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Renegade Craft Fair puts Chicago on the DIY map

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Grass, animal skulls, fern fronds, and honeycombs are hardly elements of traditional jewelry, but for Faryn Davis these "found objects," as she refers to them, become exotic pendants encased in layers of resin.

Over eight years ago Davis began working with resin as a sculptural medium while attending art school in her native North Carolina.

She expanded into jewelry in recent years, and has carved out a unique niche with the creation of her company Fernworks. Every piece of jewelry she produces is one of kind -- whether it is made of organic objects, painted resin layers, or a combination of both.

Like so many young artists, Davis, is part of a mass revival of the creation of handcrafted goods. Last weekend, attendees of Chicago's ultimate indie-craft event, Renegade Craft Fair, were privileged with the likes of Fernworks and so many others.

Sue Blatt and Kathleen Habbley, who founded the fair in 2003, began with small expectations. They hoped for a handful of vendors and a decent turnout. They were shocked by the number of applicants and ended up with 75 booths selling everything from vibrator cozies and hand-carved wooden glasses to embroidery kits and bottle-cap buttons.

This year's fair expanded to 150 vendors and changed locations. Once a fixture at Wicker Park, this year Renegade took place on Division Street between Damen Avenue and Wood Street.

The change made the fair more accessible. Soggy grass and limited space were no longer a concern, and the two long aisles made it easier to insure no booths were missed. This year's location brought more people and also highlighted the brand-new Renegade Handmade store on Division Street that will be selling the goods year round of many of the vendors present at the fair.

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