about
Welcome to Mello Designs, my name is Melissa Mello and I am the owner and jewelry artist of all the pieces of unique custom handmade jewelry you will see here. I would like to tell you a little about myself. I was born in Macon, Georgia but grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At age 18 my family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. I recently relocated to the beautiful coastal town of Wilmington, North Carolina where I live with my two cats, Manny and Little Girl. I have a daughter who just graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is now in New York making her dreams come true.
For most of my life I worked in the field of Ophthalmology, first as an office and surgical assistant then as a traveling LASIK surgical technician. In 2004 I injured my back at work and am no longer able to work full-time. In my quest to find something to do to keep my hands busy and my mind sane, I read every book in the library, then I tried cross-stitch and I even gave painting a try, a very short try. I had a wire and bead bookmark that I loved and it broke, so I taught myself how to fix it. That led to making more bookmarks and introduced me to making unique handmade jewelry with beads, teaching myself as I went along. Before long I discovered gemstones and it was love at first sight. I have now made gemstones the focus of my custom handmade jewelry designs. I appreciate the beauty of nature and like to bring that to my unique custom jewelry designs.
In February 2008 I was juried in to the Wilmington Art Gallery on Castle Street in Wilmington, NC and I am a member of the Wilmington Art Association.
I will continue to expanded my knowledge and understanding of handmade jewelry and unique design. Many of the links, clasps and earwires in my custom jewelry are handmade. Recently I learned how to do wire-sculpture and wrapping. This type of unique handmade jewelry is stunning and I wish I could keep each piece I make. It is just one more type of custom made jewelry that I have fallen in love with and enjoy creating. In the future I plan to learn metal working so that I can take all the unique designs in my head and make them for you to enjoy.
My goal is to make unique handmade custom jewelry and bookmarks that you will love to wear or give as a gift to someone you love.
Enjoy!
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