Puppets, TIFF Kids, Etsy, giveaway and more!

This is a pretty cool collaboration - This past winter, Etsy and tiff Kids connected three Etsy artisans with three bloggers and asked the asked the artisans and bloggers to collaborate on a fanciful puppet that would be sold at the Film Festival Gift Shop and, online in the artisans shop. Etsy rocks at collaboration (popup shops in the One of a Kind Show, The Bay, Indigo and West Elm)- I'm a huge fan of TIFF, - and as you know, I'm a fan of imagination encouragement - so was totally something that I fully wanted to be a part of.


I was paired with Josh from Cate + Levi - an artisan here in Toronto who creates one of a kind puppets, and other fanciful items out of his studio. Josh was kind enough to invite me down to see where it all happens, in his studio in the West end of Toronto. I've never really seen another artisans work space, so I was pretty excited to get a behind the scenes tour. I snapped some photos and video during my visit last week which I think you will like! (Also uploaded to YouTube)



Josh creates these amazing puppets and characters. All items are handmade using reclaimed wool or cotton which makes each piece truly one of a kind and, pretty environmentally friendly. He designs the puppets and employs graduates from the Ontario College of Art and Design to have creative freedom with selecting pieces of fabric that will compliment a puppet. It's a really cool look at how one creative employs more creatives and lets them do what they do best. I could gush about these guys and, the amazing products they make for a few paragraphs but here's the puppets of ours that will be sold at the festival, and, online at Cate + Levi. Aren't they cute!? You can win one too!! Wheee! (More on that at the bottom)

So now that I've shown you our puppets - Have you been to the TIFF before? I always hear about these things too late and miss out (ok, more like I'm always so disorganized) so hopefully if you're in Toronto or, close by you can take part in some of the fun - TIFF KIDS runs from April 8-21 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto - during both weekends of the festival, Etsy is hosting a Creative Puppet Making Station  where kids can come to create their own unique puppets to take home! Ps., This year's festival will feature the world premier of Rio 2 (which we are going to with Oscar! Another YAY!!)

Now, for more fun stuff - Want to win one of these puppets and a 2 passes to the festival?

Comment below and simply tell me what your favourite item in Cate + Levi's shop is! (Ps., If you like something, enter FREESHIP00 to get free) Josh gave Oscar a puppet after my visit and it is the SOFTEST toy. CONTEST ENDS APRIL 11th. 

WHERE TO BUY THE PUPPETS: 

You can buy one of our puppets at the TIFF gift shop and online through the sellers' shops at a price of $25. The other blogger / puppet maker collaborations are Poppytalk and Jimill and Momstown and Quida Creations

Shop Online: Cate + Levi See more pictures from his studio here
Websites: TIFF KIDS, Etsy
Events: Puppet Making Workshop, Sesame Street is at the TIFF Lightbox!