So Here We Are

My name is Melissa, I am a twenty year old girl who isn't sure what to make of life still. I currently live in the heart of Dallas and attend The Art Institute of Dallas as a full time student studying Advertising Design & Graphic Design. Ever since I can remember I have been using my hands to create something. I guess you could say the true spark of my art career started when I was only but 6 years of age. My brother and I would beg our mother to save up a years worth of cardboard boxes, this would begin in an early fall and continue right up until our summer vacation. With this abundance of boxes we would then create (ever year until my brother turned 15 and told me he was far too old to play) what we liked to call "Monkey Medical Center." We had several toys growing up, but only one frumpy looking stuffed animal monkey would ever gain our love. Every summer we would cut down the boxes and tape them together or do whatever we had to do to create this little center that typically took up an entire living room den. Mom never complained, most likely because she figured whatever got us out of her hair for awhile and forced us to use our brains. Each summer vacation we would work on the center for about 4 weeks until the center suited our fancy. I can remember once we took my brothers electronically powered metal version of legos ( I cannot remember the name of this device or brand to save my life!! ) and we hot glued the metal powered function to one of the cardboard boxes and created a real working elevator for "Monkey Sam" and his little stuffed animal patients. It was really then, as a child I began using my hands to create new items from old items, an idea that even to this "GO GREEN" day people turn their snooty heads up at. I simply adore the idea of using something old to make something new. I like thinking that each of the older items have had their own lives, they have seen different things and now will see more. Almost as if I was reincarnating them.

As I grew up my hands were still busy, though maybe not building an outrageously large cardboard hospital for my toys, but redesigning or fixing my clothing & accessories. It started as just a quick fix, whenever I would go to a store that was marketed towards teens I would always love to purchase what I thought were unique and beautiful necklaces & any other type of accessories. However, what I soon came to find out was that these cute pieces were simply not made with love. The links that were supposed to hold my newest obsessions together only lasted but a few weeks. I did the same thing most people did, and just went back for more until I had enough. I examined each cheaply, unloved necklace and decided that I would fix them to my pleasure. Sometimes this meant that I would completely take apart the broken chain and reassemble new links and made sure they were actually tightly secured unlike the ones I bought in the past that had links that were not really push together to form a complete circle. I was satisfied knowing even if I get a bum necklace I was able to figure out a way to make it into something I thought was just perfect.

Into my first years away at college I came into a new perspective of life - being broke. I wanted to look like all the hipster kids and boho girls, because that was how I always dressed before college but it never before dawned on me just how much money my parents spent in order to make me look " Cool." These first years being on my own helped me to see things in a new way, I used to go thrifting with friends back in high school to find what we thought were just silly useless things. However now, it was my only hope in finding something that was affordable enough for my desire and easy enough to fix up and make look more modern. I have not been to a mall in quite some time now! If I find a skirt that has an amazing pattern but is a long granny style, I still throw it into my yes pile because I know all I need to do is a simple fix and TAH DAH, it is something close to what Urban Outfitters has on their racks. Not only

clothing, but I would find little knick knacks and honestly anything I thought was remotely adorable. I would take these little treasures and mix and match them into accessories to wear with my various outfits. This fall marked my second year at the Art Institute of Dallas, and it was never brought to my attention that I could actually sell my little treasures. An acquaintance mentioned to me in a 3D Design class that "If you wanted some extra cash you should set up an Etsy, people would go crazy over your stuff!" Feeling a lack of confidence I waited until this May to actually go forth with this person's advice, but I have already seen success, though, it may currently be a small success, I wasn't even going into this new idea expecting anything at all!

I call my shop Indie Thrift because I find my charms/ chains / and just about everything at one of the various spots ; rummage sales, garage sales, charity sales, thrift stores, goodwill shops, estate sales, and sometimes the clearance rack at hobby stores. I love the idea of upcycling , I think it gives a whole new meaning to going green. Ever since I decided to begin Indie Thrift I have been much more thoughtful with all of my items, trying to create something never seen and something that will truly be one of a kind to each of it's owners. I take very much pride in what I create and spend hours on the simplest of pieces. I think that it is something that today we do not see, tender love and care in our expressions. I recently was given a Name Brand blouse from a close friend, without even wearing the blouse, a button fell off while hanging it up in my closet. I thought to myself " Really? A brand new piece of clothing that cannot even hold dear to a little button long enough for me to hang it up?"

I have currently meet several other fellow etsians who seem to feel the same. It is good to finally find my purpose. I want to make things that will make people happy, things that will be cherished for more than a night out on the town, something that is one of a kind and special to each individual who supports my shop.