Welcome To a Semi-Homemade Christmas (And a Giveaway!)

***Giveaway Closed***

Hello ladies! One day as I was gathering up ideas for my mother-in-law to get me for Christmas (her request, not mine!) and I got lost in the Etsy world! It's incredibly easy to do. There are so many talented people out there and have found their creative outlets that allow them to strut their stuff and show how awesome they are while making a little extra on the side. I just love Etsy items and I have purchased mostly patterns for myself and I have loved them! Then I thought to myself, "Self, if you are doing the happy wiggle dance about all this stuff, would others as well?" YES!!!! Some of us don't have time to make all of our Christmas gifts or the knowledge to make some of these amazing things. However, that doesn't mean you can't give homemade things for Christmas, just not made by you! So I contacted some of my favorite shops to see if I could feature them and got a great response. So was born "Semi-Homemade Christmas Series!" I am happy to say that we are all in for a treat!

My first feature is from Sugar Pie Chic Leslie, the owner lives in Austin, TX and sells the most adorable, retro and sassy aprons!

I have been eying these for some time now and I have put theUrban Chic Apron Pattern on my wish list. And how fun to either give this pattern as a gift (which would be fun), then you could get the fabric for them and put the pattern in a basket and voila! Easy Gift!

This one is also one of my favorites! The Urban Chic Halter Apron is available for $33.00 and is ADORABLE!

Not only does she have aprons and patterns, she also has Embroidered Hand Towels that are just amazing! She also has this adorable Tutu Tote Bag as a tutorial! Can you just imagine making this for a little girl going to ballet class for her clothes?! Love it!

One of the things I asked all of my features to do is give me a little bit of a bio, as I love finding out about people and how they got started. I also wanted to use it for my own inspiration to get started on my own shop. So if you are in the same boat I am, wanting to start your own business but are a little afraid to, here is a little bit about how Leslie got started:

Hi, my name is Leslie Rutland and I make aprons. I am a native Texan and live in the sunny city of Austin, TX. My husband (of 33 years) and I have two grown daughters and two grandsons. As a young girl, I was always around talented women who loved sewing. My mother is an accomplished seamstress as were both of my grandmothers. I began sewing and designing when I realized that my Barbie needed something new to wear! With fabric scraps from my mother’s stash and some blunt-tip scissors, a lifelong passion began.

Sugar Pie Chic originally began as a collaboration between me and one of my daughters. We were inspired by some of the beautiful fabrics available from designers and wanted to do something creative with fabric. About that same time, I discovered Etsy which was a perfect way to display and even sell handmade items. At first, my daughter helped me choose fabrics and create purse and apron designs. She would put fabrics together with purse or apron designs and I would sew them. After a few months of this, I was more inspired by aprons, so I began focusing on making aprons that were individual and unique. I also had some vintage apron patterns that belonged to my mother. I was able to rework some of these patterns to make aprons that were both sassy and chic. I wanted each apron to evoke something from the past while remaining both simple and practical for today’s woman.

My purpose for apron-making came about after I began dwelling on the idea that women throughout history have always worn aprons of one kind or another. This universal connection with women inspired me to want to do something that would continue this chain. The more I thought about this, the more I wanted to create something for today’s woman. I wanted to give her an apron that would be unique and personal. I didn’t want to stop there, though; I also wanted to make a quality apron that would be something treasured by her children and grandchildren. Perhaps one of my aprons would be passed down with beautiful memories of the woman who wore it.

My 2011 plans include the addition of several more patterns that will be available as ePatterns in pdf format. In January, begin looking for children's items in this format. That is going to be my next focus. Oh, and I am working on the outline for a children's book.

Now one great thing that Leslie is offering is a GIVEAWAY!!!! One lucky reader will win ONE PATTERN of your choice!

How do you enter? Just leave a comment! One entry per person! I am making this Giveaway simple for everyone, just leave a comment and that's all you have to do! We will pick the winner next Tuesday, November 29th.