Love 2 Upcycle: Meet & Greet: Mellostuff

January 19, 2011

Meet & Greet: Mellostuff

This weeks Meet & Greet is our team leader Mel from Mellostuff. The Mellostuff collection is brought to you by Mel and her sister Lori. Mel designs and hand-assembles all the jewelry using unique stones and vintage recycled jewelry parts. Lori is quality control central, lands everything online and keeps Mel organized.

time travelers wife cuff

I asked Mel and Lori a few question and this is what they had to share with us.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you sell
Mello Stuff was named after me (Mel) and my little sister (Lori). As children, we played in our Grandmother's jewelry box and decades later, here we are - still playing with jewelry! I guess we take it for granted that everyone else feels the same way about 'pretty things' and we really appreciate unique art pieces that tell stories. So Lori talks a lot and tells me her stories and I design jewelry that inspires them or is inspired by them.

Lime Czech glass chandelier earrings

Why did you decide to work with upcycled/recycled/repurposed materials?
As a long time cast-off jewelry rescuer who winces at the idea of it being destroyed or thrown away, I began experimenting with the incorporation of themed art in jewelry using cast off materials. Acquiring the broken pieces of others' at estate and yard sales, flea markets and anywhere I come across them, I've combined them with my own extensive collection to create pieces like you see in my shop; absolutely unique, one of a kind, wearable body art that tells a story. Incidentally, if it can be repaired, I always fix it first. No repairable jewelry is harmed in the making of my work.

Purple Passion Barefoot Sandals

What is your favorite thing about running your etsy shop?
Ha, that's easy! SALES! Seriously, I absolutely love getting to know other artisans and as you can see by our enormous favorites list, we love window shopping as much as we love listing.

Burgundy Butterflies Ribbon Bib Necklace

What inspires you to create/sell what you do?
I was born with a paintbrush in my left hand. Once a piece of jewelry landed in my right hand, it was all over for me. We both love anything and everything artistic... from words, to painting, to crafting, music, design... if it is a creation, we honor the creator. Both of us are eternally inspired by creations of every manner and find great personal satisfaction in the act of creating. As for selling it, my greatest moments usually come from repairing a sentimental heirloom jewelry piece that has sat in someone's hope chest for decades just waiting to be fixed and worn. When they thank me with grateful tears in their eyes, that's the ultimate payment.