Mai Sweetshop on Etsy

I've just updated my Etsy shop with some new and now available Mai Sweetshop products. So be sure to go check it out!

A Mai Sweetshop Exclusive! Macaroon Extraordinaire ring available now in my Etsy shop! a Maisweetshop charm not yet available

Unsellable Objects

A while back in my Jewelry category I wrote a post called Unsellablegivable objects in which I wrote about how sometimes I learn a new technique such as this beading one, and I simply can't bring myself to give or sell any of it away. Here is another example of something else I do when I'm not painting, drawing, sculpting, writing, sewing or exhibiting.

Furthermore, I'm really interested in learning about how other creatives 'focus' and limit themselves. Lately, I've been feeling as though it's futile to even try to limit myself since I get easily bored with any one technique. Even if I can manage to make twenty of something (which I do often) when the wave is over - I move on. With getting older I've settled a bit - but barely.

I just have an issue with wanting to do too much. During meetings my hands always have to be moving. I get over-whelmed yet still always have five projects going at once, all with self-induced stressed and deadlines.

My hub says I behave as though I'm going to die tomorrow and have to do everything today! I am quite honestly a doer and need to be making something always.

Is anybody else like this or is it just me?? I mean between my writing and blurring the line between fine art and craft on a daily basis, I'm all over the place as an artist. And that's ok right?? Yeah, that's the 21st century non-outsourceable mind...right??

- Ciao Amarettogirl

Mai Sweet Shop Treats Return - Craft Fair '09!

There is a small annual faculty craft fair at the

Dwight Englewood School: 315 east palisade avenue,englewood NJ 07631 on Sunday December from 2-5pm

that I participate in - if you're around swing by and get some one of a kind, hand-made gifts! Some of my new Mai Sweetshop line products for Craft Fair '09New Mai Sweetshop Lipgloss!The return of the hot-cocoa ring!The Classic CupcakeThese rings were so popular last year they sold out in the first hour and half!

Tis year I also made some ZAKKA style cases, that I like to call the Bunny Pouch! Direct from one of my favorite craft books Zakka Sewing comes this bunny case pattern. I made 15 different fabric styles. Their tales are the closed sipper pull, they fit pencils and pens, sewing supplies, your glasses, etc.,

Zakka Style Bunny Pouches by m.diazOne of my faves...might keep this one...more Bunny Pouch styles

So if you're around Bergen County NJ -stop by! If not,

NO WORRIES you can always contact me via this site or check out my ETSY shop for pieces your interested in!!

- Amarettogirl

My Latest Cupcake Container!

For my cousin Tai's Birthday this year I tested out a new prototype for my MAI Sweetshop Line - a giant faux cupcake container! It has one major compartment for a fairly large jewelry gift (big enough for a watch) and a secret small top container great for a pair of earrings or a ring.

Cupcake container by marisol diaz container open

It was the perfect gift box to house some of my latest Mai Sweetshop gifts, a strawberry-shortcake-on-a-silver-platter necklace and a cupcake ring!

Tai opening her B'day gift at Alice's Tea Cup - Another great Tea House!Aerial Cupcake view

Amarettogirl Craft Book Review- The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry by Jennifer Perkins

Since I'm big on reinventing the function of small plastic toys into jewelry (such as my Mai Sweet Shop Altered Rement line) I was beaming with intrigue when I saw the new book by Jennifer Perkins (yes the DIY network's Craft Lab host herself!) has a new book with her trademark kitschy style, entitled The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry.

One day, in a hurried rush I browsed through the book in the bookstore, but I was too tired from a hard days work (teaching is not easy) and I didn't immediately purchase it. Then my fave Threadbanger podcasts had a Naughty Secretary Resin Bracelet demo on their weekly show with Jennifer Perkins and her book. The demo was so informative and thorough that the second I got on Spring Break I went back and bought the book. Boy am I glad I did, since a big chunk of my vacation was all about crafting with Jennifer!

The Naughty Secretary Club by Jennifer Perkins

• Paperback: 144 pages

• Publisher: North Light Books (August 11, 2008)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 1600611168

• ISBN-13: 978-1600611162

So here are some of the many strengths and little weaknesses of the book:

Excellent for beginners and inspiring enough for experienced folk (like me). Jennifer's overall mission is to get creatives and non, to see outside the normal confines of jewelry making and in this -recycle and reuse way- to see potential in anything, and I mean anything.

excerpt from pg. 14 of The Naughty Secretary Club by Jennifer Perkins

So on the negative side, if fun colorful, larger than life kitsch, garden gnomes, telephone cords, swizzle sticks, plastic toys, eyeglass necklaces, pencil earrings and watch headbands are too over the top for your traditionalist-little-beady-jewelry-makin'-mind than this book is not for you.

Ms. Perkins applies a secretary (9-5 gal) theme throughout the book with funny little side-notes, hot-tips and blurbs on the working girls history, holidays and lore. She includes what I think are hysterical, informative tidbits on the art of true, multi-tasking ability, ie., six other uses for coffee filters and a list of eight other uses for pantyhoses!

So in honor of the first day of Spring I tried my hand at an over-the top plastic, fantastic bracelet inspired by Ms. Perkin's Secretary's Bouquet Bracelet on pg. 120. excerpt from The Naughty Secretary Club by Jennifer Perkins I was super lucky to find a cha-cha bracelet blank (yes thats what its called) at A.C. Moore (Michael's didn't have any). However the cha-cha bracelet blank that I found had only one loop running across it, as opposed to the two loops on the blank that Jennifer uses in the book. I'm sure if I would have found the correct blank my Spring Chic bracelet would have come out a lot meatier. Instead I opted for the longer hula-skirt style.

Another great aspect of the book is that is categorizes every project in chapters of difficulty. This bracelet is a three star difficulty (highest level in book). In addition, she explains that this bracelet is great for the collector and Lord knows thats what I am truly master of.

My Spring Chic Bracelet inspired by The Naughty Secretary Club Spring Chic

So if you're interested in adorning your body with original, funky, re-cycled, joyful and often whimsical jewelry BUY this book!!

New Mai Sweetshop Products in the Works!

Having been a while since my first MAI Sweetshop debut this past November, its time to get back to work! The product line was more popular than I could have ever dreamed and I learned so much in the process. To read about how Mai Sweetshop started, please read this older MAI Post.

I have to say that I am a bit surprised that the products have remained in demand. I sold out of almost every piece I made for that December craft fair. I now know what people want more of.

In resurrecting my efforts I experimented a lot more with different materials and have learned some new and improved ways of making some of the objects. I have been teaching myself from Japanese crafts books that I can't read - but the pictures are phenomenally elaborate and systematically clear.

New Mai SS Cupcake Ornament

Since I use the soft clay material, as opposed to the silicone (either is recommended), the products are very fragile and I am now combining that with stronger material for protruding parts. In addition, I've learned some awesome glaze and chocolate syrup techniques that add a whole lot more realism-moxie!

New! Mai SS altered Re-Ment cake ring

The altered Re-Ment hot cocoa rings were so popular that I have started a whole new branch of altered Re-Ment jewelry. Re-Ment is a Japanese company that makes miniature doll house pieces and parts. And since necklaces were a hot request item, I'll be making whole jewelry sets (earrings, necklaces and rings).

So here are some shots of what's up and coming in my little studio that I now call 'The Hovel' since I feel like I'm in a closed in cave when I'm in there!

New Mai SS cupcakes!New! Mai SS altered Re-Ment Ring!Mai Sweetshop Altered Re-Ment Rings

When it comes to altering Re-Ment, I am mixing and matching pieces and parts from different sets, drilling holes, gluing, adding glazes, filling cups, adding sprinkles, re-touching paint and adding blank jewelry parts. Since many of these are the only Re-Ment pieces I have (until I order more), if you see something screaming out at you please let me know before I place it in my Etsy shop so that I can reserve it for you!

Mai Sweetshop altered Rement jewelry in the works!New! Mai Sweetshop Hot Cocoa! New! Mai SS altered Rement ring (Too bad I didn't get this done for V'day!)

So this is all hot off of the press and nothing is listed for sale yet - but it will be- so stayed tuned! Hope you enjoyed the pics and let me know what you think!

Handmade, Extraordinary Gift Boxes- Mai Sweet Shop Cakes! Faux Cakes with a Function!

Sweet Delights, Introducing Mai Sweet Shop Cakes!

My latest crafting venture has taken me into an entirely new realm thanks to yet another fantastic Japanese craft book that I found on making replicas of cupcakes, icing and candy with soft clay. Though these are a great departure from my usual work, here are some 'sweet' containers I made this past Thanksgiving weekend. Everything you see- short of the tin containers are not edible- but fortunately non-toxic if you try! (hee-hee) I think they're fantastic little storage boxes for the truly treasured jewelry in your life! I was so inspired by my trip to Paris, Baroque and Rococo time periods and Marie Antoinette,that I call these Mai Sweet Shop cakes, M-A-I stands for Marie-Antoinette-Inspired & 'Sweet Shop' for what my studio currently looks like! Each cake has their own personal name, so today meet Sophie, Natasha, Sherry and Maybelline. Enjoy!

Mai Sweet Shop Cake, Sophie -double container by marisol diazMai Sweet Shop Container Sophie, opened once by marisol diaz Mai Sweet Shop Cake, Sophie, opened twice - by marisol diazMai Sweet Shop Cake, Natasha, rectangular container by marisol diaz Mai Sweet Shop Container, Natasha - opened by marisol diaz Mai Sweet Shop Container, Sherry, rectangular container by marisol diazMai Sweet Shop Cake, Maybelline, double container by marisol diaz

I have made Mai Sweet Shop barettes, bobbi pins, rings and charms! I'm loving it! I'll be a featured seller at the craft fair at the Dwight Englewood School, in Englewood NJ during their Winter Arts Festival SUNDAY DECEMBER 14TH, from 2-5pm with a whole table of no-calorie goodies. You should stop by! I will be posting any remainder items on sale at my etsy shop immediately after! So if you're looking for that extraordinary gift box and are interested contact me or stay tuned! Let me know what you think!

The Potential of Craft Wire

Early this past summer I attended my brother's wedding in Puerto Rico. I sat on the plane next to a young woman native to the island who was 'blinged-out' in what look to me like craft-wire jewelry. I told her I loved her necklace and asked her where she got it. She said this kind of jewelry was so popular on the island that it was everywhere. Sure enough while I was in PR, I saw mall shops with walls draped in this kind of jewelry. However, what was more impressive was that my town had a small craft shop with the wire necessary for people to make their own versions of these pieces and it was primarily islanders supplying many of these mall shops with their wares. So I bought a bunch (over-priced compared to what I can get it for here or over the internet) for my cousin who lives on the island and loves to craft and for me. Here is a glimpse of the potential of plain 'ol craft wire: Heart Necklaces by marisol diaz Heart Necklace with Ring by marisol diaz

I sold a set like this for $15.00. I have not listed any of these designs on Etsy yet, so if you're interested in a piece like this contact me!

Unsellable/Giveable Objects...

Sometimes I learn a new technique such as this beading one, and I simply can't bring myself to give or sell any of it away. Sometimes that happens because of the time, difficulty or the aesthetic of the final result. However, I wish I could part with these and I keep saying - I'll make more and then I'll be able to sell them - but this beading technique yields different and unique results each time!!! If anyone has an idea on how creatives can part with their work more easily please share!!!!!

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I have learned how to sell/giveaway certain art more easily ...so be sure the Art Giveaway (three posts back) is going really well, be sure to leave your 'Rainbird' comment to be considered to win a signed print of collage art by ME!!!

pRECIOUS mETAL loVE

Today's love note goes out to all my students for all the love I get from them on a daily basis...enough to keep me at my job!

This piece of jewelry is made out of precious metal clay (pmc) and what an awesome material this is! Invented by the Mitsubishi corp. PMC is fine silver that has been ground down into a powder and mixed with starch to make it pliable - like clay. When you are done sculpting it- you fire it and VOILA your left with 99% silver - not sterling silver but pure silver! Sweet huh?

I made a few of these word necklaces for holiday gifts a couple of years ago.

So here is today's request, you favorite 'love' word is...click on post a comment and let me know!!

Its not to late to leave me a funny VDAY story in the last post comment slot - I want to post them on VDAY!