Paid advertisement. This feature is presented by Art by Changles, a 561 Scoop Partner.

Picture the table on mahjong night: four clear acrylic racks with scalloped pushers in pink glitter, a new mat under the tiles, evil eye coasters under everyone's drinks, and a glittery spinner waiting for the canasta game after. Every one of those pieces can come from one Boca artist.

Michel Fox Blum runs Changles, where she makes game-night pieces, jewelry, home decor and personalized gifts by hand, and every order is made just for you. She began with beaded jewelry, started experimenting with resin during COVID, and today the whole operation runs out of her garage studio in Boca Raton.

Where you've seen her work

Michel's whimsical resin game controllers and gummy bears were displayed in the boys' bedroom at The Hamptons Holiday House Showhouse in Bridgehampton, NY, in a room designed by Blake and Emily Interiors. Her work has also shown at the Seattle Art Fair, Art Unified Gallery in Los Angeles and Posh Design Studio in Delray Beach. This past summer her mahjong accessories were featured in "The Hot Lysst" in the August issue of Social Life Magazine in the Hamptons.

Right now you can see her pieces at The Miami Beach EDITION Hotel Spa, and shop Changles in person at Curated Home in Delray Beach.

Start with the mahjong set

One of her best sellers is the custom mahjong set: scalloped magnetic pushers that come with four clear acrylic racks. The clear set is $130. Glitter sets in gold, pink or green are $160, bows in pink, purple or blue are $175, and butterflies are $180. Every set comes with a carrying bag, which helps on the weeks the game is at someone else's house. Want something nobody else at the table has? Choose Customize Your Own and she'll reach out to design a set that matches your tiles.

New this season: mahjong mats in three colorways, $85. Pair one with the pushers and the table is done.

There's a Judaica version of the pushers too, with Star of David or blue and silver glitter for $180. If you're the one who hosts every week, her acrylic mahjong boxes are personalized with your initials, at $300 for the box or $500 with a full set of tiles and four jewel-tone racks. Yes, one of the designs is called Mahjong Queen.

The table extras are where it gets fun. Her evil eye coasters come in a set of four with silver glitter backs and their own acrylic display box ($145). Canasta players get a spinner ($65) and side cups ($25) in blue or in pink, white or black glitter. There's even a Rummikub set ($325) with the tiles and racks included and your name on the side if you want it.

Wear your lucky tile

Her mahjong necklaces might be the easiest gift on this list. Each one is $85 and named for its tile, so you can wear 2 Bam, 5 Crak, 9 Dot or a handful of others. The Carry-On pairs a collectible Joker tile with an evil eye charm in orange, pink or turquoise, and her tagline for it is "Pack your luck." She made them for mahjong weekends and trips, and it's a limited collection, so don't wait on the one you want.

The gifts nobody else is making

Two pieces in the studio are built for the occasions that matter. The first is the wedding glass sculpture ($175): a clear resin heart, or the word Ahava, with the shards of the couple's broken wedding glass suspended inside. It sits on a shelf or a nightstand, catches light like stained glass, and turns the one moment of the ceremony everyone remembers into something the couple keeps. One rule: the glass has to be colored. Clear glass disappears in clear resin, so if you're planning ahead, break something with color in it.

The second is the design-your-own mezuzah ($65): an Israel-shaped case where you pick the body color and the shin color, from classic white and dark blue to neon pink, neon yellow and neon green. She's also done a version with a hot pink electric guitar on a black case, so if a kid's room needs one, ask. It hangs with double-sided tape and comes with a generic scroll. Want a kosher scroll? You'll need to get that separately. Housewarming, bar or bat mitzvah, a first apartment: this is the gift that gets a photo sent back.

The Pop Art side of the shop

Michel is inspired by Pop Art, and a lot of her sculptures look good enough to eat. Her giant gummy bears stand 7 inches tall, and the fish tank bear ($300) is made with real fish tank rocks and accessories, so no two come out the same. The filled letters ($150) are 7 inches tall and come packed with LEGOs, toy cars, dinosaurs, sprinkles or doll shoes, and yes, there's a mahjong version. The Lego Man ($400) stands 11 inches tall and is filled with real LEGOs, for the kid (or grown-up) who builds everything.

That playful spirit carries through to her translucent Lifesaver sculptures ($95) which can be hung on a wall or displayed on a coffee table. Her game controller sculptures ($135) bring a pop of color to bedrooms and game rooms.

Hosting brunch after the game? Her acrylic donut boards ($160) are one of her best sellers, and they work for bagels too. Each one has four removable poles and comes with two glass bowls for spreads. The boards also make thoughtful closing gifts: realtors turn to Michel for personalized pieces their clients can enjoy in their new homes.

The insider move

Everything is made to order and handmade by Michel herself, and her site says to allow 3 to 4 weeks. If you need something sooner, reach out and ask about expedited delivery. That timing matters for gifts: the first night of Hanukkah is Friday, Dec. 4 this year, so order custom pieces by early November. Wedding glass pieces need the glass in her hands first, so build in time to get it to her.

Two more things worth knowing before you check out. She can match any color palette or theme, so send her your group's colors. And since handcrafted and personalized pieces can't be returned, double-check the spelling on anything with initials or a name. At home, keep the resin pieces out of direct sun and heat (her care note, and a big one in Florida), and hand wash the acrylic, never the dishwasher.

From her customers

Michel keeps the messages. A few, in their words:

"They came in IMPECCABLE condition."

"My friend Julie ordered this for us and I have to tell you it was a huge hit for a girl that has everything."

"Wearing my necklace now, I love it so much! Was at someone's house and they loved it too so I gave them your number."

Quick context

Michel studied Art History at The George Washington University and has an MA in Visual Culture from NYU, worked in fashion with Donna Karan and Norma Kamali, and spent time at the MET's Costume Institute. She learned her marketing skills from her time at Travel + Leisure and DEPARTURES Magazine and is now a mompreneur running Changles on her own. Michel taught herself resin from YouTube tutorials during the pandemic and has been making bright, happy pieces from her Boca garage ever since.

Shop Changles →

Subscribe to The 561 Scoop for the makers, openings and things to do across the 561, every Sunday.