Six Pic Saturday: A Crafty Renegade Affair

Renegade owl
Originally uploaded by Katherine H

15 September 2007

Feeling assured that I could find my way back to the hotel, I set out to explore the Renegade Craft Fair in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago.

I must admit a bit of a fascination with an online website for all things handmade. Twice a year, the crafty folks at etsy, host two Renegade Craft Fairs. I missed the one in Brooklyn, but the one in Chicago? Uh, sure, I could make that one.



The CTA Blue Line Buddha greeted me each time I emerged from the underground station to catch the #8 bus on Halstead Street.



A quick stop at the Milk & Honey Cafe on Division Street yielded a tasty ricotta tart for breakfast before I hit the pavement to explore the booths.



One could find all manner of handcrafted items to expend their hard-earned cash on. Myself, I'm a little partial to letterpressed cards and stationery. This booth had lovely linen pillow slips, canvases, and bags.



This trio of college students was gleefully searching the bins for old Hardy Boys books deconstructed into spiral-bound journals.



It was almost as much fun to examine the unique business cards I collected from the vendors once I returned to the hotel!

Shhhh.....

calla lilies
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

In a handful of hours, I will leave my car in long-term parking and settle into travel mode as I point myself eastward toward Chicago. A self-imposed break, of sorts, although I need no reason nor excuse to fuel my wanderlust.

Why Chicago? I could cite a list of opportune circumstances convening to make this possible, but none of them will reasonably explain the trip. A cheap plane ticket. Free hotel nights. A reluctance to let go of the carefree days of summer and succumb to the fading daylight of autumn.

I have been to the Windy City once before, on an extended weekend trip with my sister. We stared upward at architectural icons, and gazed downward across Lake Michigan. We ate deep dish pizza and admired exhibits at the Art Institute. We took a boat tour on the river and watched Buckingham Fountain. We walked a lot.

This time, I want to see the city in a different light. And so, with recommendations from a friend who calls the city home, I am off on a solo trip…

The Extended Summer Season

hula
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

Today I ventured to southeast Portland for the Belmont Street Fair. Held every second Saturday of September, it easily evokes the spirit of summer even though school doors have opened and work schedules resumed.

This neighborhood street fair seems to say, "Hey, we can't get enough of that summer silliness! The calendar may say you have to settle into a routine, but there is still fun to be had!"

September is often a glorious weather month in Oregon, and today was a terrific example of blue sky and sun. It was perfect for walking the blocks while admiring art, inhaling the aroma of street cuisine, and listening to local bands.



The fair was my first exposure to Tingatinga paintings. I loved the vibrant colors and distinctive, lyrical painting style that originated in Tanzania.