No matter where our travels take us, our hearts always belong to Chicago. If you feel the same love for the Windy City, then peep these awesome handmade Chicago-y goodies.

1. Without an Illinois, there just wouldn’t be a Chicago. Snuggle up to this cozy plush Illinois (whose heart, it seems, also belongs to Chicago) from Chicago gal abbeychristine.

2. Snag a bundle of these rad Chicago flag pins from Paradigm Soundsystem and give ‘em out to all of your friends. Even if they’re not from Chicago. Heck, especially if they’re not from Chicago. Because really, doesn’t everyone kind of wish they were from Chicago?

3. Feel fresh and smell better with this Chicago flag soap from Ethically Engineered.

4. This vintage Chicago map necklace by Foundling lets you keep your Chicago love a little bit secret, which is a little bit awesome.

5. There’s a subtle Chicago shout-out on this vintage flour sack coin purse by Calico, if you’re not the type who needs to scream their allegiance.

6. If you aren’t lucky enough to call Chicago your home, then this “I Left My Heart in Chicago” card by Paper Pastries is for you. Chicago has a way of holding onto your heart, for sure.

Psssssst… hey, you did remember that Mother’s Day is only two weeks away, right? Well, just in case it slipped your mind, we here at Renegade would like to offer a few suggestions for the perfect gift. I mean, this is the lady who woke up for 3am feedings when you were a baby, wiped your snotty nose as a toddler, drove to the store at 10 at night for supplies for the project you forgot was due in elementary school and then managed not to disown you as a bratty teenager. Seriously, she’s earned herself an awesome present! And we gotcha covered:

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They seem so sort of retro ladylike, but with printed tea towels like these, you’ll ensure that your mama’s got the hippest kitchen in the neighborhood. This pink cutie from Wonder Thunder would have even Julia Child feeling jealous. But if you’ve got a mom who likes to get dirty more that she likes to whip up a souffle, these Garden Tools Tea Towels from Girls Can Tell are sure to please. And, for the nature-loving mama, this Block-printed Deer Towel from Art Goodies will clean up spilled milk in style.

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Better than the macaroni-on-yarn thing you made in kindergarten, necklaces like these are guaranteed to make any mom smile. The Fool’s Heart necklace from Lauren Haupt is simple and lovely, perfect for everyday. Molly M Designs makes lasercut jewelry that’s hip and modern, but still mom-friendly, like this Poppy Pendent necklace. And for the simple sophisticate, this Single Leaf Necklace from Laurel’s Bench is just the ticket.

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Cardinal Rule of Mothers #351: Moms love candles. The homestead will be smelling dandy with this Green Tea scented soy candle from Mi Spa. The Carved Beeswax Candle from Matchstick is so pretty it’s like art, only you can burn it. And, for the coffee lover, Milton and Margie’s awesome Hazelnut Coffee Candle (in a recycled glass container) smells almost as good as that steaming cup of joe at 7am tastes.

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For the lady who’s got everything, we bet your mom still doesn’t have art as cool as these three prints. Ala in the Garden by Cindy Tomczyk is sweet and lovely for a girly-girl Mom. Linda Solovic’s Goldenrod Dahlia print is perfect for a mama who’s sorta traditional/sorta hip. And One Canoe Two Letterpress‘ happy Home Sweet Home print would be perfect for above the mantle in a cozy living room.

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Finally, for those of you too cheap to get a REAL present for dear ol’ mom, one of these cards will at least keep you out of the bad kid doghouse. 10 Things I Love About You notepad card from Littleclouds will earn you brownie points for years. And Laura George’s little alien guy Be Nice to Yourself card will tell Mom exactly what she should be doing on her special day of the year. And finally, you just can’t beat sweet kissy animals on a card like Megan Lee Designs‘ Giraffe Mom + Baby Card.

Remember, sons and daughters, time is of the essence– show your mom you care by buying handmade this holiday!

Bike fever is has overtaken us here at Renegade Handmade! It’s that time of year, right? Time to wipe the dust from the faithful friend who’s been waiting patiently through the long, cold months of winter. Time to oil the squeaky parts, pump up the flat parts and take her for a spin! In honor of this happy reunion, we offer these awesome bike-inspired finds from some of our favorite artists!

1. Bike Painting on Wood from Yellow Owl Workshop – the perfect little accessory for your bike-friendly home. Simple and sweet, we just love the little touch of color in the spokes– too cute!

2. Screenprint Silk Bicycle Ties from Jes Switaj – For the guy who has everything, we bet he doesn’t have a sweet bike tie like this! Dapper and cool, these little gems come in your choice of three lovely colors: olive green, baby blue and smokey grey. Instant style!

3. Let’s Ride Tote from Gemma Correll - We’re powerless against the forces of the Queen of Cute, Gemma Correll. A girl and her dog biking away a sunny afternoon screenprinted on a tote perfect for carting around library books, flea market finds, or whatever else you’ve got that needs to be carried and look cute all at the same time.

4. Bicycle Plates from Little Korboose – These melamine beauties are perfect for your post-bike ride snack. And they come in about a zillion colors sure to coordinate with even the matchy-matchy-est of kitchens: black + white, blue, orange, pink, purple and the lime green and mint green pictured.

5. Floating Bike Screenprint by Diana Sudyka – Last but not least, we’re simply smitten with this lovely floating bike poster. The drawing is of a vintage bike by Rene Herse and, I mean, those colors, those clouds, that classic blue bike– it just feels like spring, doesn’t it?!

So there you have it, folks. If these five items don’t have you hitting the bike path immediately, well, we don’t know what will! Happy riding!

We could not be more excited for our next Spotlight Series show, Seedlings, Sprouts, & Spores by Heidi Kenney of My Paper Crane. We’ve turned our Spotlight Gallery space into a woodland fantasy which is sure to awaken the dreamer, the gardener and the nature-lover in all of us. Here’s a li’l sneak peek of what’s in store…

Join us this Saturday (April 3) from 6-8 pm at Renegade Handmade for an opening reception with Heidi Kenney. We’ll have sweet treats and the first 20 visitors will get some handmade My Paper Crane goodies! See you there!