Lately we Kelly Girls have spent a lot of time shopping at the pre-holiday craft fairs.

The DIY Trunk Show was well worth the wait, the long Ashland bus ride, and the half-mile walk to and from the ATM. We entered the raffle (tragically, no winners among us) and bought lots of presents for our family, our friends, and--ahem--ourselves. We met some very cool members of the Chicago Craft Mafia, and fell in love with funky stitch markers made from Scrabble tiles (they take custom orders!). I couldn't bring myself to leave without this drop dead gorgeous needle case, crafted by the lovely ladies of Pixie Rolls (placeholder site only, so far):

We also had a good time drinking wine and noshing on snacks at the Bizarre Bazaar, hosted by the IIDA. While we shopped, we chatted with an artist promoting a calendar called "The Living Breast," which apparently was conceived to raise funds for breast cancer research. Very cool images. Unfortunately, it's only a 2005 calendar, but maybe they'll produce one for next year, too.

If you're seeking more ideas for holiday gifts, may I suggest a handmade purse crafted from a cigar box? Very cool.

Posted by Hilary at November 20, 2005 07:24 PM