Happy Easter! And Another Special Delivery!

Easter Basket GIVEAWAY

Today will will be the end of our exchange via an Easter tradition that used to light up our days as little children, THE EASTER BASKET!
I did this giveaway in lieu of paying for advertising and in order to get to know my readers better, so your thoughtful comments were an essential entry rule.

How it will work:

• Comment for this post today with a NUMBER that you choose between 0-75 BEFORE Eastern Standard Time 9pm (and remember if you see someone else has chosen your number in the comments of this post - you should CHANGE your number becuase that number has laready been claimed).
• Check that you thoughtfully commented on every other post since the GIVEAWAY began and/or
• If you have a BLOG or WEBSITE link back to this GIVEAWAY with a post about it that you share a link to with me
• Be a follower of this blog
• Check BACK after EST 9pm to see WHO chose the WInning NUmber and wish them well!
• GOOD LUCK!

Now on to today's business - I received MY FIRST pen pal RESPONSE!!

My Unopened Package from Redstarink fresh from the mailbox

My Pen pal RedStarInk, who I am now a lifelong fan of, sent me a response to my cupcake illustrated letter.

At first I saw only the word 'Girl' through the tissue paper and I knew that Marcie of Redstarink had made a clever choice of a word for me. However I then peeled away the tissue paper to see just how brilliantly thoughtful that gift was.

All of my paper products are handmade. I design, print, and assemble each product myself. I strive to be as eco-friendly as possible, using recycled papers and packaging. I try to create my products in sizes that result in no wasted paper. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me. I enjoy meeting fellow Etsy artists and buyers.

-Redstarink's Etsy Shop

Marcie (of Redstarink) is a graphic designer with an indie printing business that produces functional work that has respect for typography, impeccable, clean, bold lines and a sharp aesthetic. If you ever need any functional paper products you know who to go to - she is fantastic- just look at this:

The opened package Marcie of RedstarInk at Work My gift wrapped in tissue paperMy beautiful Amarettogirl notebook by Redstarink

Update on Sunday, April 4, 2010 at 05:08PM by Amarettogirl

As of 9pm Eastern Standard Time the following numbers have been CLAIMED for the 9pm giveaway AND COMMENTING HAS BEEN DISABLED:

Lillian from Brazil- 8, Isabella-15,Hannah-12, BlueeyedNIghtowl-18, Salmezan-58, Colin-31, Patricia-22, Heidi- 14, Rina-27, Li Lian-24, Tital-64, Rena 33, Tai-23, Andrea-16, Lindz- 47 I will now go videotape a spinning of the bingo cage - It will take me some time to Post the video so that you can all see the WINNER!

Good luck!

Primitive Folk Art, Fruition and Furnishings @ 18th Century Furniture

I know we think the whole arts and crafts community has been 'Etsified'... but surprisingly some of it hasn't- which means you gotta do it the ol' fashioned way and go there to get it! So I thought I'd do a post where I bring it to you in hopes that one day you can make it there.

Manon VonUchtrup (Left) and Linda Gargano (Right)

Many people may not know I have a soft, mushy, heart spot for primitive, folk and country art. I guess moving out to bear country will do that to a person.

I've written about the wonderful arts and crafts community I found in Sugar Loaf, New York before (very close to Warwick NY great day trip from NYC).

Now I want to share a wonderful business collaboration that has just taken place between two of my all time FAVE Sugar Loaf business owners! Linda Gargano of Fruition and Manon Von Uchtrup from 18th Century Furniture and Builder- just think wood and fabric!

Aprons by Linda from Fruition available ONLY at 18th Century Furnishings and Builders in Sugar Loaf NY photo by m.diaz Prim Signs handmade by Manon VonUchtrup and she does CUSTOM! Housewares in an Antique Kitchen photo by m.diazHousewares from 18th Century Furnishings photo by m.diaz 18th Century Furniture and Builders owned by Peter and Manon VonUchtrup

All the wood furnishings you see in these pictures, in addition to the building itself was built by Woodworker Peter VonUchtrup! He is a phenomenal woodworker and like the Taj Majal, he built for love. He has equipped this space with all Manon's needs to make a bountiful, BEAUTIFUL space to sell her signs and fabric pieces as well that of others.

First Story of 18th Century Builders owned by Peter and Manon VonUchtrup of Sugar Loaf Handmade fabric crafts by Manon - most likely taught by Linda!

Recently Linda of fruition Dolls and gifts (a local SugarLoaf fabric design shop) was about to fold and close its doors.

Manon, I and others love Linda's fabric shop so much and we shuddered at the thought of losing Linda, her shop and her amazing sewing classes. So what happened?

Manon being the amazing and savvy business owner she is, decided wood is only a compliment to fabric. She altered her 18th Century shop to house all of Linda's ware's within it. In addition, she altered the second story to make a stunning spot within which Linda can continue to teach her sewing classes, which I am a die hard fan of.

Linda Gargano in front of the Quilt Chest at Manon's 18th Century Furnishings shop photo by m.diaz Handmade Primitive Folk Art Wares at 18th Century FurnishingsEntrance with Wood Furnishings and Linda's Bags photo by m.diaz Antique shoes at !8th Century Furnishings and Builders photo by m.diaz

Ok So now the next time your Antique loving heart says I want to take a drive out to the country and see some shops - Because of me- you know where to go! Sugar Loaf is an easy day trip from New York City. Both of these business owners do commission and custom if you are interested in doing a MAIL ORDER please click the links at the beginning of this post for their contact info and contact them via email or phone to place an order. But I have even one better for you- These lovely ladies will be at a craft fair in Vernon NJ in two weeks and I have all the info:

Saturday, April 17th from 10am - 4pm
at the Minerals Resort, 2 Chamonix Drive, Vernon NJ 07462

No worries -I haven't forgotten tomorrow is the GIVEAWAY - so get those comments posted, leave your emails/blog/website address and start thinking about that special number that you're going to comment about tomorrow BEFORE 9pm!!

-Ciao Amarettogirl

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

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

MassMarket Imitating Handmade Ofcourse!

detail photo by m. diaz

I was in the chain, mega-shop, Target a few weeks ago browsing through the office supply section and along the notebooks/journals and blank books I ran across this little gem of a blank book.

It's nothing new for mass-marketed items to imitate hand-made. Still, it kills me that this particular book is a mass manufactured item and not handmade (especially when it looks so, so, so, so handmade and is ridiculously cheap). How can artisans compete?!

Aesthetically I had to get it- though I felt like a traitor in doing so!

I had to get it because when I held it I couldn't get over all of those buttons and it has this wonderful feel when you hold it in yours hands. I kept thinking what a great place for including all my sewing notes and that's exactly how I'm using it.

Still I feel so guilty. :(

blank journal from Target journal in use my own apron instructions

Another Amazing Stop Motion...

I was hopping around the blogosphere and I came across Angela Kohler's wonderful blog through checking out my new classmate Breanne Sinibaldi's blog (she's a photographer and graphic designer). I had to post about this for all of my students who have a stop-motion animation soft-spot like me!

Design Finds from Saugerties, NY

bird candle from Green in Saugerties NY

I bought this grey bird candle at a great shop called GREEN in Saugerties, NY. Their motto of 'recycle and reuse' is evident as you walk into their shop and see their fresh design eye through the layout of both refurnished and repurposed, new and old products a like. Their aesthetic is modern, clean and slightly eclectic as you walk down aisles of beautiful wood tables, retro chairs and antique aluminum doll houses that evoke times past with a nod towards modernity. Not to mention that their business card is one of those cool new 'green' business cards that you can plant and grow wildflowers with!

I also bought these amazing aluminum bird cabinet knobs at Green.

my new drawer pulls bought at Green designed by Te-Ma

The sweet folks at Green shared that they got these knobs from a Woodstock based studio and online shop called Te-ma, so glad to know since I want to get more for the rest of my bureau drawers!!!!

sweet dog figurines made in Japan that I bought at a Saugerties thrift shop

Here are another couple of great finds from Saugerties' Happy Paws Thrift shop. I walked in soon after a large shipment of dog figurines had just been donated to the thrift shop- the mother-load, a full table laden with figurines. I got each of these two gems made in Japan for $2. each and a whole bag of dollar figurines to play with in my crafts!

My hub and I love toys and always stop in on unique toy shops as well. We found this great toy-shop called Tinker Toys in Woodstock Ny where I fell in love with this magnetic building balance/construction toy called Equilique designed by sculptor John Perry!! If you have a chance please click on the Equilique site - its amazing and you won't be sorry since my pics don't do the toy any justice as to what it is actually capable of!

Equilique by sculptor John Perry photo by marisol diaz detail of Quili acrobat 1 photo by m. diazdetail of Quili acrobat 2 photo by m. diaz

Butterfly Magic - Paper Art Inspiration

Photo of Butterfly Project by blogger Lollychops

So for today's post I thought I would share one of my students (honestly more like my young protégé who quickly surpassed her teacher), Isabella Whitney's work. Isabella was inspired by this wonderful Butterfly Project tutorial posted by fellow crafty blogger Lollychops.

My hub and I have been using and introducing altered books as sketchbooks in our classes for the past couple of years. The local library had a stack of antiquated books they were going to discard and he hauled them over to our visual art classes to convert them into beautiful sketchbooks (wait until you see his-coming to this blog soon!)

Having made some great use of that experience, Isabella combined both Lollychop's Butterfly Project tutorial and the altered book art as inspiration. She designed and created this wonderful bookshelf surprise.

Just imagine pulling a once abandoned book off of a shelf and opening it up to discover the following!

Designer and Artist Isabella Whitney's Butterfly Project book pic1Isabella's Butterfly Book pic2 The completed piece by Isabella Whitney photo by marisol diaz

Here are some detail shots:

Click to see Isabella's Book DetailClick to see Isabella's book detail two!

To try your hand at The Butterfly project please visit fellow crafty blogger Lollychops and see her wonderful tutorial on how to compose these butterflies! -Ciao Amarettogirl

Marie Antoinette Ladies Dinner

Interested in Marie Antoinette?? Read on for major inspiration!

handpainted napkins by my hubs and me inspired by Marie Claire Idees

Marie Claire Idees French Magazine Before the holidays I planned an evening in which I invited some of the ladies from my sewing group in Sugar Loaf NY over to my home for a ladies dinner. I decided the theme for the evening would be Marie Antoinette - of course!

So I got busy sewing a new tablecloth, placemats, centerpiece and... My hubs and I hand-painted some Parisian Patisserie inspired fabric napkins with fabric paint (as seen in image above). We used the French magazine Marie Claire Idees for reference.

For any of you who are so inclined to host a Marie Antoinette dinner I thought I would share some of the results and research with you.

First of all for future reference a good date to host a Marie Antoinette dinner is in November since her birthday is Nov. 2nd.

Some Chocolates on display and my sewing group ladies, Sylvia, Linda and Manon!

A great website to go to to be inspired to design a dinner on any night of the year is a site called DINNER EXPLOSIONS. It takes a bit of time to load but it's beautiful and whether you're a cook or not you'll be happy you went to this internet gem with ideas for music, decorating and food.

My Table

If you google Marie Antoinette QUIZ, you'll get a whole lot of fun quizzes you could use at your gathering for a give away, like I did.

Marie Antoinette Inspired Cookies of corsets, fans and shoes by guest Sylvia Williams! My handmade table runnermy table- click to see larger My centerpiece- click to see Dinner Activity - Kanzashi Brooches

We ended the evening with a sewing activity - ofcourse! I got a book (which I will be reviewing next post so stay tuned) on the Japanese craft of Kanzashi flowers. So we got busy and made ourselves some brooches to commemorate the evening.

The menu: Salad Greens with Lemon Curd Dressing, Apple and Beet side salad, Vegetable tarts, Beef Apricot Stew, Dessert Wine, Sparkling White Grape Juice and Linda's chocolate raspberry supreme and Sylvia's cookies

Apron Mania

This past holiday season I decided to make many of the domestic divas in my family aprons to suit their personalities. Like many a crafty chica, I began to feel drawn to these seemingly outdated pieces of fashion and wanted to try my hand at it.

However, tonight after eating the awesome pearl cous cous, shrimp and lemon cream dinner my hubs just made me I'm beginning to think I need to make some man-prons!!

Anyway thought I'd share these with ya'll

An Apron for my mom the bird lover Bird Lover Apron by marisol diaz So Sassy Cherry Apron for my cuz Crystal by marisol diaz Woodland Creatures Apron for MOI!My Apron by marisol diaz The too sexy MILF Apron for my cuz Mimi