Macaron-chan~

For all you people on tumblr, one of my Arpakasso has a blog too! Follow her @ ☆ Macaron-chan ☆ for posts on her life as a stuffed alpaca~ I won't be promising daily posts, but I'll try to take an interesting pic every day~

Hi guys! I can't wait for you guys to visit my blog! -Macaron-chan

Baking with Daiso

It's Memorial Day weekend and for those who don't like going outside, it's perfect weather for "baking" cookies/biscuits! lol only fake sweets though~ I tried out the heart biscuit mold with Daiso white paperclay (bought it online from Minature Sweet) I have only used brands that were available at Michaels/Joann so I found it surprising that it had a very crumbly texture! It made it hard to mix in acrylic paint to tint the white air-dry clay.

The other types that I had used before were Delight and Fimo Air Light. I just also noticed that Sculpey got into air dry clay market with Model Air (from looking on the Michaels website). This makes me want to try it out! :D Anyways, onto the pics!

Kimmy, these look so delicious! - Macaron-chan

All from one Daiso box! O_O

Perfect blue cookies/biscuits for decoden

Purple ones!

Baked VS Unbaked... which do you like better? :D

Made only one original "cookie" on the right-hand corner

The Miniature Sweet mold worked out well!

Macarons and ice cream scoops

I tried to make one with strawberry sauce, but it didn't work out so one is super red!

As you see, I was playing around with angle on my camera~

Also, I finally figured out how to watermark my blog pics with just the name of my blog somewhere in the picture where you can't really crop it off. Why? If someone saves a pic and shares it on another site, they will know the original source! Have you ever wondered all the reposted pics that DON'T credit the original source and replaces it with their blog? I get really mad at those posts, especially since Pintrest and Tumblr often do it. Lastly, the picture size is bigger b/c that's what the blog readers deserve~

Miniature Sweet Review ♥♥♥

Okay, so this is a double youtube and blog review!

Miniature Sweet is a Hong Kong based Etsy shop that supplies "craft materials mainly for miniature food and clay art. [Their] products include clays, molds, polymer clay cane, rhinestones, cabochons, coloring materials, tools and more." Their air dry clay selection seems pretty good with alternative transparent clay instead of Sukerukun (I've only bought their Daiso clay, which I will be using this weekend!) They also sell statement big cabochons, like those huge Hello Kitty with bodies that take up a whole cell phone. I bought their rhinestone mix previously to deco my old phone (and ended up decorating my new one).

Okay, I had put away the free gift (canes) by the time I took this pic and I wanted to show off the
My Melody pez that I got when I visited Baltimore during spring break for a service trip~

This bow is really big! O_O

If you compare with the picture below, there was no big strawberry that I wanted :(

Although they included Coach cabochons, I was slightly disappointed with this mix.

♥ OVERALL REVIEW ♥


Pros:

• FREE gift with order
• nice variety of supplies and cabochons
• also has a lot of molds!!!
• decent prices

Cons:

• no tracking (under $30) unless you want to pay $2.95 extra
• long shipping time (ships from Hong Kong)

I am satisfied with my order because my main concern was the heart biscuit mold and the huge pink ribbon cabochon (the mixes were personal add-ons hoping that I would be super lucky)

You can visit http://miniaturesweet.etsy.com/ for more info~

Special early gif~

I'll try to post this iphone case on etsy this weekend! I added the sparkles... do you like it?

Bye now~

Michaels Haul + Craft Update!

Today I went to Michaels with the intent of getting iridescent gloss, but I somehow forgot it... :(

Finally got TLS! Along with some keys that will be cabochons, flatback pearls, and discounted donut tape dispensers (the tape dispensers aren't as cute as the ones available in Japan, but were $0.99 each!) PS there are some very cute and cheap Hello Kitty items at Michaels~

I also made some polymer clay roses in order to deco a black iphone case that I will be selling on etsy. We got a new toaster oven since the other one stopped working, and thank goodness they're inexpensive~ Roses are the easiest item to make and bows are not that bad either.

Although, the big rose was made from a mold...

I found shrinky dink paper while cleaning my room! (I swear that I have Lisa Frank stickers somewhere but I have to reorganize this messy place.) I decided to draw arpakasso charms! They shrunk to 1/4 of the original size and the colors intensified too. This is a great way to fake acrylic charms, although you might have to pay and draw more in the long run.

The middle one is Eleventh Doctor inspired~

My decoden phone case!

Yesterday, I went to the mall and saw some very unimpressive decoden cases (the kira kira deco kind). Maybe because I often see these at the cell phone case booths and don't realize how much hard effort is put into making one (at a factory probably). So from 11pm to 4am, I made my first decoden cell phone case!

Finally just sat down and made it! I thought it looks nicer than anything selling in stores~

If you want the glittery version:

I already had bought the case in order to deco it and had a cell phone kit from Miniature Sweet (great etsy seller since you get free gifts!) It would be listed if you search "rhinestone mix." I had plenty of rhinestones and 2 medium heart rhinestones left over, so the rhinestone kit is probably enough for a Droid?

Also, I found another blogmura with Kira Kira Deco! I have been focusing way too much on sweets deco instead... (a blogmura is a Japanese "blog village" that ranks sites according to their interest!)
http://handmade.blogmura.com/deco/

my MaiDo Arpakasso Review + Decoden iPhone 4 Case

OMG TODAY WAS THE BEST MAIL DAY EVERRRRRRRRRRRRR~

First of all, I got my 2 beautiful arpakasso from MyMaido, a Japanese stationary store based in San Francisco, CA. They have "officially licensed San-X, Kamio, Crux, Arpakasso goods." Additionally, if you spend more than $25, there's free shipping to US customers!!! :D (basically, that's the cost of two 4"-6" (9-15cm) arpakasso!)

They sell:

• Macaroon Plushies (6"/15cm)
• Schoolmates Plushies (5.5"/14cm)
• Marine Plushies (4"/10cm)
• Cotton Candy Plushies (6"/15cm)
• Stylish Plushies (6"/15cm)
• Jumbo Stylish Plushies (20"/50cm)
• Jumbo Necktie Plushies (19"/47.5cm)
• Jumbo Natural Plushies (22"/55cm)

Basically, the really big ones and medium sized ones! (aka not the tiny cellphone strap size)

The mailman buzzed my place since it didn't fit in the mailbox!
(USPS first class shipping)

Out of the bubble mailer and came with a copy of the receipt.

ADORABLE! これはかわいいアルパカッソです！

Their business cards are SUPER CUTE~

WIP iPhone case & Forever 21 haul

Remember the horse mold that I made? I decided to go and make a Sweets Lolita inspired iPhone case! The theme is inspired by Angelic Pretty Sugary Carnival print. I wanted to do it because I haven't seen other people make a case like that?

More info @ http://hellolace.net/wardrobe/angelic-pretty/jsk/123/

Bodyline bags w/replica print

Now for the actual case WIP:

Before I glued and glazed the polymer pieces with hot pink drizzle on the side
PS not a gradient pink, only the photoshop filter...

Additionally, I hung out with my high school friends today! It was the first time hanging out in a while~ We walked around the mall and went into Forever 21 because I originally saw the pink bow headbands in the window… but I came out with $1 kawaii mirrors/compacts!

Sorry for LQ pic, but the cat mirrors are my favorite!

I also noticed that there was low-quality decoden stuff on sale at Claire's. I assume it's also at Charlotte Russe too (I got a fake Rilakkuma phone strap there). A mini fashion trend right now is ✧BLING✧? But Louis Vuitton is going into pastel mode according to the backs of magazines:

Louis Vuitton SPRING 2012 Source: fashionista.com

Delish Beads Review

▶ Did you know that Jimmy John's slogan is "Freaky Fast Delivery"? ◀



Basically, that's what ✿ Delish Beads ✿ offers!

I ordered on Friday and it came on Monday. What's more that it's FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!!! This is First Class USPS shipping, so if you're doing a commission due in a few days, this place is worth getting your cabochons quickly! It might not arrive as fast if you don't live in the US, but they do offer a wide variety of cabochons, findings, rhinestones, Swarovski crystals, and charms. Delish Beads is based in Seattle, WA (USA).

What I ordered:

1x 20mm Pink Enamel Ring Bases or Blank Rings - 5 pcs / Pink enamel for $3.95 each

1x 7mm Delicate Classic Pink Plastic Chain - NEW longer length! - 110 inches / 280 cm - 4 pieces / Classic Pink for $7.95 each

1x 10mm Tiny Plastic Pastel Star Beads - 200 pcs / Mixed colors for $3.95 each

1x 40mm Lady Death Skull Resin Cabochons - 4 pcs / Black for $3.95 each

1x 24mm Unicorn Cameo Resin Cabochons - 6 pcs / Mixed colors for $3.95 each

1x 40mm Mixed Color Classic Bow Cabochons - multi - 4 pcs / Mixed Colors for $3.95 each

1x 10mm Clay or Fimo Fruit Sticks Cabochons - for making fake sweets - 12 pcs / Mixed colors for $3.95 each

Out of the mailer

I'm going to be do an iphone case soon with these cabochons/beads...

Pros: Fast shipping, great customer service (if you add a note, the owner replies quickly), wide variety of cabochons, nice website design

Cons: In view all mode, I would like to have the option of just seeing the items in gallery view (but you can always visit their Etsy instead), can be pricey compared to other shops, no free gift with order (that's an incentive for buying from overseas shops though)

Rating: ★★★★★

Decoden Calculator (Decoden Update #4)

So I'm watching Sherlock BBC on PBS as I type up this post. May I say that this was one of my favorite episodes of the second series (The Hounds of Baskerville)? "I DON'T HAVE FRIENDS!" exclaims Sherlock. Also, I heard for the PBS broadcast, they had to cut like 8 minutes from the original broadcast (at least I saw it when it aired on BBC online so I didn't miss any of the jokes) Totally the opposite of a kawaii show, but that's why I watch Shirokuma Cafe and Tsuritama~

BTW, I made my basic TI-84 calculator into something cute by decodening it!

Made with air-dry clay, Alex DAP silicone, cold porcelain clay,
polymer clay, cabochons, rhinestones, pearls, and puffy paint

Kinda went overboard with decorations~

The cat, blue heart, rhinestones, and pearls were the only non-handmade items!

Why did I decoden my calculator? It's because I'm taking Stats this summer.
I haven't taken a math class since AP Calculus AB...

(ps, I will update this blog first before cross-posting on tumblr and include more pics here)

*edit 5.14.12* WIP pics!

I used Oyumaru (bought on etsy, but you can also get it at Daiso)
to make these molds and the cabochons look great! Baking them later~

I'm in the mood for cupcakes~

Etsy shop (Kokoro no Sweets) OPENED!!!

I spent most of this afternoon setting up my new etsy shop, Kokoro no Sweets!

*:--☆--:*:--☆:*:--☆--:*:--☆--:

I am selling kawaii decoden rings that I made this past year! I hope you take a look and consider buying! As of right now, I only ship to USA and accept paypal. Since I am quite new at this, I want to take the route with the least problems… please send me an email if you want to get one mailed internationally~ Now, here are the pics!!!

Finally, I want to share a cute mamegoma ring that I made~

Chubby mamegoma on a macaron! ^_^