Chicagoland is silly with markets and bazaars.

One one hand, you have the city attracting nationally-known shows like Renegade Craft and the International Vintage Poster Fair. On the other, you have the rest of Illinois, where self-reliant folk have amassed generation upon generation of vintage goods and have honed traditional skills (I'll bet a dollar every Illinoisan reading this has gone to Amish Country at least once). This creates a crafty/vintagey apex to feed my constant obsession with "things".

Over the 4th of July weekend I took a trip to the Randolph Street Market in Chicago. 
Considering Chicago is a mere 30 minute drive and my friends live there, I have no excuse for not going more than I do. It was great. I was so focused on finding good stuff that I forgot I was supposed to be taking photos for the first half of the trip.

Here are a few camera phone shots gussied up by Instagram:

Oh, look: jars of things. I love jars of things! I almost bought one with screws in it, but JB talked some sense into me. I sort of still want one.

More after the jump...

Half of the fun of gift-giving is the wrapping. A good wrap job can make the giftee feel like they are the only giftee in your world ;) 

Last year my sister-in-law, Abby, made her own wrapping from brown shipping paper and stamps. It was adorable. I have a hoard of paper craft stuff I feel not great about having hoarded, so I decided to put some of it to use making my own wrapping.

I started out with some brown shipping paper, stamps, and permanent black stamping ink.

More after the jump...