My Polyvore Gray Day

Unfortunately, I am now sick (and over my spring break vaca no less). Thankfully, I'm working with watercolors, and not oil paints, (which makes painting much more difficult when I'm sick) for my up and coming art exhibit. I'm able to get some work done in small bouts of energy. Still, I've had to be in bed and watch reruns of the wedding singer to comfort me, but I'm worried about how I'm going to get everything I need for the exhibit done. I have so much in my mind that I want to do and such little energy and time to do it. -_-

I thought for today's blog post I would fantasize about what I would wear if I could get up and be a fly girl today (which I have aptly named my Gray day) who knows it might actually motivate me!
And for those of you who have yet to be entranced by Polyvore you really need to try this digital collage mecca for your style dreams, fantasies, wish list and flat out designer fun like some of my fellow bloggers do! Often there are even creative challenge questions posted to help you start.

Polyvore is very addictive!

Amarettogirl's Gray Day by Amarettogirl featuring Stella McCartney bags

Those boots are So SO me, wish I owned them- in fact I do own Fornarina knee high boots that remind me of these!

Well next post I will be back with some new work that is coming along for the Azucarera gallery so stay tuned.

So tell me what motivates YOU on a GRAY day??

- Ciao Amaretttogirl

Special Delivery!

Woo Hoo! Don't you love getting special envelopes in the mail?? Yesterday, I received my eagerly awaited package from Etsy seller and illustrator Hidden Eloise!! I purchased some wares and am dying to get them framed and hung up in my home. This was coming from London, so I waited in anticipation. Being an artist, I have to really love it to want to collect it and I do! Since it was packaged SO SO lovely I wanted to share it with all of you!

My package from Artist/Illustrator and Etsy Seller Hidden Eloise

For those who know me and my art (especially my animal headed humans), for the past two years I've been grappling with my relationship to the land and my dichotomous animal nature. In addition, I just happen to live in bear country (see them all the time now) so when I came across Hidden Eloise's work I kind of fell in love! I got a twofer giclee print, a pocket mirror, a button, some stickers and a card with a 'lovely' note!

All the awesome stuff by Hidden Eloise in that little envelope!

Hope you liked this as much as I did and...
TELL me in this digi age of communication what was the last WONDERFUl thing you unearthed from the mailbox??

GIVEAWAY is still going strong, You can still enter and April 4th is getting closer!!!

Ciao- Amarettogirl

New Work...is on its way...

Since I have to get back to work (art making that is) for my up and coming exhibit at the Azucarera gallery (April 10th - 30th), I spent the majority of yesterday preparing the ground on my paper. I revived good 'ol tea-staining and experimented with marbling. I actually love the results and then I stood up until 3:30am starting the first piece. Thought you all might like to see what I'm up to.

If you're interested in tea-staining be sure to have a whole night - the results are much better with good quality rag paper and an overnight soak.

black tea staininga detail shot of the overnight results of tea-staining prepared grounds with experiments in marbling and my first piece on its way pic by m.diaz my newest piece in progress by marisol diaz a detail shot art and photo by marisol diaz

I really don't know what direction this will all go in - but its seems I'm still caught up in the last Unearthly woman concept...We'll see where it wall takes me.

-Ciao Amarettogirl

Illustrations for Two More Pen Pals and Indie shop Owners!

Ok so hopefully I could get back to doing some artwork for the exhibit coming up and stop being distracted by the urge to draw for my pen pals since these are the last two on my list!

Just call me the 'Queen of Procrastination' (though wouldn't it be cool to have a whole solo show on pen pal illustrations tee-hee) just kidding. Seriously I have to get serious...but for now here is some fun stuff.Little Illo for my penpal Marcie owner of Redstarink by m.diaz

First we have Marcie who owns a wonderful paper printing co. named REDSTARINK which you must see! My typography-fan readers will appreciate her clean, organized design aesthetic and her products to help you live more efficiently!
As you can see I reversed the words star and ink in my illo - hope Marcie doesn't mind the play with the words.

Then we have Bri who makes gorgeous head bands with butterflies and/or flowers- you need to check out her blog at Little Miss Famous to see! All my hipster lady friends will so want to buy one of those!

Little Illo for my penpal Bri owner of Little Miss Famous and maker of butterfly headbands by m.diaz

Well thats that for today. Thanks to all the wonderful responses I got to the last pen pal post about what kind of cupcake you would be if you were one- I got such creative and revealing answers!! And reader Emi found a seriously thorough what kind of cupcake would you be quiz that you should totally try.

Its hard to rival such a great q&a session but lets try...so in keeping with the cupcake you said you would be in the last pen pal post what would the ideal drink with which to accompany your cupcake be if one were consuming you?

P.S. It's not to late to join the April 4th Basket Giveaway Raffle! For some of us Spring Break has started and the challenge to stop by has just become more difficult so your chances of winning are actually good! Just comment on every post since the GIVEAWAY post AND be sure to leave a NUMBER on your last comment on April 4th before 9pm!!

Little Things that Add the Illusion of Decadence to my Daily Life...

For any one that knows me, they know that somedays are just not easy and like many of us, I'm faced with having to muster up the emotional strength and courage to face another onslaught of oncoming 'life' traffic. So to those days and to all of you who can use a little decadence in your lives (especially when affluence is not in the cards) here is a little post that I think might help since it helps me!

Reflective Pool - I love to scope out windows in NYC - call it window shopping for pics! photo by m.diaz of Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Window

Designer Treats CHEAP!

Gaultier for Target

Yes, as of March 7th Target has added Jean Paul Gaultier for Target® to their limited designer series and it make me smile! Anything that brings accessibility to the ordinarily exclusive makes me happy. Since my college days (way back when) I've been a fan of slip dresses and in this target collection there are two; a green, black and white one and a pink and black one and now I have both! Yay!

Bella Cucina Lemon Cream

Lemon Cream
This is one of those little opulent secrets I have that make me feel SO rich when I'm SSO not!! In the morning, I like to make some black tea and spread some of this Bella Cucina Artful Food Lemon Cream on raisin bread and mmm mmm mmmm! I just learned that this co. also has a blog called The Art of Food and there are often exquisite recipes shared! Bella also has a book entitled La Bella Vita Cookbook which includes not only more recipes but inspiration as well.

Mad Hatter at my back...TEA!!

Speaking of tea, I am a tea freak! I have a ridiculous attraction for a ceramic lined tea thermos and special tea-cups. Japanese green tea from Mitsuwa, but everyday is a black tea day.

Harney & Sons Paris Black tea

A good tried and true black tea the Tazo Earl Grey BUT for those extra special splurge days I have to give it to Harney & Sons Paris tea!

My personal advisees wearing my wares

Support

There's an old adage that says you shouldn't be friends with your students, they have friends as it is and your job as an educator is to be removed from that. However, I find that idea prescribes to a very limited definition of friendship and it inhibits mentoring as an advisor. It is also an archaic form of education. We are people with stories, led by these narratives and by the very act of exchanging those stories we are developing friendships and mutual respect.

So needless to say, another joy of my daily life is teaching, sharing, GIVING and exchanging with younger and simply OTHER human beings. In this pic my personal advisees and I, their personal advisor, flaunt our holiday gifts to eachother! Click the pic to see the Mai Sweetshop rings I made for each of them.

All Things Japanese

Mitsuwa Bean Cake

Love, Love, Love japanese craft books and going down to Edgewater, New Jersey where there is an Asian market named Mitsuwa that provides you a miniature experience of transporting you to Japan. They sell the best grocery treats and have an in-house cafeteria where you can get the most amazing sweet bean cakes in the shape of fish! I love all things Japanese and these are no exception- always guaranteed to bring a smile to my face!!

Nature Walks and The Discovery Channel

from LIFE Dscvry Photo by Anup Shah

Going for long walks on a beautiful sunny day always makes me feel wondrously fortunate. After Planet Earth the next thing that gives me a sense of wonder and opulence is watching the new Discovery Channel series LIFE narrated by Oprah Winfrey. In this pic an African elephant calf follows its mother in Kenya's Masai Mara game reserve. Click to see this photo by Anup Shah Naturepl.com to see it larger. Watch this with a little metal silver cup of ice cream with a long silver spoon and you will feel like your being carried in a canopy over the world.

Ok Your turn!

There's more but this post is getting long enough as it is. Share with all of us - What adds a little bit opulence/decadence/luxury or simply what make you feel so RICH when your so not?

Sweet Illustrations for My Penpals

Here are two illustrations for two out of my now four penpals from my Indie 2.o class!

Samia's Illustraion my Holland based Pen-pal, by m. diaz

I did this one by hand as a quick illo in my sketchbook and decided to keep it for Samia's letter.

For Salmezan, I decided to play with a cupcake drawing I did in my sketchbook that I scanned into photoshop. I layered the background with collaged digi pics and placed in a font that I later hand outlined. It came out a bit too green,but I still like it.

An Illo for my London based penpal Salmezan by m.diaz

So here's a silly question for you! If you were a cupcake what kind of cupcake would you be?

Let me hear about your filling as well as your topping. For example you might be a chocolate cupcake with ganache and raspberry filling and pink icing,or you might be red velvet cupcake with butter cream icing. Do you have any sprinkles or a cherry on top?
Be creative, you're a cupcake!

P.S. It's not to late to join the April 4th Basket Giveaway Raffle! Just comment on every post since the GIVEAWAY post AND be sure to leave a NUMBER on your last comment on April 4th before 9pm!!! We've decided we will VIDEO TAPE the number drop through the bingo cage to reveal our HONEST attempt to fairly choose a winner!

Bucket List Number 1. The Ice Hotel

ICEHOTEL,Sweden2006-07.Photo Big Ben Productions.

Imagine a river in Sweden that freezes every year and is excavated in ice to be carved, engineered, sculpted and constructed into a temporal ICE HOTEL. Now imagine that you get to go to said hotel during the Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis. Now realize you are in a one of kind structure that when Spring arrives will melt back down to water. This is my Bucket List entry number one. The last flight leaves this Saturday and sadly this year I will not be on it, but one year I will.

The dropping of the temperature to several degrees below zero in Jukkasjärvi marks the start of an ephemeral art endeavour.

Using only frozen water form the Torne River, artists from all over the world gather in this small Swedish village, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, to create an exclusive art exhibition: ICEHOTEL.

The art is created with imagination and hard work, only to melt away under the unforgiving rays of the sun come springtime. All that remains are our impressions, our memories - and photographs. - ICE HOTEL SITE

I realize that I currently sleep with an electric blanket (one of 4), a sweatshirt and an electric heater by my side (I am a Puerto Rican living in the Northeast after all) but for this experience I would certainly sacrifice. When you plan a trip to visit and stay in the Ice Hotel you can choose between how many nights you would like a 'COLD' accommodation or a warm one. It seems the popular thing to do is one night cold and the others warm. The cold rooms range in style and type, from more grandiose Art/Deluxe Suites to simpler snow rooms.

To sleep in a room made of ice and snow is a surreal experience and a memory for life. You sleep in thermal sleeping bags on a special bed built of snow and ice, on reindeer skins. You are awakened in the morning with a cup of hot lingonberry juice at your bedside. Breakfast buffet, winter overall, boots, mittens, morning sauna and towels included.

Photo by Neringafoto of Ice hotel. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Artist/s: AnnaSofia Mååg Suite: Rest in the Nest

Ok so TELL me please ONE mega WISH-List from your BUCket list!! Share I want to know!!

-Ciao Amarettogirl

The Kokeshi Doll Trend & Make Your OWN!

Traditional Kokeshi dolls from JANM

What is Kokeshi?? Well, according to Japanya site:

Kokeshi dolls originate from the Tohoku region of Northern Japan, an area well-known for its onsen (hot spring) resorts. These handmade wooden dolls are thought to date back to the early 19th century when kijiya (woodworkers), accustomed to making bowls and trays, began using their woodworking skills and lathes to make simple dolls to sell as toys and souvenirs to the onsen visitors. The dolls may originally have had a spiritual significance with the kokeshi representing a wish for a healthy child.

Usually you can find the artist signature under the doll.

This trend is hot! Right now on Etsy you can find some diversified Kokeshi inspired wares such as; Aprons, Bags, clothing, Customs, shoes, etc., just check out some of these creative Etsy Sellers!

Pocket Mirror by seller Pinkytoast handpainted shoes by seller JLPerillo dress by Holycrapclothing Kokeshi bookmarks by Zou Zou designs A Momiji Lucky Doll - The one I own!

Contemporary Kokeshi dolls have found their way into the Urban Toy market, on the internet and in hot crafty corners like Etsy.

The company Momiji is based in Warwickshire, England and has gone international with their Kokeshi-like dolls. They have cleverly incorporated little secret message space in their Momiji dolls and have been selling them in Art and Design, Museum Gift shops, Comic and music stores around the country too! Momiji has received a lot of press too in magazine's such as Dazed and Confused, POP Magazine, Elle Decoration, The Sunday Times, The Independent, The Observer and Computer Arts Projects too.

I thought it would be fun to write a post about the interesting history of Kokeshi dolls and inspire you to try to make YOUR own since you can even find Kokeshi ORIGINAl Hand-painted Artist Kokeshi dolls AND Do it yourself KITS on Etsy these days too!

Handpainted Kokeshi by seller Dandelionland Handpainted Kokeshi by seller Zombuki

>>To see a wonderful gallery of exhibited high-end Contemporary Artist painted Kokeshi that range from sweet, to dark, to sublime, to creative, to extravagant go to the Japanese American National Museum Site and check out their info on the PAST exhibit (it was from July 11th - Oct. 4th 2009)- but They still have many of the customs available in their shop and they are amazing to look at!! The prices range from $200-$650 (as far as I can tell) - the link is HERE!!

But here's the best part of this post- In the US you can currently go to most craft shops like Michael's or A.C. Moore (or any other that you know of that sells wood pieces or parts) Or if you're anywhere (even outside the US) you can buy the assembled parts from an Esty Seller like Zombuki and MAKE YOUR OWN!!!

From JANM by artist Amy Huddleston a DIY Kokeshi doll from Etsy seller Zombuki

If you get inspired to try your hand at designing and painting your own Kokeshi doll from this blog - PLEASE let me know I would love to SEE it and Post about it!

P.S. Its not too late to enter my April 4th basket GIVEAWAY!!!-

Ciao Amarettogirl

Free 4x6" Print for Kawaii Easter Basket Giveaway!

'Sweetness' illustration for my Basket GIVEAWAY!!

Basket will include this small 4"X6" print on matte photo paper and signed by me. I just did this watercolor illustration last night for the lucky winner of my April 4th Giveaway! I hope you all like it!

I tweaked it in photoshop after it was done, hence that weird effect in the icing.
Anyhoo, I've had such a great time preparing for this GIVEAWAY and appreciate everyone's support. If you're interested in WINNING the basket please be sure to read the rules of eligibility (which-BTW it's open to all!) in the GIVEAWAY post.

I've also been working on illustrations for my new penpals from my Indie 2.0 class - I'll show you those soon!

-Ciao Amarettogirl

MEGA EASTER GIVEAWAY!!! Win FREE STUFF!

Ok so I've been inspired by all the amazing giveaways in the crafty blogosphere and decided to go shopping and make my own valuable giveaway for one lucky winner!

Lucky for you all, I found some pretty great stuff discounted but the estimated internet value of all this stuff is roughly $75 USD!!

One of the great things I found is this WONDERFUL Jun Planning (the Japanese Co. makers of the pricey and collectible Pullip and Dal dolls) Angel Dal named AMY which can currently be found only on Ebay and Amazon books beginning at $15 and from Japanese Toy distributors for $20 - $30 USD.

It may seem like a 'little' girl basket but uh, I'm a pretty big girl and I was sure to prepare a basket I would LOVE to win! And that's not all - I also found some other great stuff, so scroll down check it all out and see the list of items included in the basket and HOW to win it!

My First Easter GIVEAWAY!!!detail shot of GIVEAWAY basket!

From Jun Planning comes this sweet new offering: the poseable, portable Angel Dal! Brown-eyed Amy sports a big red bow in her black hair to match her cute cotton black-and-red dress. Her head turns, she's jointed at the shoulders and hips, and at 14.5cm tall (that's almost 5 3/4 inches), she's the perfect size to carry along!

Jun Planning Dal Amy in box The doll (I had to buy one for me!) Other Gems in the GIVEAWAY basket! Cute bunny Molds!!

Ok so here is the list of other fantastic stuff you'll get in the basket:

1. Two packs (one chocolate and one strawberry) of Hello Kitty Poky Biscuit sticks with cream

2. One MEGA Hello Kitty 288 page Coloring and Activity book

3. One Pink polk-dot lanyard for your keys

Super Fun QUIZ me book! Click to see!

4. One TY Beanie Babie Boo Koala with Extra big Eyes!

5.One silicone tray of mini Bunny face molds for Gelatin, makes 12 tiny 1" bunny faces. Easy-release tray is freezer, fridge, and dishwasher safe. 1" x 3 3/4" x 9" Check out the two pics!

Check out how cool!

6. One Jelly Belly Blooming Bottle of Jelly Beans

7. One Quiz Me Scrap Book/Journal going for $12.95 on Amazon right now!

8. Two Mystery Eggs One large green and one small pink(and NO I won't tell what's inside - it's a mystery!

9. Hello Kitty Sour Apple candy tin

10. SNIFF pack of Hello Kitty tissues (Sniff Tissues are pre-printed designer paper handkerchiefs. Invented in 1996 by Paper Products Design (Germany) they have gone on to be a worldwide best seller for the company. They are especially popular in the U.S.A. Designs range from seasonal ideas like Christmas tissues to more unusual designs like Pink Skulls n Hello Kitty!

11. Lollipops (including watermelon!)

12. Lets not forget the awesome lime green basket with gingham lined fabric!

13. T.B.A. I am including a signed print from either one of my photographs or illustrations - check back in to see an update later!

WHO,HOW and WHEN does one go about trying to win this basket??

Eligibility:

One way- If you have a blog, post about this giveaway and link back to this site, comment here and leave a link to your post and become a follower of this blog (Subscribe to this RSS feed).

If you don't have a blog no worries you can still do the following:

Second way- Become a follower of this blog and Comment on every post from here until the Easter Day Giveaway, April 4th- don't worry I don't post everyday!
(I'm shameless I know - but my blog is like a caged animal at the zoo and when you come to visit, it really wants you to FEED it with a comment! :)) Comments are YUMMY!

LASTLY, required by ALL PARTICIPANTS - be HERE on April 4th and comment on my most recent post with a favorite NUMBER and WHY you want to win this basket! Comments should be thoughtful - computer generated comments or spam will will be routinely removed.

This is how the winner will be chosen:

Bingo Numbered Balls for selecting the WINNER My Random Number Generator (a Bingo Cage)

On April 4th Easter Sunday My hub and I will wait until 9pm Eastern Standard Time at which time we will pull out the Bingo cage and spin the numbers ten times!

The number closest by 5 digits (greater or lesser) to one of the numbers in the comments WINS after we have checked that, the follower has posted on every post since this one and/or has linked to this Giveaway from their blog.

And though we considered limiting the shipping areas to the US only we have too many new cool friends in places like Holland and London so - we're going to leave that open!:))

Good LUCK and Ciao - Amarettogirl!