I am proud to call myself an artist. Anyone who knows me, knows that art is my “thing.”
I have never been mathematically inclined. Anyone who knows me, knows that math is NOT my “thing.”
While I was preparing my new website, I knew how I wanted the product listings to look: photos + description + specifications. I worked on the photos first, because I knew that I would enjoy it; after all, photography is an art form in itself! I wrote the product descriptions next; I enjoy writing – it’s another form of creative expression. I put off the specifications (i.e., measurements) until the very end; I knew it would involve math, so I avoided it as long as I could.
However, once I got into the rhythm of measuring and recording each piece’s dimensions, a strange sense of familiarity came over me… And then it all came back to me: this was just like my previous job working as a Cataloguer at an art gallery! When I worked at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, I catalogued works of art in the permanent collection, documenting everything about the pieces (including measurements). I fondly remembered my time there, and my favourite art works, and how I enjoyed the process of recording all the facts unique to each piece.
And so, measuring and recording the specifications for my own creations did not turn into the daunting task I dreaded, but a fond trip down memory lane! Hmm, maybe math does have its good points… Lesson learned!
Melanie Ferguson, Artist/Owner, Mella Bella Designs
]]>
Each piece of jewelry I create has its own story to tell. I’d like to tell you the story behind a pair of earrings from my own personal collection.
My grandmother (Baba) was one of the biggest influences in my life. She poured her creativity into everything she did. Having grown up around her, I observed and learned from her. One of her many talents was beadwork. However, because she had so many talents, she tried a great variety of things, and unfortunately left many projects unfinished. After she passed away, we found many boxes of materials and half-finished projects from the various hobbies she pursued.
One day, my grandfather presented me with a couple of small boxes. The treasures they contained brought tears to my eyes. All at once, a flood of memories returned, not only of my Baba, but of those boxes and the beads they contained. I hadn’t seen them since I was a very young child.
The boxes contained an assortment of beads – seed beads, glass pearls, crystals – plus some findings, and beading needles. There was also one partially finished necklace – a traditional Ukrainian gerdan. As I sorted through this newly rediscovered treasure trove, I couldn’t help but wonder what projects my Baba had in mind for all these beading supplies.
A few pearls caught my attention. They were a beautiful shade of muted blue, sort of like denim. I found them in different sizes. I instantly envisioned them in a stacked earring, and set out to find complimentary beads. My search through her stash turned up lighter pearls, and blue-ish crystals with a shimmery finish.
And so ends the story of my blue pearl earrings. I love wearing them, because they make me feel connected to my Baba.
Melanie Ferguson, Artist/Owner, Mella Bella Designs
]]>Welcome to the new and improved Mella Bella Designs website – now complete with an on-line store! This is a long-time dream-come-true for me, and it’s something many of my customers have been asking for! So, please be my guest, and enjoy your visit! Feel free to look around! And if something happens to catch your eye, it would be my pleasure to package it up and send it your way!
Some of my long-time Mella Bella Designs loyal friends might notice a different look to my new website. This past summer, I went through the process of rebranding my jewelry business. I wanted a cleaner, more contemporary look, and I worked with some brilliant designers to achieve this. First of all, my sincere thanks go out to Diane of Little Monkey Designs for designing a beautiful new logo for me! She has also designed my new business cards, and a new banner design is in the works, too! She took my vision for a clean, modern, new look, while reflecting the Ukrainian influence of my work – hence the delicate floral motif of the poppies took centre stage in my new logo!
Please check out Diane’s business Little Monkey Designs – she has some lovely items available for your home and little ones, too! www.littlemonkeydesigns.ca
I also want to thank the creative geniuses at Kleurvision for their efforts in creating my new website. Patrick, Brian, and Alison are an amazing team who worked together to bring my vision for my new website to life. Their patience and helpfulness should also be commended! They worked together with me every step of the way, incorporating my feedback as they developed the site. Then, just as important, they taught me how to use it, too! It was so exciting to watch the process of my website become the fully functional on-line store it is today!
I am proud to be a part of Kleurvision’s impressive roster of clients. You can find out more about them and their services here: www.kleurvision.com
Thank you again for visiting the new Mella Bella Designs on-line store!
Melanie Ferguson, Artist/Owner, Mella Bella Designs
]]>