Chicago’s Green River – Free Printable

Today’s St. Patrick’s Day DIY combines three of my favorite things – – Chicago + Irish + Tradition… and mixes these three things using one of my new obsessions – – the waterlogue app for iPhones & iPads.

As I prepare for a weekend of celebrating in Chicago, I found myself scrambling for meaningful, GREEN, and creative gifts for some of the amazing Irish people in my life. Usually, our family exchanges some sort of a little Irish gift, and I wanted my contribution to be unique and meaningful… without breaking the bank of course. This is what I cooked up this year…

A personalized watercolor picture of one of my all-time favorite Chicago traditions.

The Story Behind Chicago’s Green River

For you non-Chicago readers, this pic is a snapshot of the famous Chicago River being dyed GREEN for St. Patty’s Day. The plumber’s union started this annual tradition years & years ago and still dye the river to this day. It’s truly amazing to see the river transform into a sea of neon green within minutes! Chicagoans crowd the river to watch the plumbers work their magic while listening to bagpipers. Once the river is dyed, the crowd heads a few blocks to watch the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade roll through Grant Park.
I especially love this tradition because it has grown to be more than just a unique Chicago tradition, but more a day I look forward to spending in the city with the O’Connor clan. A picture of our staple tradition seemed like the perfect fit for this year’s Irish gift.
Not to mention this was like easiest/cheapest gift ever! (Could be the PERFECT hostess gift this weekend.. hint, hint my fellow Chicago peeps).

How to Make a Watercolor Print

  1. Plug the image of choice into the waterlogue app on your iPhone or iPad
  2. Print
  3. Cut
  4. Frame
  5. Wrap

Free Printable of Chicago’s Green River

Because we LOVE our readers (and realize that we get a lot of reader love from the Chicagoland area), we want to share this amazing print with you… FREE. Download your own Chicago Green River Printable HERE. Slap it in a frame and use it for a festive hostess gift this weekend… or just plop it on your shelf for your guests to enjoy as they celebrate!
I love, love, love the picture itself and adore the meaning and tradition that lies within this snapshot.
I got these fun straws from the $1 section @ Target (ironically, another one of my favs) and used them as embellishments on the green packages…
Cheers to YOU finding some time to celebrate the luck of the Irish over the next week. If greens not your thing, I hope you at least have a chance to download the waterlogue app and play around. Seriously, a.m.a.z.i.n.g and dripping with framing potential…. all FREE! Irish or not, this just became your LUCKY DAY. Cheers.

Bridget

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The Year of Casey

Hey there!

I’m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m married to Finn & mom to Rory and Ellis. Together we’re creating our dream home in Chicago, one DIY project at a time.