We Are Family-Chicago Design Event

Come by and say hello tonight at the We Are Family: Emerging Talent in Chicago event at the Family Room Gallery. Heartland's favorite graphic designer David Weik will be exhibiting his work along with eight other super talented artists. It is also a nice kickoff to Chicago Design Week. Hope to see you there!

Garmental Fashion Blog

Garmental is a brand new blog based in Chicago's fashion scene. A new outfit is posted daily with all of the ensembles being from boutiques around Chicago. Find fresh fashion inspiration as well as discover some new shops!

Pearl & Marmalade Stationary

Beautiful letterpress from Pearl & Marmalade.

Anonymous Photography

 

A new blog I just had to add to my Google Reader: Anonymous Photography.  An (almost) daily photo blog of Chicago centric architecture compositions and decompositions from Damon Luke Wilson. How great are these colors?

The Best Room in the House

Photo by Leslie Schwartz
Courtesy of chicagoreader.com

I love getting a peek inside people's homes. Seeing how it's decorated, how the space is laid out, wondering what it would be like to live there. Is that weird?

I just came across this article with photos from the homes of six Chicagoans, including the Busy Beaver Button lady and her beautiful kitchen. Go take a look around, cause I can't be the only one who enjoys this stuff, right? Right?

Swedish Cows in Heavy Fog

This morning I was at the Swedish American Museum in Chicago's quaint Andersonville area. Really, how perfect is that neighborhood? So many good restaurants and cute shops!

Back to the museum...one of the artists represented in their current temporary exhibit is Swede Patrick Gunnar Helin. The large-scale photos of cows in a heavy fog are breathtaking. Definitely worth a stop.

Donovan Beeson

I love everything in Donovan Beeson's little stationary shop! She re-uses vintage paper items like atlas maps and airmail envelopes to create so many beautiful and functional items. My favorite might be the register stationary, it makes me wish I was on an old ship crossing the ocean, using an inkwell pen to write to friends back home about my adventure...

Gemini Studio

Such great mixed media pieces from graphic designer, Stephen Fowler. Gemini Studio explores his fascination with big graphic artwork, vintage/urban design, and advertising posters. I'm having trouble choosing just one favorite, but the eye chart is definitely in the running.

Penelope's

One of my favorite shops in Chicago is Penelope's in the Ukranian Village. I always leave with a wishlist way larger than my discretionary income. At the moment I am totally in love with this coat from Built by Wendy.


And this military style dress from APC.

Chicago

While visiting my family this weekend, I managed to squeeze in a few hours in Chicago proper. It had been way too long since I was able to get into the city. Ofcourse, there was lunch at Milk and Honey. I also poked my head into a few favorite shops in the Ukranian Village and Wicker Park, like Penelope's and Habit. I was pretty excited to have found a new winter hat at Untitled. It was sad to see lots of boutiques had closed though, including Hejfina. I guess the recession hit pretty hard in that area?

Then it was off to Union Station to board a Metra train out to the suburbs. The mostly empty Saturday train is always a relaxing ride. I love those few moments where the interior of the train goes dark as it pulls away from the station.

Girl Savage

How cute and hilarious are these stuffed animals from Girl Savage?? My favorite is the feltidermy pieces to hang on your walls. So clever!

Hier Apparel

Fall is really here. The weather this week has definitely felt like a dramatic change in season. So now I'm thinking about all things warm and cozy, like wool jackets. I've been admiring the awesome coats over at the Hier Apparel shop. You can also learn a little more about the Laura in her Etsy featured seller interview!

Renegade Chicago

This time last year I was preparing to spend the weekend in Chicago hovering under a tent in the pouring rain for two days at the Renegade Craft Fair. Man was there a lot of rain. More impressive though was how many people put on the wellies, grabbed an umbrella and still came out to the fair. My schedule didn't allow me to participate this year, but I really hope to be back next year.

It looks like Renegade will have perfect weather this weekend, so go out and support some local artists!

September 12-13
11am – 7pm
Division St. between Damen Ave. and Paulina St. in Wicker Park

Mohop Shoes

Shoes from designer Annie Mohaupt, carefully handcrafted in Mohop's Chicago based studio. Available to order in the Mohop shop or get a ready to wear pair in her Etsy shop!

Chicago Honey Co-op

Urban beekeepers! Chicago Honey Co-op produces honey from its apiary based on the west side of the city.

The co-op members have been tending their chemical free beehives for the past five years in the interest of creating a more sustainable beekeeping practice. Every beekeeper loses a portion of their hives each year and typically replaces them with bees from warmer climates because of their longer beekeeping season. The Chicago Honey Co-op is hoping to break out of that cycle by raising their own honey bee queens and supplying them to other local beekeepers. This is, however, an expensive endeavor. If you are interested in donating to help finance their goal you can do so here. You can also help by purchasing the honey products in their shop. I haven't gotten to try any of their honey yet, but I hope to soon!

16 Sparrows

I am having a much better day today, thank you. Even in a good mood, I can really appreciate the slightly cynical (and incredibly clever) stationary from the folks over at 16 Sparrows.

Sophik

Today is shaping up to be quite the Monday. I'll spare you the details but the day started with a coffeemaker malfunction leading to my leaving for work sans coffee. And it's all been downhill from there.

In search of inspiration, I found myself browsing through amazing photos from Jen of Sophik. Which I think can be summed up as beautiful places I'd rather be on a Monday. A little imaginary vacation never hurt anyone, right?

Ali Sandifer Studio

Chicago based Ali Sandifer Studio creates modern hardwood furniture while maintaining a great consideration for the environment. All of their pieces are made with domestic wood from sustainable forests. Instead of stains and veneers, the pieces are finished with natural oils and water based sealants.

The design of their collection also incorporates storage into its form wherever possible, perfect for those of us with small spaces!

Camp Firebelly

The 2nd annual Camp Firebelly is a great opportunity for college students or recent graduates interested in graphic design and marketing. Camp Firebelly describes itself as a sleep away camp where all the counselors are good ass designers and nobody has to bathe in a lake. That might be enough said.

Campers stay in Firebelly Design's Chicago loft offices and are fed delicious healthy food while they cram all the design they can into ten days. Two weeks of intensive collaboration with an amazing nonprofit focused on empowerment and expression. The group works together to strategize, design and develop the perfect solution for a client, learning about and contributing to the process the whole way. Sound like something you might want to do this summer? Applications are due May 1st and a few need based scholarships may be available.

Petit Oiseau

Petit Oiseau does a wonderful job of repurposing vintage Bakelite into new jewelry. The shop is full of fun colorful pieces that would brighten up any outfit. I especially love the green necklace.