Kanzashi

Kanzashi Flowers have been all the rave on the crafty internet in recent years, but it seems I've just come around to it. Kanzashi is the Japanese art form of folding fabric the way one would fold paper in origami. Inspired by the new book Kanzashi In Bloom by Diane Gilleland I got really into exploring the medium. I thought I'd do a review of the book while I was at it, so here goes.

Kanzashi In Bloom by Diane Gilleland

PROS- The book is written in a very clear and effective manner. The history of the craft is done respectfully and eloquently. The instructions for seemingly complex folds are excellent, with photos linked to each step smoothly and very clearly. The projects in the book are attractive, feasible and open to enough interpretation to inspire unique work.

CONS- However my one gripe is the book only shows how to do three folds, and where that is good for a beginning crafter, it leaves craft junkies like me hungry for more!! I actually googled 'Kanzashi' images and saw lots of pieces made with a wonderful petal fold that was not in the book that thankfully I was able to teach myself! See the images below for what came from the book and what did not.

Kanzashi flowers I made from instructions in the book.

However the image below is of a necklace that I'm making with a Kanzashi flower fold that was not in the book.When I 'googled' images of Kanzashi flowers many were made with a unique petal fold that left one side of the fold in double layers. I sat down for a while anad played with the fabric and eventually taught it to myself!

Kanzashi necklace that I'm making detail shot click to see

So I have found that I like the silk fabric of abandoned men's neck ties for Kanzashi the best (though cotton patterned fabrics are fun too). There is something about taking a very masculine fabric (neckties) and converting them into such feminine flowers.

Kanzashi is addictive and very meditative much like crocheting or knitting. You will however need a thimble if you plan on making a bunch.

I like using both fabric covered brads (in the scrapbooking section at the craft store) or covering my own buttons with matching fabric.

Kanzashi Flowers made from one of my bosses 'vintage' neckties!!!!

I am planning on creating a tutorial for this fold here soon so stay tuned!--Amarettogirl

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

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

No Sew Butterfly Costume

So this year I was really worried I would fail halloween. You see, I make an annual BIG wearable art sculptural costume for a fifteen minute halloween parade at the school where I work, and well this year my stressful schedule started to get the better of me. I was completely flummoxed had no ideas, down with a cold and extremely exhausted.

So I went to Home depot and walked the isles - I ended up with two blue 9X12 tarps, industrial strength duct tape and thin tubes of 5ft PVC pipe - in my mind I was thinking that somehow wings could be made with this collection.

the finished wings

I got home and through sniffing and coughing, I cut out the shapes and began attaching the pvc pipe to keep the shape. Another challenge with this particular costume every year is that it has to be transportable in the car and must collapse in shape and reopen. Lastly, I knew I didn't have the wherewithal to decorate the wings and gluing stuff on them could make them too heavy. So I called up a friend, a former student, graffiti artist ACET to see if at the last minute she could help me out of this pinch. Sure enough she did and well needless to say I didn't fail Halloween!! I used a backpack to wear the wings and well - that's it!

Veronique Broussard a.k.a Acet painting my wings Me working on the wings, when Acet made me put down the light and help!the finished costume the day of the parade in the gymnasium me and other costumed teachers!

Costumes Past Revisited- The NBC Peacock

Here's a five year old costume that I made for our school's 15 minute halloween parade. The NBC Peacock- there's a novel idea. I engineered the tail to open and close like a fan to fit in the car and through doorways. I used refrigerator box cardboard in long slits attached them all just like a fold-out fan. Then I made faux fur straps to tie around my waist and back (like a fanny-pack/backpack) to hold it on me while I walked. Yeah, Micheal's craft store made a lot of money off me buying royal blue boa's- I think I exhausted their supply!

me as the NBC peacock meMy husband Gregg as an NBC news anchor
Here we are together - Anchor and Peacock Boo!

Discovering a Crafter in Sugar Loaf, NY - The Arts and Crafts Community

Finally, this Memorial Day weekend gave me some time to scout out a local town that I've been really curious about, Sugar Loaf, NY. The Welcome to Sugar Loaf Sign at the Town's Precipice.

The hamlet of Sugar Loaf is a community of creative craftspeople and artists nestled under Sugar Loaf Mountain in picturesque Warwick Valley, Orange County, New York. Surrounded by apple orchards and horse farms, it has had a distinguished reputation as a crafts community for over 250 years, Today, Sugar Loaf remains true to its heritage as the year round home of over fifty independent business men and women. Many of these artisans live and work in the original barns and buildings which date back to the 1700's.

While I was walking along the street of candle, leather, potters, painted gourds and art frame shops, I came across a place named FRUITION Time Well Spent owned by Linda Gargano. The second you walk into this fabric filled store with hand-sewn delights dangling in every nook, you imagine yourself walking into a no-longer-virtual Etsy shop...but as I found out Mrs. Gargano doesn't have any Etsy shop! Which to me, makes her and her wares highly exclusive, since I equate having an Etsy shop with being accessible to the world.

As it stands, you'll have to contact her through her website or make your way to SUGAR LOAF NY if you want one of her hand-made art dolls, bags, aprons, eyeglass holders, or countless other pattern and fiber-filled treasures. Like me, Mrs. Gargano can't bear idle fingers...hopefully I can convince her to open an Etsy shop!

Linda Gargano owner of Fruition Time Well Spent

"I began sewing at a young age of 11 and had always busied myself by drawing and coloring before that. My hands were always doing something and to this day the aroma of a box of new crayons still brightens my day! I'm happiest when my hands are busy and I have something to show for my efforts. I've dabbled in many art forms but I always wind up in my chair behind a sewing machine (or two) and find it's where I am most creative." - Linda Gargano

My new Apron made by Linda Gargano owner of Fruition in Sugar Loaf Ny

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!

Mai Sweet Shop Treats Debut!

The Mai Sweet Shop debut and craft fair was a great success!!!

Mai Sweet Shop Craft fair table

During the D-E craft fair I was able to compete with the 'real' food (which is generally where people tend to gravitate towards) because the sweet cakes look SO edible.

Mai Sweet Shop Cake Containers and Candles

At first, I was so dissappointed that I wasn't able to make my open-skirt Marie Antoinette Doll as a table center piece, or make more of this and more of that- due to lack of time- but in the end there couldn't have been more, since the table was jammed-pack-full! I worked on products up until two hours before the fair! When I saw the table all laid out with Mai Sweet Shop stuff I was so happy and satisfied!

My student Isabella Whitney & the Mai Cupcakes I had a student who I mentor assist me and she rocked the fair! She even sold some of her own wares, you can check out her stuff on Etsy too under IsabellaWhitney!! Go Izzy girl! So people are still hunting me down and finding what I have left so my supply is practically all gone! By tomorrow I should know exactly what hasn't been staked out and claimed. What ever is left will surely be available in my Esty shop.

MAI rings!MAI Barrettes!MAI Whipped Cream & Cherry Rings!MAI Bags!MAI Hot Cocoa and Mellows Ring

My Spoonflower Custom Fabric Arrived!

Wow! I am so, so, so impressed! My custom order of my collages and illustrations onto fabric via Spoonflower (my new favorite company) has arrived. Except for the first 'Let The Eat Cupcakes' print (which I ordered a larger piece of). I only ordered small 8"X8" swatches of the fabric before I make in the investment into yardage. It looks like I might have to adjust the scale to which the large one was submitted (the pattern is rather large), but overall fantastic results! Check them out!

This last one is great for making Ipod cases!

Hope you like them! Let me know what you think!