One of a Kind Show Favourites

I attend the Christmas One of a Kind Show in Toronto just about every year, and this year was another great event. Last Sunday my sister and I hit the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place and walked the show floor for oh, about 5 hours. There was so much to see that we never wavered, and only sat down for a quick lunch at the halfway point. The show continues until Sunday, December 8th, so if your schedule allows, you should absolutely head downtown to check it out.

I always stop to see what Avril Loreti and Jenna Fenwick (Jenna Rose) have in store; they are both amazing young talents creating the most wonderful textile designs. The One of a Kind Show is one of the best places to pick up unique items to give as gifts, but of course I always manage to find a little something for myself ;) The show's Rising Star section features brand new artisans, and that is where I met the lovely Meghan & Rebecca of Calico Studio. These girls were awesome to speak with and I totally fell in love with their hand painted wool crepe de chine wraps with hand felted edges - so much work, but oh so beautiful!!

It was also in the Rising Star area where I discovered Akai Ceramic Studio. They have the sweetest handmade ceramic pieces, the K Bowl first caught my eye, but I really couldn't help myself when I spotted the pink mini vase. I knew it would look so cute on my bedside table, and it totally does!! I mean have you ever...

Akai Ceramic Studio has an Etsy shop, or if you'd like to pick up a little something as a Christmas gift without the worry of shipping, they will be at the CBC Charity Craft Sale on December 12th and at the Let It Snow Craft Fair in The Annex on December 14th.

Happy Shopping!!

All photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.

Christie Antiques Show

Today was a perfect spring day here in South Western Ontario!! The afternoon brought bright sunny skies to the region as I traveled 45 minutes west of Toronto to Dundas, Ontario for the Christie Antiques Show. I rolled into the Christie Conservation Area just before noon, on the hunt for a few specific items, but ready to scoop up any good deals on eye catching pieces.

Here is the show field layout, I would estimate there were approximately 300 vendors:


It's hard to capture the scope of the show in photos. Just to give you an idea of the size, consider that I spent 4 hours wandering up and down each aisle, stopping only briefly for refreshment.

This vendor featured Bakelite & Fire King, among others, in MINT condition:

This booth was full of sparkling glassware:

The vendor was asking $45 for the woman with the full skirt:

This is my favourite kind of booth, an eclectic mix:

Aren't these interesting lamps - they'd make great conversation pieces:

A nice mix of glassware & transferware:

See anyone you recognize in this photo?
It's Sarah Richardson & Tommy Smythe,
hard at work on an upcoming project.

By 4 pm, I was starting to fade as I finished browsing the last few booths at the opposite end of the field - time to call it a day.

This was my one & only purchase:

Does the vase look familiar? It's the same vase I featured in this blog about online shopping back in January. The vase is still available on ebay for $100 USD, you can check it out here: Hand Painted & Gilt Victorian Long Neck Vase.
I paid $24.

Jumping Off Point

For those who are thinking about redecorating a space and don't know where to start, my advice is to find one truly special item and draw inspiration from that piece. I know that sounds a bit pretentious, but it works. One object can be the jumping off point for a theme or for a colour scheme.

Imagine a colourful room designed around this vase:


The walls would be painted Benjamin Moore White Opulence and the floor would be a dark, dark hardwood with a cream rug to anchor the seating area in front of the fireplace. These neutral elements allow for pops of colour in the furniture.

The vase would rest at the center of the mantle above the fireplace, reflected from behind by a simple mirror:



A settee like this one would be stained the same colour as the floor and reupholstered in a burnt orange velvet:



Across from that would sit two of these faux bamboo Hollywood regency chairs painted out Benjamin Moore Green With Envy:

I would sew toss cushions for the chairs using these Indian Silk Sari fabrics:



A modern glass table like this one would float in the center of the seating area:


This pair of gold cherub lamps, finished off with modern drum shades, would sit atop a sofa table behind the settee:


The sofa table legs would be sprayed creamy white to match the travertine marble top:


Two windows along the rear wall would be draped in these champagne silk panels from Invu Drapery:


Here's how the layout would look:

Each element in the room either remains Neutral or Relates directly to the vase, our Jumping Off Point.

Neutral Items:
Walls, Drapery, Floors, Rug, Glass Coffee Table, White Marble Sofa Table

Related Items:
Metal: Gold Oval Mirror, Gold Cherub Lamps
Colour: Burnt Orange Settee, Green Hollywood Regency Chairs, Indian Silk Cushions in Orange and Green

Helpful Hints:

• Be consistent when using metal elements, it should be gold or silver, not both.

• Use colour, but don't go overboard. Two strong colours in one room is enough.

• Don't be afraid to mix Antique with Modern or Italian with Asian - that's what makes a room interesting.