WIN LOOP: The Chicago Themed Elevated Card Game from Transit Tees ($20 Value)

Make This Holiday A ChiIL One With Chicago Themed Gifts From Transit Tees
Hundreds of unique Chicago-inspired holiday gifts 
under $10, $20 and $30

Original, locally produced winter hats, tees, socks, jewelry, mugs, 

puzzles, games, ‘L’ stop merch & more  

Here at ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows, we love our home town, Chi, IL. We're also huge advocates of shopping locally and supporting small businesses and artist made goods. The holidays are a great time to help out the local economy and stock up on some sweet, unique gifts for family and friends. These are on our wish list:

ENTER BELOW for your chance to WIN 

LOOP: The Elevated Card Game ($20 Value)

Enter through midnight 1/1/19. Open nationwide.

Transit Tees of Wicker Park and Andersonville has hundreds of original, local gifts all designed and produced in-house for under $10, $20 and $30 just in time for the holidays.  

Looking for that perfect gift for the person that has everything? Transit Tees in Wicker Park and Andersonville has a huge selection of unique, Chicago-inspired gifts for under $10, $20 and $30 just in time for the holidays.  

Designed in-house and locally produced, Transit Tees offers a wide range of exclusive, iconic merchandise including: Chicago Flag and Neighborhood-themed Winter Hats ($28), Tees ($20) and Whisky Glasses ($10); Chicago Hot Dog or Deep Dish Pizza Socks ($16), Pins ($12) and Ornaments ($9); and Chicago Beer Can Candles ($28). 

As official manufacturer of Chicago Transit Authority products, Transit Tees also designs and produces Chicago ‘L’ Pint Glasses ($10), Mugs ($14) and ‘L’ stop Transit Magnets ($5) for each of the 145 stops in the entire train system. 

Transit Tees also recently launched Chicago’s first transit-themed card game, LOOP: The Elevated Card Game ($20) which takes players on a hilarious urban adventure as they encounter Buskers, Train Car Preachers and Manspreading commuters, as well as some challenging aspects of Chicago commutes such as Sat in Puddle, Fell Asleep on the Train and Went to Wrong Airport. 

This holiday season, Transit Tees’ Wicker Park location (1371 N. Milwaukee Avenue) celebrates its sixth anniversary. The new storefront in Andersonville (5226 N. Clark Street) is also ready for the holidays, stocked with all the latest merchandise. 

Visit www.transittees.com for additional holiday gift ideas available in-store or online. 

About Transit Tees 
Transit Tees, founded in 2001 by Tim Gillengerten, takes visuals from Chicago's metropolitan landscapes and transforms them into fashionable artwork, accessories, home goods and more. An official manufacturer of Chicago Transit Authority products, Transit Tees locally designs, fabricates and retails their signature brand online and at two storefronts in Wicker Park and Andersonville. Most store items are created in their design studio and produced on-site by local artists and craftsmen. For more information, visit www.transittees.com. 

ENTER HERE for your chance to WIN 

LOOP: The Elevated Card Game ($20 Value)

Enter through midnight 1/1/19. Open nationwide.

Start your new year off on the right track, so to speak. One of ChiIL Mama's readers will win a fun new Chi, IL card game, to fill your ChiIL winter nights with adventure. 

Gather your friends and sit down to play LOOP: The Elevated Card Game. Ride the rails of the elevated trains in Chicago's famous Loop! Match the line colors and stations to make your way around town, but beware the everyday perils of rush hour crowds, forgotten farecards, and mysterious puddles as you get where you're going! This fast-playing card game is perfect for 2-7 players aged 9+. Designed and produced by Transit Tees, LOOP is sure to take your next game night on a fun ride!


Designed by Transit Tees in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

LOOP: The Elevated Card Game ($20) takes players on a hilarious urban adventure as they encounter Buskers, Train Car Preachers and Manspreading commuters, as well as some challenging aspects of Chicago commutes such as Sat in Puddle, Fell Asleep on the Train and Went to Wrong Airport. 

ENTER HERE

Disclosure: Thanks to Transit Tees for sending us a complimentary game to review and one for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

PHOTO RECAP: ChiIL Mama's Adventures at The Chicago Toy and Game Fair 2017

This year my 16 year old son, Dugan, took one camera and I took the other, and we tag teamed coverage of ChiTAG, the largest annual public Toy & Game Fair in the country. We've included all our collective shots in the SLIDE SHOW here and some of our favorites are embedded below, from meeting inventors to our Star Wars themed press/blogger lunch. Dugan did a fabulous job documenting the fun. His photos and mine are watermarked individually in case you're curious who shot what. Enjoy!

The ChiTAG fair is a great way to meet toy and game inventors, get great gift giving ideas, check out brand new releases, and revisit old favorites. They even have show deals and merch on sale on the spot. If you're still stuck for gifting ideas for the holidays, birthdays and beyond, let us be your guide. 

Full ChiTAG 2017 Slideshow Here:

Some highlights this year were: 
seeing Jane Labowitch: AKA Princess Etch and her amazing Etch a Sketch art again, 

meeting Adam Hocherman, the inventor of Playmonster's Tinkineer's Marbleocity,  





checking out the intricate, amazing buildable creations by UGEARS (They sent us two to build, The Theater and the train, and they're incredible!), 











and getting a lesson in how to play Charmed from one of the co-creators, .




Some of our favorite low tech play spaces were the cardboard creative area where kids could DIY anything out of discarded boxes and the Legos area.

Looking for great family game ideas to play in 2018? ChiIL Mama's giving away Chrono Bomb, myPad, and a buildable Mini Skate Park Maker Kit from Playmonster, the award winning IceCool game from Brain Games, Charms game from Studio 9, a Happy Salmon Card Game and more!

Click image below for lots more opportunities to enter and WIN through 12/20/17. 
ChiIL Mama's Holidaze 12 Days of Giveaways Gift Guide is LIVE

Holiday Gift Guide, Giveaways, Discount Codes, Product Reviews and More! 

Disclosure: I have sometimes been given complimentary games for our giveaways and for review purposes and/or I have been compensated for sharing with our readers. As always, all opinions, photos and adventures are my own.

 More ChiTAG Photo Favs Below:

Where Will The Wendell August Tracery Envelope Purse Take You? #Review #Ad

Wendell August creates unique, one of a kind gifts 

for grads, dads, and life’s special moments.

Red Carpet Ready:

Here at ChiIL Mama, we're always on the go, covering Chicago's arts, theatre and music scenes. This spring we reviewed numerous theatre openings from Broadway in Chicago spectacles to edgy, award winning storefront theatre productions. We caught London's Royal Ballet, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a plethora of press events.

It's been our great pleasure to have this stylish Wendell August Tracery Envelope Purse along on our adventures. It's tiny but mighty and creates an unforgettable look. 

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is pleased to partner up with Wendell August to review one of their handcrafted gifts. I received a Wendell August product for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. As always, all thoughts are our own.

This envelope handbag is as fitting with dress casual as it is with an evening gown. It features Wendell August's beautiful Tracery design, and it's the perfect size for a cell phone or other small accessories.

Madison Avenue - Tracery Envelope Purse

Aluminum   •   $130.00

Size: 5.75" x 3.5"
Type: Aluminum 

One highlight this spring was the red carpet, world premiere of On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan which is Broadway bound in a few short weeks. My lovely Wendell August Tracery Envelope Purse took me from dressy to dress circle at the gorgeous Oriental Theatre in Chicago. Emilio and Gloria Estefan were there, but I felt like the rock star.

Wendell August is Great for graduations, 

wedding season, and more

Spring and summer have been a whirlwind of graduations, weddings and travel. Sometimes it's a challenge to find a quality gift that will be appreciated for years to come. Wendell August's American-Made Products have a history. They've been handcrafted by artisans in America’s oldest forge since 1923. Each product is still painstakingly crafted in their Pennsylvania workshop using an original 8-step process. 

No two Wendell August items are the same. They're as unique as your friends and family. Their stunning home entertaining collections can be engraved and personalized for weddings, hostess gifts, anniversaries, or just because. 

Their Madison Avenue-Tracery Envelope Purse and jewelry collections are equally great for gifting and for you. Show up in style and leave a lasting impression.

Would you like to be in the know? Follow Wendell August and find out about new releases and sales first.

Get Social With Wendell August:

o   Facebook 

o   Twitter @wendellaugust

o   Pinterest 

o   Instagram @wendellaugust1923

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is pleased to partner up with Wendell August to review one of their handcrafted gifts. I received a Wendell August product for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. As always, all thoughts are our own.