Guest Blog: Chicago Renegade Craft Fair

Our friend attended the Renegade Craft in Chicago this year and was kind enough to write up a post for us on the great things she came across in her travels.  So, here's a little guest blog treat for you from our fabulous craftfair correspondent, Hillary.  Take it away, Hil:

The windy city was more hot than windy during this year’s Chicago Renegade Craft

Fair (RCF) in early September. More than 300 vendors filled Wicker Park – where

Renegade got its start in 2003 – for two days of crafts, workshops and good local

Chicago food. With so many vendors it was hard to pick a handful to highlight but

here is a short round up of some interesting finds!

Known as the strongest shape, triangles were all over the craft fair in a variety of

forms. Whether as tents (see bottom of this post), banners or jewelry – like the

above necklaces from NICE by Caitlin Holcomb – it was clear that the triangle is

trend in the craft world right now.

The triangle necklaces below were only one of the many cute items on display by

Chicago-based accessories designer Wanderlustings.

Letterpress items are usually my weakness when it comes to booth hopping during

a craft fair and this fair was no different. While a lot of vendors had their best

letterpress cards on display, I particularly loved these super cute 2012 letterpress

calendars, complete with little wooden stump bases, from OneCanoeTwo. Though

we’re a few months away from 2012 and the holidays, this calendar is a great little

gift and is perfect for a cute desk accessory.

While it was difficult to think of the cold weather ahead during this warm

September weekend, there were a number of knit items on display at this year’s fair.

In particular, these colorful crocheted flowers from Mojo Spa got me thinking about

what jackets I could add a fun flair to.

Beyond the typical prints, baby clothes, stationary and jewelry you’d expect at a

craft fair, this year’s Chicago RCF also showcased these interesting wood ties from

Wood Thumb. Certainly a unique spin on a typical go-to gift for men, the Wood

Thumb website claims this fancy tie “gets you into all the clubs.”

Know a crafty kid? Another popular and eye-catching craft at this year’s Chicago

RCF were Hip Huts. Designed with brightly colored, fun fabric, these small tents

could be crafty additions to the typical child’s playroom.

While these items were only a snapshot of this year’s Chicago RCF, there were many,

many other talented vendors that had unique crafts on display. I would also be

remiss to not mention my boyfriend Bryan – Yardsale Press – who was busy selling

prints and coasters at the Chicago fair. Thanks Jen and Saira for allowing me to guest

post! Much love to PDR!

Summer Reading

To our delight, guest bloggers Maggie and Lynette are back with their picks for great reads for summer!  Grab a blanket, your sun block, and your big floppy hat and get ready to hit the sand with one of these great books!  Take it away, ladies:

Summer and reading go hand in hand. Whether you're forced into it à la high school English class or simply love reading on your own, summer is a fantastic time to crack open a good book. So settle down in a beach chair on a sunny day or on your couch when those thunderstorms are raring and pick up one of these reads! Whether you choose a post-apocalyptic novel or a classic story you haven't had a chance to read, these books are guaranteed to take you far away from your every day life.

The Passage - Justin Cronin

If you're going to read one book this summer, or this year even, make it The Passage. While its intimidating size (approximately 800 pages) has frightened some readers away, those who have taken on the challenge have not regretted it. The author himself describes the novel as a story about a girl who saves the world, but The Passage is much more than that. While readers discover early on that the world has ended due to a scientific experiment gone horribly awry, the way that Justin Cronin tells the tale of the destruction of our society creates an unbelievably gripping story you will be unable to put down. Suffice it to say that after I'd started this novel, I spent two days with the book either in my hands or sitting next to me while I waited to pick it back up again. Once you start this engrossing book, you simply won't be able to stop reading it!





A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness 

Harkness has created a beautifully diverse world where vampires, daemons, witches and humans coexist, despite humans remaining unaware of the existence of the other species. The novel's protagonist is an alchemical scholar writing an academic paper in Oxford before accidentally calling a book out of the stacks. Little does witch-born Diana know that this book has been missing for hundreds of years…or that all three of the supernatural species desire to possess it. A Discovery of Witches begins as a mystery revolving around a book and rapidly becomes a history of the magical world. Despite the obvious similarity between this book's main romantic story and the romance between Bella and Edward in the Twilight Saga, I enjoyed being a part of the world Harkness created.

One Day – David Nicholls

Are you a sucker for stories about friendship and love? What about tales that focus on friendship and love spanning the course of 20 years in what feels like the blink of an eye? David Nicholls’ One Day tells the story of Dexter and Em by touching base in their lives on July 15^th each year, giving you a glimpse into events that have passed and the large and small moments that comprise their lives. Dex and Em are both lovable and exacerbating, and their experiences ring true to how life (at least for this writer, and at least thus far) takes you to places you never expected and changes the opinions you so firmly believed in during your youth. That said, a warning—Nicholls’ shows no mercy when it comes to exposing his characters and readers to painful, traumatic events. Prepare yourself for some heart-wrenching moments.

**Even if you don’t read One Day, you can still see Dex and Em’s story on the big screen! It comes out soon and stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.**

Fated – S.G. Brown

The thing about Fated is that it’s awesome. (Read the book and you’ll get why this is funny.) In all seriousness, S.G. Brown’s Fated is a richly crafted tale about Fate’s role in modern society.  Known socially as Fabio, Fate is tired of his job and envious of Destiny’s, who guides humans on their paths to success whereas Fabio is tasked with helping the average Joe make it through the day. When Fabio falls for Sara, a human on Destiny’s path and strictly off limits, he finds himself breaking all the rules to be with her – and to improve the lives of his humans, who he stopped caring for hundreds of years ago – and consequently changes his own destiny. With excellent supporting characters and clever narration, this is definitely a fun summer read.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane – Katherine Howe

While I’m not a huge fan of novels that explore historical periods side by side with a more current narrative, I thought Howe did an exceptional job in Physick Book. Readers will meet Connie, a Harvard graduate student in the 1990s who is searching for the subject for her doctoral dissertation. While Connie looks for the subject that will guide her life for the next few years, she also begins the arduous task of cleaning and restoring her grandmother’s house near Salem. Yes, Connie’s search leads her to the life of seventeenth century witches in Salem. While that’s no surprise to anyone reading the novel, what I found surprising was how strongly I wanted to curl up in Connie’s grandmother’s library and sit in her favorite armchair. Definitely an enticing read, the Physick Book is a beautifully written historical mystery that also manages to force the reader into seeing the past in a new light.

Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

Time to change things up a bit and go with an oldie but a goodie. Written more than 25 years ago by Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game is a science fiction masterpiece that still enthralls new fans each year. Andrew Wiggen, known as Ender because he is the embarrassing third child in a society where having two children is the acceptable norm, is an exceptionally bright and gifted young boy plucked from his home by an organization whose sole focus is protecting the human race from extinction. Why? Because Ender is Earth’s greatest hope against the Buggers, an alien race that has nearly destroyed humanity twice. Ender is sent to the Battle School, where he is tested beyond all others to prepare him for his destiny. The biggest question you must ask yourself when you read Ender’s Game is this: will they break Ender’s brilliancy and compassion for others… or will he save the world? Trust me when I say you want to find out the answer. 

XOXO,

Maggie & Lynette

"The Office" Character Inspiration: Kelly Kapoor

It's Monday, and at this point we can be certain that most people are dreading the work week as much as we are and are already wishing for the weekend. To many, the word "office" just makes you want to run for the hills, but, fans of TV's "The Office" will have a very different reaction.  As one of the most well written comedies on television, The Office has won our hearts.  Today's post, by our Guest Blogger, Lynette , is one of a 3 part series of character inspirations dedicated to the sometimes charming, sometimes outlandish, and always hilarious females of "The Office". Thank you, Lynette, for contributing to our summer guest blogger series!  Readers: check out Lynette's post below and keep an eye out for other Office inspired posts in the upcoming weeks!

Welcome to the Office! Now, everyone knows that we don’t always look our best at work. And in TV land, well, we still don’t always look our best at work. But we’ve chosen to highlight the styles of these Office women anyway.

Kelly Kapoor is the bright and bubbly Customer Service representative for Dunder Mifflin. A dying breed in the current era of robotic telephonic customer service lines, Kelly is the person you reach at the end of the ring. Whether she helps to answer your question, or leaves you on hold as she sends notes to her lover Ryan, Kelly always demonstrates the brightest and boldest fashion in the Office. Whether or not her outfits are office appropriate is an entirely different matter. 

Kelly has NEVER been afraid to wear color in the Office. In fact, sometimes Kelly is the only bright spot of color in an episode. The shape and texture of thisgrape skirt help slim her shape and pairing it with a simple top and matching sweater would definitely have Ryan checking out her “junk in the trunk.”

And look at the adorable purple and pink floral cardigan to pair with it! It’s the perfect cover up to the dress that might not be appropriate for office hours, but will be appropriate for your plans after 5. All you have to do is slip on your heels in the car. Not to mention the great versatility that remains the number one selling point of cardigans. Any businesswoman knows that you can’t have too many cover ups at work! Whether it’s to protect your shirt after spilling coffee on yourself, bundling up when someone sets the thermostat a little too low, or keeping yourself covered during your meetings with the creepy leering guy who works down the hall from you, every girl can find a cardigan useful!

While this dress could be considered inappropriate for work by killjoys (cough::Angela::cough), it’s simply way too adorable to sit in Kelly’s closet waiting for Ryan to call. Look at it! Lips all over it in different lipstick colors! And ruffled sleeves! The construction of the dress is pure genius as it conforms to Kelly’s curves and shows off her assets without being revealing enough to send Toby to her cubicle with HR paperwork.

This dress is super cute, and just a tad dressy for the workplace. On the other hand, if you’re meeting someone for after-work drinks, this dress is pretty much perfect. The bright color would look perfect against Kelly’s dark skin, and the ruffles are super girly and fun for a night out. This is the kind of dress that would make Kelly go bananas (B-A-N-A-N-A-S).

This are yet another example of work basics. I think that both of the tops featured above are perfect Kelly-wear for the Office. Just enough fashion to suit those who love to dress up without being too revealing or fancy for work.  While I personally think bare arms are a little too casual for the office, pairing the top on the right with a nice cardigan would be more appropriate.  Or, if you want to keep things simple, the short sleeved style on the left would be great on it's own.

This dress from Ann Taylor is a favorite of mine! While Kelly would never wear those sandals to work, the dress and matching accessories showcase a beautiful work outfit. If you have some question as to whether or not you can show wear sleeveless to your office, you can simply add on a simple short sleeved cardigan or button up sweater to this dress. It’s flattering without being revealing and the knit fabric is perfect for keeping Kelly cool in hotter weather, or when Oscar turns up the thermostat in the Office. Not to mention that Kelly can color coordinate this dress with one of Ryan’s myriad outfits this year so they can be the cutest couple ever! (Yes, even cuter than Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and baby Suri.)

And, of course, Kelly's social calendar is packed with special events, like weddings.  And, since she looks really good in white, so she would always need to have a great white dress for such occasions. The other guests might be talking smack about it, but this dress, from JCrew, would truly solve Kelly's fashion emergencies.

Thanks, Lynette, for sharing this fantastic post with us!  Kelly Kapoor is one of our very favorite characters.  She may not always be the brightest crayon in the box, but she is definitely the most colorful and vibrant person in the office.  

XOXO,

Jen & Saira