by rcboisjoli

vi. rabbit outfit, mixed media made by selena wong

vii. uncorked, print made by laura george

Rosalyn R. Faustino is a maker and the lady behind art attic. She's been involved with the Toronto Craft Alert since 2008 and is always interested in connecting with local craft and design artists. if you don't find her at the workroom, she's either experimenting on textile explorations, eating and/or dancing.

Guest Blogger Picks: Hollie Pocsai.

The thing that is so great about craft shows is the tactile nature of them. The internet is a wonderful tool for being able to hunt down incredible works by incredible artists that you've never seen before, but there's nothing quite like actually being able to see those works in person, with your own eyes, holding the work in your own hands, and getting the chance to meet the maker behind the whole thing. I'm getting really excited about this year's City of Craft because there are so many local artists whose work I've admired for many years, and also those who I was introduced to through the jurying process this year. There's just so much g-d talent out there.

The Century Farm tea towel set by Bespoke Uprising has been on my wishlist forever. It should be on yours too. If you stop by the Bespoke Uprising booth, you'll be blown away by maker Roisin's undeniable charm.

Oak Savanna is just appearing on the crafting scene. City of Craft will be her second craft show ever! So show her some love, it's well deserved. Melissa comes up with all of the patterns for her knit shawls and kerchiefs herself, using antique patterns as inspiration. Made with superfine merino wool and/or silk, these delicate pieces are like nothing you've seen before.

Embroidery is a soft spot of mine. Especially when an artist can make it into a conceptual piece of art. I have long looked to Hillary Webb's work as inspiration, and I am very much looking forward to seeing these meticulous pieces in person.

I love Selena Wong's delicate imagery. Her work is exquisite, done in soft colours, and possessing a little bit of magical imagery, and a little bit of darker undertones.

I was recently introduced to Knitdown SVP when Jen (a City of Craft co-founder) pulled out her amazingly fun and whimsical keychain. I immediately coveted it, and am so happy that I'll be able to pick one up (and maybe a brooch, and maybe a necklace) for myself this December from the lovely Hazel Meyer herself.

And there are so many more makers that I am thrilled to check out. Gosh, I just can't wait. I'll be able to do the handmade pledge this holiday season no problem with the help of City of Craft. It's going to be SO good.

Hollie Pocsai is co-owner of White Elephant and a founding member of The Beehive Craft Collective in Hamilton, Ontario. Her hands are never idle and her heart is always bursting with love for the crafting community.