Instead of stampeding through a Target on Black Friday, stroll amongst local merchants and crafters to buy your holiday presents. more ›

Today's the last day for interested craft makers to apply for September's Renegade Craft Fair in Wicker Park. more ›

Given how inventive Chicagoans get for events such as The Chiditarod Urban Iditarod, we have high hopes that people will just as creative for the cause of literacy at Open Books first annual bookcase decorating contest, Make The Case, a sort of pinewood derby for literary furniture to benefit local literacy programs. more ›

Are you procrastinating on your holiday shopping? Want some unique local gifts to give to friends and family this week? You're in luck. more ›

It was nearly two years ago that we fell in love with the Spilled Ink Press Christmas cards. We recently checked in with the local husband-and-wife team of designers to see what they have been up to. We found out that Spilled Ink Press, which specializes in designing custom invitations, stationary, and greeting cards, has since celebrated its fourth birthday and just added 1,000 new staff - Red Wiggler composting worms. As the weather warms up, Spilled Ink Press plans compost as much paper waste as possible. We love their cards not only because their designs look good, but also because the small business is taking buzzwords "green" and "eco-friendly" to the next level. Besides the composting, Spilled Ink Press uses paper that has at least 30 percent post consumer waste recycled content, patronizes paper mills that rely on sustainable forests, and even hasone paper supplier that operates only on wind power. To learn more about Spilled Ink Press and to see more of their designs, find them at their website, twitter, etsy or facebook. more ›

Crafts more ›

Two separate arts festivals will be taking place in Wicker Park this weekend. While poking around for information, we got the distinct impression that Wicker Park is fighting hard to keep an artistic community and these types of festivals in the neighborhood, despite creeping gentrification. Come on out and support your local artists. more ›

A new documentary is in the works to illuminate the flourishing DIY trend. Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY Art, Craft, and Design is the product of first-time filmmaker Faythe Levine, who was inspired to create the documentary after attending Chicago's Renegade Craft Fair in 2003: more ›

To quilters, crafters, voyeurs, whatever: the International Quilt Festival has landed in Rosemont for the weekend. The Donald E. Stevens Convention Center is bustling with activity at this very moment, as the festival previewed last night and was officially opened this morning. The festival is actually not just for quilters, but other textile artists as well; the theory being that those who are crafty in one capacity will be interested by another. more ›

Goccos are the holy grail of the crafting world—simple, handy, solid—so when the Japanese-made printing machine (sort of like silk screening, but easier) went out of production, print fans were crushed. Since 2005, Goccos have been tough to find, but today, local stationary go-to Paper Source got some of the "big daddy" Goccos in stock. Ayee! The $395 PG6 can make prints up to 6.5" x 9.3", and Goccos can print on paper and cloth. more ›

What's the best part about the Monday after the Super Bowl? Why it's heading into the office and listening to Mr. Hilarious Co-Worker re-enact all of his favorite Super Bowl ads of course. more ›

All week, Chicagoist will be breaking down the Schubas Tomorrow Never Knows Festival by day to take a look at the sometimes raw, always promising talent that's creating some of most deafening buzz on the independent music horizon. more ›

Tony Kerasotes, of Kerasotes Theatres, said he didn't want to show Stomp the Yard in any of his Springfield thaters because it could attract gang members. He's since had a change of heart and will show the movie starting on Friday at more than 40 Kerasotes-owned locations. If you couldn't afford Chicago's most expensive restaurants before, you really won't be able to afford them now. The Chicago-based Johnson and Lee architecture firm will be... more ›

Chicagoist is admittedly crabby towards Market Days this year (unlike last year). Not only will we have to suffer the crowds around Lakeview this upcoming weekend, but we've also had to look at those fugly ads on the El every morning (larger version here). Someone in the Northalsted marketing offices needs to tone down the 80s retro! more ›

As Gaper's Block blogged yesterday, some details about the Intonation Fest have changed. Most importantly, tickets will not be sold onsite but rather online. Tickets go onsale at noon today at the Intonation Fest website. Also, tickets are now $15 a day (up from $10) and a two-day pass will run you $22. In addition, the fest will be held at Union Park instead of the smaller Pulaski Park. And instead of Intonation Fest, the... more ›

Back in third grade, Chicagoist constructed a moving, baseball-themed diorama with a ball that actually sailed over a distant (all the way on the other side of the shoe box) outfield fence and an accompanying audio track. Mean Mrs. Morris gave it a "B," and Chicagoist cried in front of the whole class. more ›