Hello, my name is Melissa, I’m “Mel” of MelJoy Creations and a member of the Michigan Trolls on Etsy. I’ve lived in various areas of Michigan over the years, mostly in the “thumb” of the mitten, which is where my husband and I reside now.
I love all things creative, and art has always been a big factor in my life. In my younger years I was a dancer until illness changed my body forever. Move ahead a few years (okay, maybe more than a few) and I'm still creating, just not in a choreographic form. Crafts are my new outlet. Jewelry, quilts, scrapbooking, card making, wirewrapping...you name it and I enjoy it!
The other half of MelJoy is my mother, Joy, who also lives in Michigan 9 months of the year (I don’t have to tell you which 3 months she prefers to be away from Michigan..ha ha). Over the past two years our jewelry making passions have led us into teaching classes. Then last fall I was introduced to Etsy. The land of handmade…where have you been all my life!? Ha! Within a month, I had our shop up and running.
I would describe our shop as traditional jewelry with a modern makeover. Some styles are classic patterns that my mother learned many years ago. But we’ve taken these patterns and styles of weaving to a new level with designs in modern colors, using more modern styles and variations of beads, crystals and findings. We are very particular of the beads and crystals we use and we’re known for spending hours and hours just deciding on color combinations and weave patterns. This year we plan to begin selling our jewelry at craft shows throughout Michigan. And we’re really hoping to meet up with some of the other members of the Michigan Trolls Etsy Team, too!
February 20, 2011
