The skill that started it all. Throughout the summer of 2020, I hand-embroidered a variety flowers into a total of 50 shirts. Each shirt was made to order, with the colors and flower selection customized by each buyer. 

I took my first sewing class when I was nine years old, and quickly grew confident around a sewing machine. In March of 2022, I went back to my roots and sewed up the first of The Handsewn Collection, MeliCo's iconic Blueberry Bag. Since then, I have sewn dozens of tote bags complete with finished linings and pockets, which have become a stand-out part of MeliCo's table at local markets. The success of these bags has motivated me to find a use for all fabric remnants, which now become assorted pouches and wristlet lanyards. 

One of the common uses of my digitally designed work is on textiles. I sketch and perfect drawings and typography using Procreate and upload them to Cricut Design Space to transfer these pieces of work to textiles including tote bags and apparel. The use of a Cricut has been instrumental in brand establishment and polishing the customer expirience.

Photography has been a skill that has always challenged me, from finding the right lighting to how to accurately capture a project's features. With the help of an upgraded camera lens and Adobe Lightroom, I strive to take photos that catch one's eye and give Melico a polished, professional look. 

A vast amount of my jewelry work revolves around bead and wire. Using various tools and materials, I strive to create simple, tasteful pieces that balance on the line between handmade and polished. In the April and May of 2021, I handmade over 300 individual crystal wire-wrapped rings, which motivated my search for sustainable packaging alternatives, now known as a one of TheMeliProjects.

One of the newest tools added to my tool belt is Laser work. For the last two years, MeliCo's Iconic Dinosaur Earrings have taken the internet by storm, selling over 2000+ pairs nationwide. I've always wanted to try different colors and species of dinosaur, and knew that a laser was the way to make that happen. In November of 2022, I've begun the learning curve of the machine, with dreams of perfecting the dinosaur earring and opening the door for even more creative, and efficient, possibilities. 

Beginning in August of 2022, I stepped out of a life in the choir room to a life at the wheel, and have never looked back. I love perfecting even the simplest of skills to make handmade, which payed off, resulting in perfect scores on nearly every assignment and ending the fall semester with above a 100% in the class.  I intend to keep perfecting my skill throughout the spring semester and whatever comes next.