Summer 2011 Handmade Gift Exchange ~ Giving

Discovering the fabulousness of the crafty blogging community has been an awesome experience. There are crazy numbers of groups to participate in, events to enjoy, giveaways to enter, and products to peruse. I get so engrossed in the activities and stories that I keep forgetting to post my own. Lists to keep track of it all are definitely in order… another area of my life that needs a major reorganization rehaul.

In May I signed up for the June 2011 Handmade Gift Exchange. I researched the feedback and photos from previous Exchanges and everyone seemed to enjoy it so much. My name was submitted to the mix (or perhaps an excel spreadsheet?) and I was matched with lovely Emily in CA. Emily, owner of The Biggest Princess on Etsy, and I exchanged a few emails trying to gather just enough info to figure each other out without revealing what our surprise gifts to each other might be. I learned that not only is Emily a dear person, but that she enjoys 40’s and 50’s vintage styles, decorates wedding cakes as a second, joyful occupation, and has an upcoming wedding herself with a country-vintage feel incorporating blues and pinks. My mind immediately went to the apron category. And I just so happened to have a retro-repro apron pattern in my stash that I needed an excuse to try out.

I found a great vintage fabric that just so happened to be blue with pink and cream flower thingies and paired it with new pink cotton, some piping, and lace hem tape (that I totally didn't use the correct way). 

And it turned out like this:

(I “paid” a friend to model for me. Luckily she accepted braided, fabric headbands as currency.)

The pattern presented a few minor challenges, and I created a few hiccups for myself, but overall I think it came out fairly well. At least Emily said she liked it. ;-)

What a fun event to participate in. Thank you very much, Linda @ Craftaholics Anonymous, for hosting another round of the Handmade Gift Exchange. My first time joining in will certainly not be my last!

Keep an eye out for an upcoming post showing off the lovelies I received from Miss Emily. Such fabulous, generous, talented presents!!!