Hi Reader!
Thank you so much for stopping by today! My name is Candice Ayala, I’m not a fan of labels but I like to consider myself as a person who sews, who enjoys all forms of DIY and who is utterly obsessed with upcycling and refashion! I am the Founder & CEO of SewingPortfolios, LLC. Sewing Portfolios works as a worldwide hub to connect all different types and levels of people who sew with sewing related businesses that could best benefit both the needs and brands of each other – (all for free!).  I am also a teacher, speaker, pdf pattern designer, influencer, and content creator for the brands I share about on my blog.

Here’s a look at my Backstory:

Having had to take Painting and Pottery classes as electives in college, Candice soon realized that she loved the freedom and versatility of art.  As she got older she embraced photography and it became one of her most favorite past times; with no formal education, she had the natural ability to capture seemingly mundane everyday things in their simple and unnoticed beauty.

To escape the pressures of a humdrum  40 hours a week desk job, Candice became an extreme hobbyist – trying everything from jewellery making, to leather etching, to glass painting and just about anything that had to do with crafting. Finally, she decided to experiment with textiles and sewing. Scarves being her favourite accessory, she decided that making a scarf would be her first project. Priding herself on being a Renaissance woman, she taught herself how to assemble the sewing machine and strategized on exactly how she would execute the project without the aid of a pattern. She stumbled upon a design technique, very much by mistake, and immediately fell in love with the artistic prospects of fabric.

Enthralled by the creative possibilities that textiles presented, Candice decided to take formal sewing classes. Expressing her desire to be an artist rather than a designer, her instructor shared with her the magical possibilities of silk painting – and again, Candice became obsessed with this new idea.

Being born and raised in Central American country of Belize – a country known for having many richly unique and diverse cultures – it is no wonder that bright colors, and textures of art (in any medium), have always been interlaced in the tapestry of her life. Candice gives credit to her rich cultural upbringing for always being drawn toward deep, vibrant colours and patterns that remind her of home.

With her second child on the way, Candice realized that her career would need to allow her to be at home with her children. With her husband’s support and encouragement she decided to turn her love of sewing from a hobby into a career by making affordable, custom scarves. Her style is simple, functionable, and fashionable with just a hint of modest elegance – in one word, Regal. In 2011 the online store “Regal Appeal” was created to sell and showcase her one of a kind custom scarves.

After her daughter was born Candice became obsessed with sewing dresses for her, with the same modest, vintage appeal….and so, in 2014 the shop “Regal Appeal” slowly transformed into a Lifestyle blog renamed “Candice Ayala”,  to document all her new sewing and crafty creations.