sandee royalty

Cute kate spade summer 2013 video. FUN!

2013-05-15T14:29:00.001-05:00

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I am packing for a trip to michigan so this video by kate spade new york was inspiring. I love that they showed so many outfits with pants. I am trying to start wearing some this summer. I just don't seem to ever do it...
xoxo,
Sandee

What I Wore: Modcloth sailor sweater and new yellow and white striped Katie skirt

2013-05-08T18:21:00.002-05:00

new Sandee Royalty Katie dress

I made this new Katie skirt today. I have always wanted a yellow and white stripe after seeing this kate spade skirt...

kate spade 2008

spring 2009 ad campaign

I made another yellow and white striped skirt a couple of years ago but the color was lighter and not the same bold yellow that I love so much

yellow skirt 2011

The fabric was discontinued and I shrunk up my skirt by washing it in hot water so I had no yellow skirt anymore. There was a hole in my heart where the yellow striped skirt was so I made a yellow chevron striped skirt...

sandee royalty chevron skirt

Last week my supplier added a yellow stripe to their line of fabric and now I have a yellow striped skirt again! I am so happy! I made it a little shorter than the chevron so it has a little different look so I can justify having them both. The next thing is a dress!

kate spade spring 2009

I have always loved this dress too! I think I will leave off the bow because I always wear cardigans and it gets in the way but otherwise, I am going to make the same thing pictured here.

My shop is on vacation right now but June 1 I will be back to sewing and the yellow striped and chevron skirt will both be available to order. I am taking off to help my parents move and spend some time in Michigan with my mom and dad. Madeline is coming too and Mark and Harrison will be joining us later. Exciting times!!

Have a super day!
xoxo,

sandee

I finally got an orange Quinn to add to my collection!

2013-04-25T17:07:00.001-05:00

After searching Ebay for over a year, I finally found an orange Quinn purse to add to my Quinn collection. I am so excited so I decided to go with an Orange Katie skirt today! I first had a green sweater but looked like a pumpkin so I paired the orange stripe with bright pink and found a winner. This photo is taken after a day of shopping so I look pretty worn out but I wanted to show off my new Quinn. It is from the older style logo before the license plate and the quality is superb! I really think that the leather is a better grade. That is why I have been looking for so long. I wanted one of the older style bags but not worn out and used looking. It is hard to find but success is sweet! The bag has a hot pink logo lining which inspired me to wear the hot pink J Crew cardigan. I probably could have done without the flower pin but hey, why not? You might as well go all the way! Oh and I found a wonderful perfume today... Marc Jacobs Dot with the bottle that is a Ladybug. It is so fun and spring scented. I think I want it for mother's day...hint hint hint to my family!
Have a super day!
xoxo,
Sandee

Madeline and Me in Modcloth dresses

2013-04-17T12:36:00.003-05:00

This weekend Madeline was in a singing competition and I ordered a dress from modcloth.com for her to wear. She was sooooo cute! She also made the top three in the state of Texas for Songwriting and Vocal Solo. That was super! I decided to wear my modcloth sailor dress with a little cropped cardigan. I reworked the little "dickey" and made it out of hot pink stripe because it needed to be higher up than the one that was on the dress. I love color so instead of the navy, I opted for a bright pop of color in the pink.

We had lots of fun! Everywhere we went, the boys were stopping Madeline to tell her how good she was. It got to be funny because it happened so much. I think it was really good for her confidence. Especially the songwriting. It really helps when other people like your songs!
Live Colorfully!
xoxo,
Sandee

I Love the flash&go hair remover!

2013-04-17T10:32:00.004-05:00

my flash & go hair remover

from bed bath and beyond $299

I have been using the Flash & Go hair remover since I got it for Christmas and it is amazing! I have been waiting to check to see if it really worked before I posted on it and thought now was a good time because summer is coming. I haven't used it on my legs yet because I wanted to try it on a smaller area first. I used it under my arms and am almost hair free after 4 months using it every other week.

I had (notice the use of "HAD") super dark thick hair so I could shave and you couldn't even tell that I did! Now I hardly have to shave at all. It works with a pulsed light targeting dark hair so if your hair is light, it probably won't work. You also have to have light skin or the light will just blink and you can't use it. They are afraid of burns on dark skin. It does hurt a little but totally worth it!

The main reason I love it is because I was cursed with a lot of dark facial hair and it was getting worse and worse as I got older. I used the Flash &Go twice a week on my face and am down to plucking a few hairs every day and that is AMAZING! My facial hair routine was different than my underarms because the problem was lots worse. I would zap first and then pluck to remove the hair that I could and then shave the rest off. Much of the plucked hair didn't come back because the zapping killed the root. If you don't pluck, the dead hair sits in there until it finally falls out. I didn't want to wait around for that. Now, the stubborn hairs pop up and I zap them then pluck them out and they come back less and less. I am so excited about this product and thankful that I found out about it. If you don't have a dark facial hair problem, you wouldn't understand but those of you who do, know what an amazing thing it is to have that hair GONE! I tried laser hair removal about 6 years ago but didn't have good results with 4 treatments. The clinic moved too far away so I stopped. The cost is really high for those treatments. The Flash & GO was $299 at bed bath and beyond and I used my coupon so it was cheaper! It comes with two light cartriges and I am still using the second one after 4 months. If you do your legs it uses it up faster because there is such a large surface area. Face and underarms don't use much but on my face, I used it more often. What is so great its that anytime I have a wild hair pop up, I can zap it right away and keep the problem under control. I seriously had a major problem especially on the face so if it worked for me, it will work for you too! The only thing I regret is not using it earlier because some of my hair has gone gray with age and the Flash & Go only works on dark hair. I will be plucking that hair forever but at least most of the other hair is gone.

Start today and you won't regret it!!! I couldn't be happier!

xoxox,

Sandee

What I wore: Sailor sweater Anchor's and Stripes dress and kate spade Par Avion Clutch

2013-04-09T15:07:00.001-05:00

This is the dress that I made inspired by the Anchor's a Sway dress by Bernie Dexter from modcloth.com. I found the fabric in this etsy shop called five monkeys. It is the exact fabric from the dress so I just made my own version without the collar and sleeves so I could wear it with my sailor cardigan from Hot Topic. The maker is "Hell Bunny"and it can be found here so you don't have to go into the store. It was a real eye-opener. I added my kate spade Par Avion clutch which you can find by searching on ebay. I saw several available this morning. I really like the envelope concept and of course the red white and blue! It is made of a patent PVC so it is good for rainy days too.
Have a lovely day!
xoxo,
Sandee

What I wore: Bird dress and New Ladybug crossbody bag from modcloth!

2013-04-08T15:23:00.002-05:00

ring from forever 21: cheap but cute!

modcloth.com

It is spring here in Houston! Yay! I found this amazing fabric at Joann fabrics last week and it just screamed SPRING. Today the ladybug crossbody bag that I ordered from modcloth arrived so I thought it would be perfect to wear with this new creation.
xoxo,
Sandee

Love my Chevron dress!

2013-04-08T10:26:00.000-05:00

I just love the chevron dress that I got from the Limited! I think it is my favorite dress right now. I am going to try to make one similar. I saw one like this on modcloth.com a while ago and passed on it but now I am regretful.

I carried my green eggs and ham book clutch on Easter because it was orange and had an "egg" theme. Mark had the cutest polka dot shirt and orange bow tie. I opted for cream tights reminiscent of my college days in the 90's because the trend it making a comeback. It is actually a trend from the 60's but has come around again because of the focus on 60's vintage styles lately.

Don't you just love a husband who will wear whatever you pick out for him! I call him my Ken Doll. He has only vetoed a few outfits and probably because I was being a little extreme... Next Easter I am aiming for a seersucker jacket! He had one in high school in the 80's when we were dating and wore it with yellow pants and suspenders. Wow he was a HOTTIE!

I am off to sew some more orders...
Here is one of my new listings for spring. I am just waiting for a wedding so I can wear this skirt!!

this skirt is made from actual 1960's decorator fabric.

wish list from new arrivals for spring 2013

2013-04-05T14:07:00.000-05:00

I am really in love with these things from kate spade! I am going to save some $$ to purchase at least something on my list! The apple wristlet is my favorite right now! I found some cotton wicker fabric to make a dress, so that is probably going to happen soon. I have several gingham dresses but I would like some more so maybe the orange or the blue... sorry about the backs of the girls in the picture, it was the only thing I could get fast.

Live Colorfully!

xoxo, Sandee

Darling kate spade bath accessories at bed bath and beyond!

2013-04-04T13:42:00.003-05:00

bath accessories from bed bath and beyond

I am loving these bath accessories! The rainbow chevron print is just perfect for my guest bath. It is right next to my Design Studio so the chevron is so inspiring. I have so many orders for chevron skirts in bright , fun colors that I would like the fun to carry over into the rest of the house too! It almost looks like ric rac rainbows!

Never forget to live colorfully!

xoxo

Sandee

The Limited for spring!

2013-03-27T10:29:00.000-05:00

I hit The Limited for some awesome spring clothes and here is what I picked up!

Stitched pleat flare skirt $59

This one I got a small in because it fit perfectly. The navy sailor skirt I got a medium because the pleats hung better and it sat a little lower on my waist.

high waist inverted pleat sailor skirt $59

Sophie Theallet shirtdress $118

I could fit in the 6 or 8 in this one but I picked the 6 because it looked more vintage when it was fitted. The arms are a little snug for wearing to do housework but it is great for shopping and lunch with the girls.

chevron striped dress $98

This one I got a 6. It has an organdy lining inside the skirt to make it poof out. It is more poofy than this picture. I think this one will be my easter dress...so far.

Striped flared-skirt dress $98

This looks a lot like my own design and the kate spade striped dress too. What made me grab this one also is that it is unlined and made of a thinner stretch cotton which makes it perfect for around the house in the summer. I got an 8 because the 6 was sold out in my store and then I just took it home and altered the bodice to fit. I left it a little looser so it would be comfy on summer days. Another difference between this dress and my Sandee Royalty version is that the stripe is cream and it is a little wider than my stripe.

see, this is my version...really lots different...really!

These dresses are almost sold out online but have just been released into the Limited shops this week. Yesterday there was a sale 50% OFF so run over there to take advantage of the major savings. That is why I went crazy and bought so many dresses. As my mom always says, "You couldn't make it for that!" That means that the cost of the fabric and notions would be more than just buying the dress already made in the store. In this case, I couldn't have found fabric as cute as these dresses and the time to sew is already taken up by lots of orders that I am working on in my studio. All in all it was a fun shopping day!

Oh, I also picked up this cardigan at Hot Topic, yes you heard me right....

I have a black version that I bought from modcloth.com and this navy one was only $39 instead of $59 that I paid for the modcoth one. They also have it in the black too! I really love this cardigan so it was worth it to be scared going into hot topic. I had my teenage daughter with me so that helped too. The have it online if you don't want to venture into the store.

Have a great day!
xoxo,
Sandee

Cute Sailor Dresses- my new spring theme!

2013-03-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

I have been crazy for sailor this spring and have stocked up on a few dresses. Some of them you have seen already in outfit posts but I wanted to put them all together as a resource for the sailor girls out there!

luxury craft dress $149 from modcloth.com

I haven't worn this dress yet because I was saving it for Easter. I have since purchased about 12 other Easter dresses so I will be wearing it soon. I am planning on removing the navy inset at the v of the collar called a " dickey" and replacing it with red and white striped fabric. I can't seem to find a piece of fabric that will work but I am still looking. It fits true to size I got a medium. It is super long (mid calf) for me but I like the 40's feel that it give the dress. I can wear it with a cardigan because the back of the collar lifts up so you can put the cardi underneath! A plus for chilly spring mornings and cool nights. I highly recommend this dress!

Cute Clipper dress $104 from modcloth

This one is really cute! It has an attached collar in the back so it doesn't do a cardigan well but I have a v neck cropped cardigan from modcloth that works. It covers a little of the collar in the back but you still get the cuteness factor and stay warm too. The fabric is thin cotton and unlined so it needs a slip but the fit is amazing! I got a medium in this one. I added a little white fabric "dickey" at the v neck because it was a little low for me but it looks like it belonged on the dress so I am happy with it.

Anchors a Sway dress $155 from modcloth

This one I actually didn't purchase because I found the exact same lovely anchor fabric online and just made my own for $30. You can find the fabric here. It is by Michael Miller Stay the course and has lots of cute coordinates that I am going to make for summer dresses.

Sea Shanty Singing Dress $129 from modcloth

This one runs small. I ordered a large and I usually wear a 6 in dresses. It is made from a heavy polyester gaberdine fabric that feels really nice and doesn't need a slip or lining so it will still be cool enough for summer. It is really long and swirly!

I hope this little review helps you out with your sailor dress wardrobe! have a great day today!
xoxo,

Sandee

what I wore: Modcloth sailor top and new orange striped Sandee Royalty katie skirt

2013-03-27T08:32:00.001-05:00

I have been adding some new skirts to my shop and this Orange Katie skirt is one of the new additions. I paired it with a sailor top from modcloth.com and the navy cropped cardigan also from modcloth. I really love the orange. It is a nice change from red and pink. I want to pair it with pink next time. I love an orange and pink combo.

click here to view the outfit on modcloth style gallery

sandeeroyalty.com

I also added this new ball skirt for all the music lovers like me! It is stunning! I can't wait to wear it to a concert in the park this spring. It can really dress up or down well. I tried it with a button down with rhinestone buttons for a dressy look and a tank top to make it more casual. It also depends on the shoes. I picked up some rhinestone sandals to wear with it in the summer.

Have a super duper day!
xoxo,
Sandee

kate spade Saturday opened online today!

2013-03-21T13:01:00.002-05:00

This morning, the kate spade Saturday shop opened at saturday.com . I checked it out when it opened in Japan earlier this year so I knew what the things would be but it was nice to see it knowing I could actually purchase something if I wanted to. I was interested in the t shirts and ponte tops but that was about it. I don't think I am a Saturday type of girl. I like to dress up almost everyday. If I did want to dress casual, I have lots of clothes that I rarely wear that I could bring out of the closet. It is still a really cool idea and I like the colors! What do you think about kate spade Saturday?

xoxo,

Sandee

what i wore: Newspaper headlines skirt and all typed up clyde

2013-03-15T18:38:00.001-05:00

Today I went with a writer theme and wore my newspaper headlines skirt and carried my typewriter bag.

Lots of people stopped me and commented on my skirt while I was out antiquing today. It was so much fun!

Have a lovely weekend!
xoxo,
Sandee

What I wore: My typewriter dress!

2013-03-08T22:34:00.001-06:00

As some of you know, I have a super cute kate spade typewriter purse. Well, it has gotten me into a typewriter craze. I found this amazing fabric from japan on etsy last year and purchased just enough for this dress. It was really expensive fabric so I didn't want to get too much of it. Later I found it in another colorway and made another identical dress because I like it so much. Now it is all sold out everywhere and I wish I had some more for my shop! It is a really heavy cotton linen mix and works great year round here in houston. I threw on my modcloth cardigan to bring out the black keys on the typewriters. I also added a black belt but opted for red shoes from kate spade. It was really fun to wear shopping because people would comment on the outfit everywhere I went. It started to get old though after a few hours...
I did pick up a dress a the kate spade outlet and three jackie cardigans and the j crew outlet. Jackpot!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!
xoxo,
Sandee

What I wore: it is a polka dot day!

2013-03-07T15:36:00.001-06:00

This is the exact same dress that I have in light blue with white dots and also in cream with black dots. This one today is navy with cream dots.

I like the dream of the crop cardigan that I got at Modcloth.com because it is really cropped and lets the waist of the dress show a little bit. I wore rust tights because I might not be able to wear tights soon because the weather is heating up in Houston.

Have a great day!
xoxo,
Sandee

kate spade plans whimsical purses for summer!

2013-03-06T08:16:00.002-06:00

I always love the unique whimsical clutches that kate spade new york designs! There are some cute ones planned for summer and this time they have a nice metal strap so you can carry it over your shoulder. Yay! I love to carry a clutch but sometimes, it gets tiring. When I am out on a date with Mark, sometimes we go shopping after dinner if we finish early and it is a real drag to carry a clutch around the shops. I can't even hold up something to me to see how it looks without having to pass the bag off to Mark to hold. Now, with these new straps, I can have the best of both worlds! I am so excited. Especially for the popcorn bag.

road trip licence plate clutch $378

cinema city samira $298

cinema city popcorn bag $358

The Radio samira is available right now on katespade.com and it also had a lovely gold strap. Here is a picture of the radio clutch with the strap.

Have a happy Wednesday!
xoxo,
Sandee

New kate spade mini wish list- Think Pink!

2013-03-04T08:59:00.000-06:00

Celina dress via Nordstrom.com

My favorite dress is now available in hot pink! I really love this color, its name is Zinnia. I really want to buy this dress today but I think I will attempt to make it first. I seem to get a better fit and save money when I make my own dresses. I also make them with machine washable cotton which is better for my lifestyle. The pink one by kate spade is made with a stretch cotton but it still needs to be dry cleaned

sandeeroyalty.com

I have a version this dress in yellow and white that I made for my shop last year. I used to sell it on sandeeroyalty.com but I stopped making dresses and focus on skirts right now. The pink kate spade dress is just amazing! I might have to stay up late tonight to make one for myself...

I also like this Felix dress in pink plaid silk!

kate spade felix silk dress from nordstrom.com

The plaids on this dress match up perfectly! I know how hard that is so I have a real respect for this dress..
I love the mix of pink, burgundy and turquoise. It is an unusual color combination that makes this dress stand out in a crowd.

Have a lovely day!
xoxo,
Sandee

What I wore: ladybug dress

2013-02-27T18:32:00.001-06:00

I bought some more fabric from etsy and made this little dress. I just love the little red lady bugs. I paired it with a red cardigan and some dotted flower pins for fun!
xoxo,
Sandee

what I wore: blue dotted rose' bubbly dress

2013-02-26T12:53:00.001-06:00

I was feeling a bit of spring today in my new blue dotted Rose` Bubbly dress. It is the only dress I have ever had in this light blue color but I really like it. I paired it with a pretty pink to go with the spring/easter egg theme. I wore my handmade necklace with pink flowers on it to add some flair.

I pieced this necklace together by using several necklaces from various places and times. It turned out way better than just a single necklace on its own. I love that it has meaning to me too!

This dress came from a local boutique here in Houston but it is available on modcloth.com in two other colors.

modcloth.com Rose` bubbly dress $!57.99

modcloth.com $157.99

I have had both of these dresses by Taylor for modcloth in my shopping cart several times but never took the plunge. When I spotted the light blue in the window of a shop in town last week, I had to grab it. To my surprise, they also had a navy and white dot so I got that one also. Navy is the new black for spring this year (and every year). I totally recommend this dress if you like vintage style dresses. It has a pretty little sheer stripe and buttons in the back which gives it a nice touch. I think that the fit is generous so if you are small in the waist, you can size down. I usually wear a 6 or 8 in kate spade and I got a size 6 with room to spare. It is nice to be more comfortable for a change. Especially because I am going to be sewing in it today.

Live colorfully!

xoxo,

Sandee

Wore my Elephant dress today!

2013-02-25T13:54:00.001-06:00

I made this little dress with some fabric from etsy.com.

I just love the little grey elephants. It is from the dear Stella play date collection. I just used my regular fitted bodice pattern and box pleated on the skirt.

Have a charming day!
xoxo,
Sandee

Spendthrift Couture Styles the Newspaper Headlines Skirt

2013-02-25T12:18:00.000-06:00

via: spendthriftcouture.com

The lovely Laurie Roma from spendthriftcouture.com purchased one of my Katie skirts and styled it super charmingly on her blog. She ordered the Newspaper Headlines Katie skirt. I really like the way she paired it with the red simple top and all solid black on the bottom. The addition of the bow belt was really great to accent her tiny waist. I really love the newsprint fabric because it has headlines from historical events in US history.

I like reading them when I am bored... it is like a little history lesson.

have a charming day!
xoxo,
Sandee

kate spade and target are both dancing the polka "dot"

2013-02-22T17:33:00.002-06:00

bryce crossbody bag $198 at katespade.com

merona dot cross body bag $19 at target

I never say no to a good polka dot and these bags are very tempting. I usually go with the kate spade version because I like leather but both of these are cute. The ksny version can hold an ipad so that is a plus! I haven't tried out the target bag with an ipad but it looks a little smaller. It is made of cotton fabric coated with a shiny plastic like some of the kate spade bags I have seen before. The quality is much better than if target had tried a fake leather like some of the kate spade outlet bags. I just can't get over the shiny plastic look. I prefer the coated fabric over plastic.

I purchased some iron on vinyl to coat my striped and chevron fabric in my shop. I want to make tote bags and make up pouches. I tried it but it turned out yucky. I bought a new iron and am going to try it out again to see if that makes a difference. I think some companies sell coated fabric for craft purposes, I am going to check it out...
Have a great weekend!
xoxo,
Sandee

**I have changed my blog name from katespade-aholic to sandee royalty because now that I have my own successful brand, I can't really justify loving another brand more than my own...I still love and will post about kate spade but don't have enough time to focus entirely on ksny vs. my own products. I hope you will still hang out with me here anyway!

Sailing through the day with a Mod cloth sailor top with chevron skirt

2013-02-22T14:44:00.001-06:00

I just got my order in the mail from Modcloth. I really wanted to wear my sailor top but it is still kind of chilly. I paired it with a Grey cardigan to tone down the spring look. I am really loving the things that I have purchased at Modcloth.com . The quality is not as good as ksny by a long shot. The price and cuteness is great though. Go check it out!
Live colorfully!
xoxo,
Sandee