Patchwork Apron {Stitched In Color Scrap Challenge}

I was SUPER excited when I found out I WON fabric 2 weeks ago from Rachel at Stitched in Color and Bloomerie Fabrics - my very first time winning fabric and you would have thought I won the lottery when I got the email! I usually don't "comment to win" but something about the fabric being offered up spoke to me, which I found surprising because I'll let everyone in on a little secret - I am not a huge fan of the color green. But, there I was, hoping that Rachel picked me to get my stack of fat sixteenths!

And this apron is why.


Patchwork Apron by Love Elaine

 Truth be told, this apron has been in my head for over a year, as I've been wanting to make a patchwork apron with a lace detail. Simple, yet oh-so-lovely. I just love how the fabrics pop off of the coral, and the lace detail along the bottom - so swoon worthy. Can you tell I am completely in love?! And, it is completely different from any other apron I've ever made or have available in my Etsy shop. Perhaps that's why I love it so much :)

I paired the bundle of fat sizteenths with Michael Miller Cotton Couture solid in Coral. I've been on an orange kick lately (again, another color that I have never paid much attention to, but is cropping up more and more around here), and once I saw the flecks of coral in the prints, I was completely sold. Although I went with a more bold look this time, I could easily see the fabrics working with a solid green or blue for a more understated, vintage look. Hmm.. I actually have more scraps left, so I might just make the "sister" apron just for fun - we'll see!

Just a bit about the process if you want to make one yourself, I followed my own tutorial for my Sweet Ruffled Apron that I did for Sew, Mama, Sew! I adjusted the size of the main fabric piece to 13.5" x 24" to allow for the patchwork at the bottom. The blocks on the apron are 4.5" sqares, which fit perfectly for the 24" wide apron piece.

And, I just couldn't resist doing a few hexies, as I am secretly obsessed and dying to jump on the Fatquarterly MFHexies wagon. However, since I thought that would take way to long to figure out, I went with the super-easy, super-fast, and equally fun method for hexies from V&Co. And, I just stitched the lace (found at Joanns when picking up thread at the last minute) on top of the bottom hem using a small zig-zag stitch.

Patchwork Apron by Love Elaine

So, I'll leave you with one last picture of the apron. Ahh - I just love it! And, guess what, I'm keeping it. For myself. Which, as many of my friends can attest - I never keep anything I make, so this is truly a first. Thank you so much Rachel for picking me - I was so happy to finally make this apron, and to Bloomerie Fabrics for picking the most perfect bundle of fabrics that truly inspired me (and for resending the fabrics after the first bundle mysteriously got lost in the mail!)

And, if you decide to make your own version, I'd love to see it! Just post a link in the comments.

Giving Love Elaine a Kickstart {Plus New Products}

Happy Summer! My FAVORITE season is officially here and I couldn't be more excited! I'm going to take that excitement and hopefully transfer it to all of you - as I have a couple exciting announcements!

Holiday 2012 Kickstarter Campaign Launched

Last week we launched our Kickstarter Campaign to get funding for our upcoming 2012 Holiday line. We have BIG PLANS to expand our line of popular stockings and tree skirts with aprons, kitchen accessories, gifts and home decor! To do that, we need funds up front. And, in exchange for your gift (it could be as small as $10 - more on that in a minute), you get great Love Elaine products in return.

For those of you who don't know what it is, Kickstarter is a way for small businesses to crowd source funding for projects. You get to help me reach my goal of $7,500 and feel good about supporting a small business while also receiving a reward, and I get to get busy sewing and creating for the upcoming Holiday Season, hire a few folks to sew and help manage the chaos - it all seems fair, right!

And, today, my fabulous friend Linda at Burlap+Blue is running a giveaway! For every $10 you give in support of my kickstarter campaign, you will get an entry to win over $150 in merchandise from Love Elaine, Burlap+Blue and Pinkstreet. Head on over there now for more details!

Or, you could, just GIVE NOW and support the campaign and make me a happy girl :)

New Love Elaine Products For Summer

Announcing a few new products just in time for the start of summer!

Our most popular full apron, the tired apron, gets a make-over for summer with a hot pink floral - in what was inspired by sipping pink lemonade on a hot summer afternoon (kind of like the one we're having here in Richmond today :)


Pink Lemonade Full Tired Apron by Love Elaine on Etsy

 New product! Baby bags! They can also come with matching changing pads - perfect baby shower gift!

Pink and Green Floral Baby Bag by Love Elaine on Etsy

And, our new ruffled clutch! Perfect for dressing up a casual summer outfit or adding a pop of color to a summer dress!

Pink and Green Ruffled Clutch by Love Elaine on Etsy

Oh, and for sticking around and reading through all of this, take 15% off all listings in my shop with coupon code "SUMMER15"! Happy Summer!

Mens Aprons {Just In Time for Fathers Day}

New Men's Apron in Blue and Orange Stripes by Love Elaine on Etsy

I'm so excited to announce Love Elaine's newest product line - Mens Aprons! Made exclusively for the modern man who isn't afraid to wield his spatula over a hot grill, Love Elaine aprons are sure to be a hit for Fathers Day and birthday gifting!

Features a large pocket and loop for holding grilling tools nearby.

The aprons currently come in 6 different fabric combinations, sure to please even the pickiest man in your life!

Orange and Maroon Mens Apron by Love Elaine on Etsy

I'm super excited about the apron above. As a Virginia Tech Hokie, I'm always partial to Orange and Maroon anything! I'm sure there are plenty of Hokie guys out there would would love to have this apron for Tailgating.

A huge thank you and shout out goes to Callie Hardman of Callie Hardman Photography! She continues to make Love Elaine look good - I couldn't ask for a better friend and cheerleader for Love Elaine. And also to Ricky for making his modeling debut (and Katie and Jackson for being patient!!).

Be on the look out for more news and announcements from Love Elaine, as summer 2012 is shaping up to be a very BUSY summer :)

Love Elaine - Now In Hallmark Stores!!!

Yes friends, you read that right!!! Love Elaine is now in Hallmark Stores, 4 of them to be exact, right here in the Richmond area!

So, here's the story. A while ago I hinted that lots of exciting things were starting to happen for Love Elaine, and that one of my business goals for the year had been realized - well this is the big news! March was a SUPER BUSY AND CRAZY MONTH of sewing and working out all of the details. I won't bore you with the crazy fabric stories about my trials and tribulations trying to secure all of the fabric I would need to fulfill the largest wholesale order to date for my 2 and a half years young company, but let me tell you - it was an amazing learning experience and TOTALLY WORTH IT when you walk by a story in the mall and see this:

Yuppers - those are MY APRONS right up front, right as you walk in the front door of the store! Cue the seriously dorky, cheesy smile and possibly a little jig. Please note, this all happened in my head, as I wanted to play it cool, and I just walked in, spent an OBSCENE amount of time at one display, and took photos with my iPhone. That's me, so cool. But really, the Pointer Sisters I'm So Excited was playing in my head, cue the music:




Ok, now back to the aprons. There is even signage along with the display to learn more about Love Elaine along with a photo of yours truly :)

 

In addition to the entire line of full aprons and little girls ruffled aprons, you can also get tea towel sets and potholders that match the aprons! Below is a photo of the full display of items available in each store.

 

So, if you live in Richmond and get a chance, head on over to the Chesterfield Towne Center, Chesterfield Meadows, Gayton Crossings and Shortpump Hallmark Stores. Pick up an apron for Mother's Day or for yourself. Or just GUSH over how much you LOVE the Love Elaine aprons to the store employees - so they'll order more :)

And, I just wanted to take a quick minute before I go to thank my Mom, my Aunt and my Grandma for all of their sewing help - I could have never done it (or continue to run Love Elaine) without them. I also want to thank my friend Christy for taking a chance on a new product line and for being so supportive! Looking forward to lots of exciting things in the future! 

Thanks to you all for continuing to support Love Elaine! It means the world to me!

Happy Easter Peeps {Pinterest Easter Peeps Ideas}

Oh Peeps, how I love thee! And I know, they can be a somewhat polarizing food - as in, you either love them, or you hate them. So, in honor of one of my favorite indulgences, I decided to share some of the cutest ideas featuring the most amazing Easter treat ever from Pinterest (I mean, where else?!).

A peep wreath from Family Fun Crafts via Pinterest. I just love how bright and cheerful it is!

Next up, great for the kids are Peeps S'mores from Say Yes to Hoboken via Pinterest. Such a fun, colorful update to a traditional treat!

What would be a post about peeps without something for the adults! Try a Peeptini from Home is Where the Boat Is this Easter via Pinterest! A unique twist on a lemon drop martini with a fun garnish of peeps!

Peeps can even be used in decor! Check out this great peeps-inspired mantle banner made from paint chips and free printable artwork over at Spunky Junky via Pinterest. We may be kindred spirits because I can totally relate to her blog post title "I Loathe Easter Grass."

And finally, I just love a well done party favor or gift idea that could be used for the office or kids classrooms! Head on over for your free printable for a peeps topper from eighteen 25 via Pinterest.

Have a Happy Easter Peeps!

InstaFriday {Post Vacation Slump}

While it was a super busy week here on the blog and in the shop, my Instagram feed was pretty light this week!  But, in the name of full disclosure, I'll share what I've got with ya!
 

A stack of oh so pretty pot holders ready for a BIG wholesale order that delivers next week. I cannot WAIT TO TELL YOU about the news!!!

New ruffled tea towels are now available in the shop! They come in a variety of colors just in time for spring, and what's better? They match the aprons in my shop for a great gift set!

Part of having a handmade business is marketing and branding. While browsing the shelves at Target (ok, so maybe while BUYING from the shelves at target) inspiration struck for a new tagging option for some of my products. Luckily, my fabulous friend (and model of all aprons!!!) Carter of Away We Go Studios, happens to also be Love Elaine's graphic designer. So, be on the look out for some pretties soon! (**Side note: if you do have a handmade business, contact Carter. She is amazing at what she does, and her logos are fabulous!)

And finally, please forgive the HORRIBLE photo of me, but I said I was keeping it real. Here I am with the BF on vacation last week. We were in the Mountains. It was quiet, and sunny, and warm, and it was just WONDERFUL. He gets huge amounts of bonus points for planning the whole thing! I think I'll keep him for a while ;)

So, I totally forgot to announce that I'll be a vendor at the upcoming Spring Badda Bing craft show here in Richmond on April 15th! Mark your calendars and come visit me - I'm going to have a new booth (there is a lime green rug involved) and lots of new bags that are not in the shop yet! I hope to see all of my local friends there!

Leibster Blog Award

With vacation last week, I wasn't able to share with you some exciting news - I was nominated for the Leibster Blog Award! From what I gather, its a way for other bloggers to pass along other blogs to their readers and recognize their peers. So much fun, right?!

I was nominated by Kelly at Sew Alluring who found me through my apron tutorial at Sew Mama Sew. Finding new blogs is one of my favorite things about blogging - and of course, sharing them with you! I'm so excited that Kelly thought enough of this little blog to nominate me for the award, which came with the following instructions:

• Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog. Check!
• Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you. Check!
• Copy/paste the blog award on your blog. Check!
• Present the Liebster Blog Award to five blogs (with 200 followers or less). See the list below - I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do!
• Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment. Check!

Here are my nominations:

Purple Panda Quilts - Lyanna is a personal friend (who recently helped me with 2 marathon days of sewing!) and I just love her quilts! We have a similar love for Kate Spain fabrics and all things modern. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about Lyanna as we're planning a trip to Sewing Summit in October!

LO Maintenance Living - Lauren is a fellow Hokie and ZTA Sorority sister. Her blog has lots of great recipes and craft ideas! Cute alert - don't say I didn't warn you that her 2 year old Rylan is seriously ADORABLE!

Jersey Girl Designs - Lauren (according to facebook, I know 12 Laurens!) is another Hokie and ZTA Sorority sister, who knew we were all so talented? We've all come a long way since puffy painting glasses for our littles! For anyone who love sparkly things, be sure to check out her Etsy shop! I just love her stud earrings!

Sew Happy Geek - I just love Jenna's quilts and fabric choices! She has a lot of great sewing tutorials too.

Little Miss Sew It All - Sarah Beth has a lot of super cute projects, you just have to check out her templates for decorating onsies at a recent baby shower she helped throw! Very adorable and super easy!

Thanks to everyone for reading! Lots more news coming your way soon!