About Leandra & ItalianSicilianGifts.com
Ciao! I’m Leandra, the passionate founder of ItalianSicilianGifts.com—a woman-owned boutique celebrating Italian and Sicilian heritage with meaningful, playful gifts. Creating these since 2015, all items are crafted and shipped by trusted partners. As a U.S.-born daughter of Sicilian parents (Mom from Palermo, Dad from Terrasini), I grew up speaking fluent Sicilian, immersed in our family’s traditions, values, humor, and that iconic Sicilian spirit.
Born and raised in the U.S., I’m the proud daughter of Sicilian parents (Mom from Palermo, Dad from Terrasini). Sicilian was the language of our home — I speak it fluently, just like my parents and all four grandparents — along with the traditions, values, humor, and unmistakable Sicilian spirit that shaped me.
A Heritage Rooted in San Pedro & the Sea
San Pedro, California, is my lifelong home—a community steeped in Sicilian and Italian roots, connected by the sea, church, and unbreakable bonds. At Mary Star of the Sea school, the church (built by fishing families) boasts an imported marble altar, Italian mosaics, and a Virgin Mary statue cradling a fishing boat. As a kid, I’d stare at her, drawing calm and strength—a symbol of our heritage and the honor of seaside hard work.
My grandfather fished the docks at the Port of Los Angeles, like so many Sicilian men. Stories of Terminal Island’s canneries, sacrifices, and tight-knit lives live on. A highlight: my dad rescued a boy from drowning at the docks—it hit the papers, and we cherish the clipping. It embodies our spirit: always looking out for one another.
Hard Work, Style & Creative Influence
Work ethic runs deep, but so does style. My dad, Sebastiano, owned Sebastian Hair Design salon for years, immersing me in fashion, color, and design. His motto, “Less is MORE,” still guides my artwork. My parents loved critiquing Oscar dresses over pizza — those evenings taught me that true style is confidence, personality, and attention to detail. My mom, Maria, managed a dental office with steady care and consistency, showing how small gestures matter — something that still influences how I create today.
I studied graphic design and merchandising at FIDM, blending family influence with formal training to create heartfelt, fashion-forward pieces.
Godparents & Catholic School Memories
My godparents, Anna Maria and Pasquale — like second parents to me, though they argued constantly — hold a special place in my heart. In Catholic school, the nuns said if your parents died, your godparents would raise you. Terrified of living amid their bickering, I prayed every night for my parents to live a very long time. That childhood mix of reverence, humor, and very practical kid logic has stayed with me.
Famiglia, Food & a Little Stugots
Our home buzzed with famiglia: loud laughter, generational stories, and Sunday gatherings around my mom’s incredible cooking — fragrant tomato sauce, homemade cannoli, and all. These moments of pride, warmth, sarcasm, and a little stugots (the loving, stubborn, “don’t tell me how to do it” kind) inspired ItalianSicilianGifts.com.
I created the shop to share that connection with others who feel the pull of their Italian/Sicilian roots — honoring Nonna’s wisdom, Nonno’s sea stories, traditions, and our unapologetic, playful pride.
What You’ll Find Here 🇮🇹
🇮🇹 Personalized Italian & Sicilian gifts: custom aprons, mugs, tees, hoodies, hats, and décor with insider sayings.
⚓ Rooted in real stories from docks, kitchens, churches, fashion, and food.
🇺🇸 High-quality, American-made with premium materials.
📍 Created in San Pedro, California — true to the community that raised me.
My Trusted Partners
All items are crafted and shipped by my trusted fulfillment partners so I can focus on designing authentic, heritage-inspired pieces. Zazzle (where I started in 2015 as "Silly Sicilian") provides the widest selection and deep customization for kitchen items, wedding favors, and more. Fine Art America delivers premium, archival-quality wall art and décor like Italian saying prints and kitchen-themed pieces. Amazon handles apparel favorites (tees, hoodies, tanks) plus select pillows and tumblers with fast, reliable shipping. This way, everything arrives high-quality and ready to celebrate our Sicilian pride — no inventory hassles for me, just more time to create.
For the full story on why these partners, see my recent Medium article. 📣
My mission:My mission: Create personalized, meaningful gifts that ignite smiles, stories, and lasting memories—ideal for Italian weddings, baptisms, holidays, birthdays, new arrivals, reunions, or everyday joy. Grazie mille for being part of this growing famiglia! Your heritage tales inspire me—share how our pieces touch your life.
Con tanto affetto, ❤️
Leandra
Founder, ItalianSicilianGifts.com
San Pedro, California
That's Me! ⬇️ Doing what I do! I'm an INTENSE SICILIAN...what do you want? ⬇️
I shared the story behind why I created ItalianSicilianGifts.com in a recent Medium article.
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