Oh, how the ladies love the One of a Kind! Women of all age groups, ethnicities, income brackets and political persuasions can be found wandering the show, chatting with artists and making satisfied purchases for themselves or as gifts. Herbavores mix with carnivores, Family Coalition Party members share benches with NDP’ers… generally, they all seem to get along effortlessly. (ahh… for the love of craft!) However, show management often runs into problems when customers are unable to locate a unique gift for the men in their life. Sometimes, even the savviest of shoppers need a little help… which we gladly provide year round. Here are a few gift suggestions for your guy this Christmas:

Magentic keyholder

By K MacLean, Beyond Modern Designs
Collingwood, ON
$150
Artist Kevin McLean has never had any trouble attracting men to his booth. His clever use of recycled metal parts, paired with his minimalist sensibility, appeal to those seeking practical yet modern design solutions. His magnetic keyholders (ceiling suspended or wall mounted) are the perfect place for anyone to hang their often misplaced house keys.

Reclaimed furniture accessories

Anne Lapierre and Bruno Choinard, Boîtes de la paix
$95 - $250
For the last 7 years, Anne & Bruno have been creating functional, eco-friendly furniture made from reclaimed Howitzer ammunition boxes. Boîtes de la paix minibars, cd holders, wine racks, bookshelves and storage cubes are wonderfully rustic, and can be appreciated by peaceniks and history buffs alike. “As witnesses to history, each individual box contains a little bit of the human soul.”

“Strong Arm” shotglass

By Kyla Francis, Kyla Francis Pottery
Lower Prospect, NS
$20
Sure to be a hit with any adventurous type, this ceramic shotglass flaunts function, humour and attitude. First time exhibitor Kyla Francis explains; “This boastful shotglass features the flexed arms of a muscle-bound trophy figure and measures generously sized portions for heavyweight drinking.”

Scull cap

By Julie Sinden, Jules & Annie
Toronto, ON
$49
While Julie Sinden creates an array of boiled wool fashion accessories for the ladies, she also offers a scull cap that hip guys will love. Her scull caps are first knit from 100% merino wool, then ‘felted’ by combining heat and water. “The resulting fabric is a thick yet breathable super-duper warm fabric which is perfect for keeping you toasty through the winter. Perfect for that rocker guy or skater kid, or just plain adventurous.”

Cell phone case

By Mathieu Gnocchini, NOC
Amos, QC
$59
No gift list would be complete without at least one geeky gadget, so we’ve included a chic alors cell phone case made from Italian calf leather and mahogany.

ESP Head-to-toe Soap

By John Shannon, Earth to Body
Pointe Claire, QC
$10
ESP soap is made from a blend of oils including coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, sandlewood, sweet orange and Indian Gooseberry. This chemical-free bar is perfect for shaving, shampooing and all over body lathering. (Bold bachelors may even wish to use it as emergency back up for when their laundry detergent runs low.)

Belt
By Rachel Fortin, rachel f
Montreal, QC
$50 and up
Rachel Fortin combines recycling, serigraphy and sewing to create edgy fashion accessories for both men and women. One of her belts will definitely funk up your man’s wardrobe this holiday.

Hand painted silk tie

By Nadine de Lange, de Lange Silk Accessories
Ottawa, ON
$62
Grey is at the top of the colour trend list this season, making accessories like ties, scarves, cummerbunds and suspenders the perfect item to update a simple black suit. de Lange hand marbles, cuts and sews each piece of silk individually to ensure the finished piece highlights the best features of both design and fabric.