Susan Kritzberg: Proud mother & "Nana" / Baker & Contributor to Two Wild Seeds.
Susan was born and raised in the small, (once) rural town of Yorkville, Illinois. She grew up on 4 acres of property that her father purchased in the 50s, which also happens to be where Susan raised her three children and still resides today.
Some of her fondest memories of her country childhood include horseback riding, swimming in their ponds, exploring the woods, learning to garden from her Dad, and drawing, which ultimately led her to study art at Northern Illinois University.
With a B.F.A. in drawing and painting, Susan pursued her love of art by teaching privately for more than 25 years, becoming a published colored pencil artist and even opening her own art gallery in downtown Yorkville. In addition to her artistic nature, she has always been known for her gourmet cooking and baking, which to no surprise, is of exquisite quality and taste due to her eye for detail and refined palate.
For anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Susan, you’ll instantly feel as though you’ve been friends for years. Her genuine love for all things nature combined with her passion for creating beautiful food and desserts is unparalled and every bit authentic.
When Susan isn't involved with Two Wild Seeds, she enjoys raising her flock of chickens & ducks, caring for her dog, Midgy, tending to her ever-expanding garden, hunting for mushrooms, and most of all — spending time with her family and grandchildren.
Susan was born and raised in the small, (once) rural town of Yorkville, Illinois. She grew up on 4 acres of property that her father purchased in the 50s, which also happens to be where Susan raised her three children and still resides today.
Some of her fondest memories of her country childhood include horseback riding, swimming in their ponds, exploring the woods, learning to garden from her Dad, and drawing, which ultimately led her to study art at Northern Illinois University.
With a B.F.A. in drawing and painting, Susan pursued her love of art by teaching privately for more than 25 years, becoming a published colored pencil artist and even opening her own art gallery in downtown Yorkville. In addition to her artistic nature, she has always been known for her gourmet cooking and baking, which to no surprise, is of exquisite quality and taste due to her eye for detail and refined palate.
For anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Susan, you’ll instantly feel as though you’ve been friends for years. Her genuine love for all things nature combined with her passion for creating beautiful food and desserts is unparalled and every bit authentic.
When Susan isn't involved with Two Wild Seeds, she enjoys raising her flock of chickens & ducks, caring for her dog, Midgy, tending to her ever-expanding garden, hunting for mushrooms, and most of all — spending time with her family and grandchildren.
Katie McCall: The second “Wild Seed" / Baker, Writer & Content Creator for Two Wild Seeds
Katie is a bonafide Midwestern girl. Born and raised in the rural suburbs of Chicago, she grew up on four acres of property that can only be described as a magical oasis. From running around barefoot eating wild raspberries and foraging through the woods for morel mushrooms, to cracking walnuts with her grandpa and picking green beans from her mom’s garden, Katie has always felt “at home” in the outdoors — and with food, of course.
Though she’d always dreamt of doing something culinary-related, Katie followed her lifelong love for writing and graduated with honors with a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She then moved to Chicago to pursue a career in food writing, and it was only a short while after dining in some of the city’s best restaurants that she decided to follow her passion for cooking by attending the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
After a few years of working for some of city's top farm-to-table restaurants, bakeries and cafes, Katie grew tired of the city’s fast-paced lifestyle and returned home in search of something more personal … something that would feed her entrepreneurial spirit and desire for a simpler way of life. That’s when she and her mom had the opportunity to launch their gluten-free baking company, which became one of the most sought-after GF bakeries in the Chicagoland!
Katie is thrilled to return to her roots by combining her passion for both food and writing here on Two Wild Seeds with her older sister, Leslie, and mom, Susan.
When she’s not in the kitchen or nose-deep in cookbooks, Katie strives to lead a self-sustaining, natural lifestyle and enjoys traveling, gardening, decorating, exploring the outdoors and spending time with her family.
Katie is a bonafide Midwestern girl. Born and raised in the rural suburbs of Chicago, she grew up on four acres of property that can only be described as a magical oasis. From running around barefoot eating wild raspberries and foraging through the woods for morel mushrooms, to cracking walnuts with her grandpa and picking green beans from her mom’s garden, Katie has always felt “at home” in the outdoors — and with food, of course.
Though she’d always dreamt of doing something culinary-related, Katie followed her lifelong love for writing and graduated with honors with a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She then moved to Chicago to pursue a career in food writing, and it was only a short while after dining in some of the city’s best restaurants that she decided to follow her passion for cooking by attending the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
After a few years of working for some of city's top farm-to-table restaurants, bakeries and cafes, Katie grew tired of the city’s fast-paced lifestyle and returned home in search of something more personal … something that would feed her entrepreneurial spirit and desire for a simpler way of life. That’s when she and her mom had the opportunity to launch their gluten-free baking company, which became one of the most sought-after GF bakeries in the Chicagoland!
Katie is thrilled to return to her roots by combining her passion for both food and writing here on Two Wild Seeds with her older sister, Leslie, and mom, Susan.
When she’s not in the kitchen or nose-deep in cookbooks, Katie strives to lead a self-sustaining, natural lifestyle and enjoys traveling, gardening, decorating, exploring the outdoors and spending time with her family.
Leslie Sabella: The first “Wild Seed" / Artist, Designer to Two Wild Seeds
After graduating from Northern Illinois University with Honors in Art History, Leslie decided to switch gears, and with the support of her parents, realized a dream of opening her own eclectic shop filled with products to inspire the soul. For five years, Blue Orchid Studio was an outlet for her creative and entrepreneurial passion and provided her with the opportunity of learning about building the foundation of a business. Leslie carefully handpicked each and every item for the shop, scrutinizing the design, packaging, message and quality. Although it was difficult to close her shop’s doors in 2011, new pursuits were on the horizon for both she and her husband, Jonathan Sabella, a CG artist.
Along the way, she decided (with much encouragement from Jonathan), it was time to do something with her love of drawing. So in 2012, she opened her Etsy shop under the name Leslie Sabella, and hasn’t looked back since. Today her brand - True Spirit Art - offers fine art prints, greeting cards, recipe cards, and newly released adult coloring book “Boho Soul” worldwide. “Knowing my art is lovingly appreciated by people from all corners of the world is humbling.”
With the 2016 launch of Two Wild Seeds online (and former brick and mortar bakery location in St. Charles, Illinois) Leslie is excited to collaborate with her sister and mom to create a beautiful lifestyle brand with her expertise in graphic design and art.
When she’s not immersed in her world of art, she loves traveling to new and old places, cooking, knitting, practicing yoga and seeking out the comfort of natural open spaces in this busy world.
After graduating from Northern Illinois University with Honors in Art History, Leslie decided to switch gears, and with the support of her parents, realized a dream of opening her own eclectic shop filled with products to inspire the soul. For five years, Blue Orchid Studio was an outlet for her creative and entrepreneurial passion and provided her with the opportunity of learning about building the foundation of a business. Leslie carefully handpicked each and every item for the shop, scrutinizing the design, packaging, message and quality. Although it was difficult to close her shop’s doors in 2011, new pursuits were on the horizon for both she and her husband, Jonathan Sabella, a CG artist.
Along the way, she decided (with much encouragement from Jonathan), it was time to do something with her love of drawing. So in 2012, she opened her Etsy shop under the name Leslie Sabella, and hasn’t looked back since. Today her brand - True Spirit Art - offers fine art prints, greeting cards, recipe cards, and newly released adult coloring book “Boho Soul” worldwide. “Knowing my art is lovingly appreciated by people from all corners of the world is humbling.”
With the 2016 launch of Two Wild Seeds online (and former brick and mortar bakery location in St. Charles, Illinois) Leslie is excited to collaborate with her sister and mom to create a beautiful lifestyle brand with her expertise in graphic design and art.
When she’s not immersed in her world of art, she loves traveling to new and old places, cooking, knitting, practicing yoga and seeking out the comfort of natural open spaces in this busy world.