Renegade Craft Fair Finds

This weekend is the Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale in Chicago, so my sisters and I made our way over to Pulaski Park Fieldhouse this afternoon to see what we could find.

There were so many talented artists there, over 150, including some Chicago staples such as Circa Ceramics and Ork Posters. I noshed on a delicious vanilla cupcake from TipsyCake and also bought a few prints from a new favorite, Delicious Design League.

This print will be a Christmas gift for my sister, Jessica, the newest Chicago resident in the family. It's called "Chicago Style - 1893":

It will look cute in her kitchen next to her "St. Louis Style" print by Dan Zettwoch, which she also already owns.

The next print is one which I purchased for the nursery and is called "Cutie Bear". I think it lives up to its name:

Each 18x24 print was priced at only $20 and contains 3 colors/screens. And best of all, if you choose to frame the prints, they are a standard size so no custom framing costs will be incurred. What a great deal! Check out what other prints the Delicious Design League has for sale on their online store. All in all we had a successful trip to the Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale.

Next weekend is also the Bucktown Holiday ArtShow.

It is held at Holstein Park Fieldhouse, 2200 N. Oakley Ave. in Chicago on December 11-12, 2010 from noon to 5pm each day. I hope to make it there as well and will report back with any purchases :-)

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake

My husband's work is having a "bake-off" tomorrow so he commissioned me to make something that will knock their socks off. Desiring to be a little more creative than a basic cookie or brownie, we thought we could take this opportunity to introduce those Chicagoans to a St. Louis staple, Gooey Butter Cake! You know one of the staples that is featured on my favorite St. Louis Style print that I have...

There are a variety of recipes out there, but this one is quite simple and the one my mother has been using for years straight from our parish cookbook.

Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 stick melted butter
• 4 eggs
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1lb. powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix the following, then spread into ungreased 9X13 cake pan (this part will be thick):

1 yellow cake mix

1 stick melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

Beat the following with a mixer until smooth, then pour over the thick batter:

8 oz. cream cheese

2 eggs

1lb. powdered sugar

Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Let cool and serve cut into squares to resemble a lemon bar or a coffee cake of sorts.

Before:

After:

I think the gooey center pieces are the best. It's rich though, so make sure you have plenty of people to share it with. Enjoy!

STL Illustrator: Dan Zettwoch

My sister gave me a completely awesome screenprint for my birthday from a talented St. Louis Illustrator/Artist, Dan Zettwoch.

The print is called St. Louis Style and it features all of the famous, local fare from my favorite hometown:

Of course my favorite feature is the STL style pizza and the equation for provel cheese (no, not provolone, provel).

Man I miss that cheese! My mother-in-law brought us two pounds of provel when she came up for Thanksgiving just because we can't buy it here.

I know many St. Louisans read my blog so I wanted to share the work of this local (to you) artist. This new print is a 3-color, hand-pulled screenprint on wheat-colored Canson Edition paper, edition of 100, 30" x 11 1/4" and he's selling them for $25 apiece while they last.

A great addition to any kitchen or rec area :-) Now I just need to get mine framed and hung.

Green with Indie

I'm headed home to visit my family in St. Louis this weekend and I am tickled pink that I will be there for the Green with Indie Craft Show!

This appears to be similar to the Renegade Craft Fair that comes to Chicago twice a year, as well as to Brooklyn, LA and San Fran, and I am so excited to be able to go check it out with my mom and sister on Saturday. If any of you STL-based handmade enthusiasts are interested in attending this weekend, here are the details:

Green with Indie Craft Show

• Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm
  
• Sunday from Noon to 5 pm
  

Webster University's Grant Gym

175 Edgar Rd, Webster Groves, MO 63119

Parking is available in the Garden Plaza Parking Garage for visitors.

314-968-7060 for info

Check out the site above to see all of the nifty vendors that will be in attendance; many of them have online shops you can peruse in advance. 

Maybe I'll see some of you there!