Creator Spotlight: Studio Mui

We love when you share your matcha creations with us online, so when we heard that Emily of Studio Mui uses Junbi matcha to pigment her green jewelry pieces, we were in complete awe! It’s amazing to learn more about creators and their process, and we wanted to share that with you– our Junbi fam! Keep reading to learn more about Emily and Studio Mui ⟶

Hi Emily, It’s great getting to learn more about you! Thank you for joining us here on the Junbi Blog. 

Can you tell us about how you started Studio Mui?

I started Studio Mui in the summer of 2019 when I graduated from college. I was in the middle of job hunting and wanted to start a new hobby to destress. 

I wanted a medium that would require minimal tools to get started, so I purchased air-dry porcelain clay (because it was on sale) from Michaels and slowly began making earrings for my friends and family. 

I ended up including some of my pieces in my portfolio for my interviews. It was a great conversation starter and I’d like to think that it helped me land my job. :)

When the pandemic hit, I had a lot more free time working from home so I picked it back up again. 

From there, It quickly became so much more than a hobby to me.

How did you learn about Junbi?

From JK! I like to watch/listen to their youtube videos in the background while I’m working or just doing random tasks around the house. Through them, I found June (@stirandstyle) and became so inspired by her and her entrepreneurial journey. Harper and Knox are so cute!

How did you get the idea to use matcha in your jewelry?

By accident. haha

I was a new matcha drinker and did not know matcha powder had to be refrigerated. I left my tin of matcha out for a whole week! I didn’t want to just toss it out so I thought about adding it to my clay since the consistency was very similar to the pastel powder I used for pigment. 

Why do you prefer to use Junbi for your pieces?

It’s the perfect shade of green! It's also the perfect consistency (smooth and ultra fine) to pigment clay and resin with; and the color does not fade or turn brown over time. 

Your pieces are absolutely gorgeous. Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everything around me, but mostly food. Food has always been my family's love language so I naturally gravitated towards making food related pieces. I’m also obsessed with anything miniature so making tiny versions of my favorite foods and objects has been so fun. 

Where does the name Studio Mui come from?

The name Mui (pronounced m oy) means little sister in Chinese and also my nickname at home. Coming from a large family and being the youngest of 3 elder sisters, the nickname has become a term of endearment. 

What is the biggest challenge with having your own business? 

Sharing my thoughts and work on social media was the biggest challenge for me. I’m a very introverted and private person, so the idea of sharing my thoughts and work online was so intimidating and uncomfortable at first. It helped to think of it as a personal portfolio of the things I make and I am just documenting my process. 

It did grow on me overtime; I think I found a good balance between sharing my work without having to share too much of myself. It's also a great way to look back at the progress of my craft.

I've met some amazing friends along the way too!

What is your favorite part?

Making a physical and functional object is my favorite part. I love working with my hands and just enjoy the overall making process. Being able to make something physical from just an idea in my head will always be the biggest treat. 

What is your favorite way to prepare matcha?

I love a simple soy milk matcha latte. 

Thank you so much for sharing more about your journey with Studio Mui! We loved getting to learn more about you and are honored to be a part of your beautiful pieces.

To learn more about Studio Mui, check out her Instagram @studio.mui and website: studiomui.us

Feeling inspired?

You can get 10% off of our Daily Ceremonial Matcha Tins if you subscribe. Just set up how often you would like us to send it to you, and our matcha will be delivered to your doorstep on the regular! 

Are you a creator who is passionate about Junbi? Whether you’re a chef, food blogger, artist etc., we want to hear from you! Shoot us a DM @junbimatcha on Instagram for a chance to be featured in our next blog interview!