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 also the Founder of UpcyclingChallenge.com.

Here’s a look at my Backstory:

Having had to take Painting and Pottery classes as electives in college, I soon realized that I loved the freedom and versatility of art.  As I got older I embraced photography and it became one of my most favorite past times; with no formal education, I feel like I 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, I 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, I decided to experiment with textiles and sewing. Scarves being my favourite accessory, I decided that making a scarf would be my first project. Priding myself on being a Renaissance woman, I taught myself how to assemble the sewing machine and strategized on exactly how I  would execute the project without the aid of a pattern. I 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, I decided to take formal sewing classes. I expressed my desire to be an artist rather than a designer, and my instructor (at the time) shared with me the magical possibilities of silk painting – and again, I 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 my life. I give all credit to my rich cultural upbringing for always being drawn toward deep, vibrant colours and patterns that remind me of home.

With my second child on the way, I realized that my career would need to allow me to be at home with my children. With my husband’s support and encouragement I decided to turn my love of sewing from a hobby into a career by making affordable, custom scarves. My 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. Soon after my daughter was born I 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 DIY blog renamed “Candice Ayala”,  to document all my new sewing and crafty creations.