Meet Jesse Aguilar of Sugar + Dirt Designs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Aguilar.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jesse. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in the beautiful Bitteroot Valley in Montana. It’s a small town with genuine people, and everyone knows everyone. It’s a place I will always consider home, but for as far back as I can remember I had dreams to move to sunny California to seek new opportunities and experience a more diverse culture.

At the age of 21, I initially moved to Santa Clarita and wanted to attend FIDM for fashion design, but financially it was not in the cards for me. I decided to get my cosmetology license and fell in love with everything that being a hairstylist is.

The art, the transformations, the opportunity to help someone feel more beautiful and confident, not only on the outside but inside as well. I built relationships and made lifelong friends in this industry. I realized I felt the most happy when I was creating and when my work built others up.

Shortly after finishing cosmetology school and my internship at a salon in Burbank I decided to move again. I often visited my childhood friend that lived in Pismo Beach, and I fell in love with the area. I also fell in love with a man that encouraged my creativity and supported my every dream.

Ten years (in July) of marriage and three incredible kids later, my cheering squad only grew, and I got more confident in the goals that I set for myself. When my daughter was born I wanted to be home with her, but still wanted to continue doing hair, so I started my own ‘on-location’ hair and makeup business with a friend who was a makeup artist. We were a hair and makeup team that specialized in weddings and special events.

Lovelychic Wedding thrived for eight years, but as my children got older and weekend activities increased, I found myself in a new season of life, and my passions began to shift. I was now finding my creative outlet by doing DIY projects around my house and finding inspiration in home decor. My Dad is a contractor, so I suppose woodworking felt like a natural craft to explore. I started with smaller projects like painting my son’s bed and adding a plumber’s pipe detail to give it character or making farmhouse style signs for our home. The more projects I did, the bigger my ideas got.

My favorite project to date is the playhouse that my husband and I built from scratch. It’s not what you would normally imagine when picturing a playhouse. I wanted it to have an element of design and improve our outdoor space aesthetically while being a fun place for my kids to play and use their imaginations. In all honesty, that playhouse was built as much for me as it was for them. It simply makes me happy every time I look at it sitting on the hill in our back yard.

This is when Sugar and Dirt Designs was born. When we would have guests in our home they would ask where I got a sign on my wall, or they’d point out the butcher board I made to keep our family’s schedule and would ask if they could buy one from me, so I started selling my work. As my home decor style has developed, I have found myself inspired by interior design and have really honed in on what I value in creating a space I love.

When I make decor choices based around a piece that is really special to me, I’ve realized those rooms become my favorite places to be. I am drawn to pieces that have a story and felt a pull to create a business that offers that. I began to research textiles like mudcloth and, and it led me to use these handcrafted fabrics to make pillows and throws.

In September of 2018, I pitched my idea to my husband, and in November I launched Sugar and Dirt Designs as a pillow shop, and the response has been nothing short of amazing. My intention in offering my product is that when you see your S + D pillow sitting on your sofa, it simply brings you joy and invites you into that space.

Has it been a smooth road?
A smooth road? No, of course not. Lesson filled? Absolutely! I feel like any challenge or obstacle is an opportunity to grow and become better. To see what you’re made of or even to steer you towards something bigger.

When I moved to Santa Clarita, I had everything I could fit in my 1991 Honda Accord, $400 and a destination. I was lucky to have my brother, who had been living there for a short time, but we could only afford a tiny apartment, and each worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Things weren’t easy at that time, but we had each other’s backs.

Our parents supported us as much as they could but didn’t have much to spare, and we didn’t expect them to. I spent endless hours on the phone with my sister, and she cheered me on when it would get taxing and doubt would creep in. I worked hard and celebrated the small successes, and little by little I moved forward.

I commuted two hours each way to attend a cosmetology school that offered financial aid and worked nights and weekends. I would sneak sleep in any time I could but it was usually in 3-4 hour stretches, and I was back up to go to one of my jobs or to school.

Ultimately, this period of my life was where I needed to show what I was made of and it turns out, if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will eventually get there.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Sugar and Dirt Designs is just a baby and still maturing into something I hope to be bigger than home décor. Not in the way of a large company, but an impactful one. I make throw pillows from handcrafted fabrics like mudcloth, Hmong and other textiles that have a story.

My plan is not to limit myself in terms of only creating with vintage textiles or ones from other countries, although those have an important space in my company. I have intentions of collaborating with other makers, hand dying pieces myself and simply allowing new opportunities and new ideas as they come.

I know I’m not the only pillow shop out there that uses these fabrics, but I suppose the thing that sets Sugar and Dirt apart is me and my dreams for this shop. I put my heart into my pillow covers, and I am extremely picky with the fabrics I selected. I have to be in love with them, or I won’t carry them.

The thing I’m most proud of is really believing in the community over competition. There are so many amazing artists out there, and beautiful things happen when you work together and build each other up. Authenticity only invites people in, and I wholeheartedly believe that.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Paso Robles is an amazing place to have my business! I’m absolutely blown away by the support our community gives to makers, small businesses and local establishments. We have over 200 wineries, all types of festivals year round, and many businesses host events specifically to support the maker.

Our community shows up, supports small and buys locally. It’s truly unique to see a town that comes together and cheers each other on the way Paso Robles does, and I’m honored to be a part of it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sugaranddirtdesigns.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/sugaranddirtdesigns
• Facebook: @sugaranddirtdesigns

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