Artist Spotlight: Melanie Adey

A new feature here at "Crafty Goodness" - artist interviews!~

Today, we would like to introduce you to the very talented Melanie Adey from "Whimsical Creations."

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Hi Melanie! Thank you so much for agreeing to be featured here on the "Crafty Goodness" blog!

To begin, please share with us how long you have been creating your whimsical clay creations and what led you to making the very first one?

• I have been making my creations out of polymer clay for about 15 years. I started making ornaments out of salt dough as a child. I started working with polymer clay because it never dries and there are so many wonderful colors. In the beginning I made Christmas ornaments for family and friends. I even made daisy magnets for my wedding favors 10 years ago.

Your creations are so fun and whimsical! Is there any certain character or design you enjoy creating more than another? If so, which one and why?

• I love making the babies. They are too cute lined up in a row before I add the blankets.

What are your most popular designs?

• Over this past Christmas, my most popular were the twins and my family ornaments.

Do you accept custom requests?

• I do accept custom requests. If there is something you have in mind and I don't have it, please contact me and in most cases will gladly make it for you. I am more than happy to change colors, too. I have made many custom orders for customers.
  

What advice could you share with someone who is just learning to work with polymer clay?

Have patience and enjoy yourself. Use some household utensils...my favorite tools are a cap to a seam ripper, my exacto knife and various cookie cutters. Use dollar store cookie sheets to bake on. Keep an eye on it in the oven...it will burn if you bake it for too long.

And just for fun, tell us 5 fun facts about you that most people do not know =)

• I am a tv junky....don't know what I would do with out my DVR. (actually I know what I used to do before and it's scary)
• I LOVE to scrapbook and look forward to an annual scrap & spa I attend with my friends. Ahhhh... a long weekend with friends, good food, alcohol and no kids running around.
• I come from a really crafty family. My grandmother is a portrait artist. My mom LOVES to crochet, sew and make LOADS of other things. My sister also scrapbooks, draws and plays with clay. My dad takes fabulous photos. They are all very inspiring.
• I still use a camera that has film. I LOVE my Minolta stsi 35m camera I bought 7 years ago when my son was born. I decided to buy it after I used my dad's old 35m Cannon camera and fell in love with the great shots I got. I use my digital camera to take pictures of my products and just started using it to take some pictures once in a while of the kids.
• I have an AS in Engineering. Yep, I love numbers. =P

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Melanie, thank you so much for sharing your time and talents with us! I've really enjoyed learning a little more about you and I know others have, too!
Be sure to click on Melanie's banner above to we whirled away to her shop of "Whimsical Creations" and to click on each image throughout the interview to be taken directly to that image's listing!!
You can also keep up-to-date with Melanie's happenings by following her charming blog at:
http://melaniescrafts.blogspot.com/
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Watch next Wednesday for a new artist interview and if you would like to be feature on "Crafty Goodness", please contact me and let me know!

Wishing everyone a creative day filled with whimsy!