ABOUT MELISSA

I think of my jewelry as big stories packed into tiny treasures. 

There’s the story of the material — a special clay filled with precious metals. After the clay burns off, you’re left with nothing but pure silver or copper. Who knew you could mold metals like clay?

There’s my story — a corporate worker in a high-paced job who gave up climbing the ladder to pursue my passion and craft. What if I never had the courage to change directions?

Finally, there’s your story. When you wear one of my pieces, you’re telling the world a little bit about who you are. What will you do with your story?

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I've always been a tinkerer - try this craft, that craft, mix the crafts together. You get some pretty interesting stuff when you just start playing! But it was jewelry that I kept coming back to. After many years in a high-paced job, and lots of encouragement from my full-time-artist husband, I became serious about improving my jewelry craft and creating unique designs.

I put my whole heart into jewelry making. I have been selling my creations since 2012 and was accepted as a permitted crafter at Pike Place Market in Seattle in 2017. In 2018 I found so much fulfillment and success in my art that I left my job and focused my attention on creating and selling my jewelry full time — without regrets!

My husband and I share a studio space in our home, which is great because we can bounce ideas off of each other and we can just go there anytime we want - no commute! We like to listen to old alternative music and sometimes take small breaks to have spontaneous dance parties. 

Lately we have been spending a lot of time in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico so we get the occasional beach day and lots of wonderful warm weather. And I still like to dabble in other crafts when I get a free moment. I am currently trying to teach myself to crochet, something I learned how to do as a teenager but haven't done in a long time. I think it is important for me to keep trying new creative things, even if they have nothing to do with my jewelry.

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Read about my jewelry-making process here.