Remember the "Handmade Scented Jewelry For Food Lovers" we featured on our blog some time back? Weren't those incredible!

They were all really some mouthwatering jewelry pieces. I believe one does not even need to be a food lover to fall in love with the jewelry made at Tiny Hands. They are cute enough to grab anybody's attention and make them say 'aww'. Because they are so realistic in their looks, they also act as good appetizers as well.

Well, I, being both a food and jewelry lover could not get over them. Seeing the two loves of my life coming together is awesome. Staring at those jewelry and admiring their beauty and simultaneously growing hungry, I decided to know the story behind them and got in touch with Mei, the creative brain behind them.

Read on the our exclusive interview with her.

Hi E-Junkie readers! My name is Mei - like the month 'may' - and I'm the jewelry designer behind Tiny Hands in Minneapolis, MN.

2. Your work is very unique. How did you came up with the idea of making such jewelry? Are you a foodie yourself?

I am a HUGE foodie. Food is one of the few things I can count on to make me smile, or to brighten up a sad day. When it's lunch time, you'll hear me asking, "what's for dinner?" because I get so excited for food! I know there are other people out there like me. Right before starting my business I was crafting with polymer clay and growing up I had always loved miniature food toys that came with my Barbie supermarket set. It all just clicked and made sense to do what I'm doing today!


For all of my food charms, the main base material I use is polymer clay. It's squishy like Play-Doh and cures hard in a convection oven. Other materials I might use to add more depth, color and realism include chalk pastels, oil paints and liquid clay.

4. Where did you learn the technique from? Is there any specific trick you learnt with experience?

A lot of it has been many years of trial and error. Practice really does make perfect. Starting out, I also used a few craft books to help me study polymer clay in more detail. What can I mix in it without blowing the studio up? What will make it harder or softer? A specific trick I have up my sleeve is turning polymer clay into a creamy frosting, very much like real cupcake frosting and applying that in a swirly motion with a toothpick to make my buttercream cupcakes.


The very first thing I made was a pair of strawberry earrings. They're so cartoony and funny to look at. I was definitely inspired by Hello Kitty!


I used to spend 5-7 hours a day making jewelry to fulfill my orders, but that was making me so tired and it was bad for my back because I have bad posture when I make jewelry. Now I have a small team of ladies that come in every twice a week for three hours and also work from home to help me make my jewelry. Depending on the design, it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours of active, hands-on time. To finish up the jewelry, it takes an additional 3 passive days.

7. All your creations are equally amazing but still do you must be having some favorites?Which one do you think sells the most?

Some of my personal favorites include my scented peanut butter cookie and scented lemon bar jewelry. I really love the scents that goes with them. But as for what my customers love most, it's my as seen on Parks and Recreation maple syrup waffle necklace!


I almost fell out of my chair. I definitely did a happy dance! But I was certainly not aware of how huge the feature would be for my business. Even after three full years of the episode airing, I'm constantly getting sales and the awareness that people now have for my brand has really taken my business to new heights. My family was thrilled and so proud of me but I think none of us realized how big of a deal this was!

9. What do you do in your spare time apart from making jewelry?

I love exploring the city for new restaurants and trying out new food or finding the best cupcakes in town. I also love playing video games!

10. What do you wish for your future with your food jewelry? What plans do you have? 

I'd love to keep growing my business. I'm always trying to achieve bigger and better things for my brand and hope to one day sell in hundreds of stores across the globe. I currently sell in 60+ stores, so I'm on my way!




I think that for anyone starting out with eCommerce, you really want to submerge your shoppers in the best possible experience that's aligned with your branding. The main purpose of an online store is for people to shop and if you can make the process fun, easy and memorable for them, they're going to keep coming back or telling people about you. If you have a physical product, take amazing pictures. Have a beautifully designed website. An eCommerce store is no different than a brick and mortar; you should still decorate and create some ambiance. The experience your customers have is super important, and I can't stress that enough. mCommerce is a different beast for me, and I know half of my shoppers are buying from a mobile device. The best advice I can give in that regard is to make sure your shop is optimized for mobile devices!

12. There must be a long list of compliments you receive for your work. Which one do you cherish the most? 

I'll always remember when my customer proposed to his girlfriend with one of my cupcake rings! That in itself is a major compliment for my mission and work. To know that my cute and quirky jewelry can really play such a big role in someone's life is amazing. Why buy a diamond ring when you can get a cupcake one from Tiny Hands? :-)