I popped back up to Chicago for the day for the Renegade Craft Fair and a bit of sightseeing with some new friends. For those of you who don’t know what the Renegade Craft Fair(s) is/are, let me paint you a picture. It was like pinterest and Etsy collided during a Quidditch match and exploded pretty artsy hand-made confetti all over this quaint (what else?) park and recreation center in downtown Chicago. Craft fair on steroids. It was amazing, overwhelming, (a bit) pricey, and the absolute perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

I picked out a few small top-secret Christmas gifts for people (in keeping with my family’s Christmas resolution) but mostly just soaked in the atmosphere, made mental notes to go home and pin everything that I haven’t already pinned on pinterest, and lamented the fact that I am not a mega-millionaire with a bag of holding, because i would have bought so. much. stuff.

I brought my big girl camera with me, but in the spirit of the hippest event I’ll attend in the next five years, I opted to document via Instagram (follow me @xaster57).

Poster for the birth place of the corn dog on our way north, Maple bacon donut – phenomenal!, One of 5 packed rooms, a gorgeous art installation in the hallway, a clever lit sign from the Field Museum, Sue – the T.Rex

After a bacon maple donut and hours of shopping, we made our way across town to the Field Museum. Though we arrived 2 hours before close, we only got through one exhibit – dinosaurs! It was incredible to see Sue (the largest, most complete T. Rex skeleton ever found) up close and personal. I just wish we’d had more time to spend at the museum. There’s always next time!

Snapped outside the Field Museum at dusk. A truly incredible scene.