FEST: Interview with MieleMelograno

Meet Liz of MieleMelograno

Who are you?
I am a long-winded, exuberant, exasperating, do-it-myself, people-loving, historically-enamored, art-wild, daughter-woman-wife-mom. Oh and I have a voice that will carry over a crowd no problem, and I laugh a lot! I like corny jokes ;) And I love marriage every aspect of it.

What do you create?

Ahhh creation is everything you put your heart into whether it's soup from scratch or a poem, or a construction paper valentine to your child ;) I love creating so much that I can't even follow a recipe I have to make it my own (I rarely even measure anymore). My husband doesn't mind that none of my loaves of bread are identical. Life is made of moments so why should everything be perfect every time?! The botched loaf will only make that next perfect loaf of golden bread seem that much more wondrous and beautiful. But in my Etsy shop you won't find bread. You'll find my passions brought out in gold and silver, gemstones and textiles. I create jewelry that leaps to me from the pages of history! When I was a small girl I used to love to spend Christmas in Iowa with my maternal grandparents. One Christmas I asked my grandfather where he got his wedding ring {it was a wide silver band with a Greek key pattern etched into it's surface}. He smiled and put down the cards we were playing to tell me about it. My grandfather could not afford a gold band for my grandmother but one day, thumbing a silver quarter in his pocket, he had an idea. He cut a hole in the silver quarter, but a rod in the middle and took a hammer to the outside edge to pound it down as he was rolling it back and forth, after he formed the band he to a small wood graver and etched out the Greek key pattern. That has always inspired me! You can do anything with your own hands and a few tools, even make jewelry! All it takes is that creative spark!

How did you come about your store name?
Miele Melograno {MEE-ehl mehl-oh-GRAHNO} First, it's Italian for "Pomegranate Honey". Through out history the pomegranates and honey have be symbols of prosperity and fruitful endeavors (happiness, times of plenty).Second, I love marriage! I love being married! I love every aspect of marriage from start to infinity! I want to be the Michelangelo to a bride's Sistine Chapel! I love to create with them something that in the end is just a piece of a start of their amazing life together. So what better name to have an one that wishes them the best of marital bliss? That's why I chose it, I wish everyone well!

What is the crafting utensil you cannot live without?

hmmmmmm that's hard, but, I'd have to say my hammers. The resounding peal of metal on metal, the feel of it changing shape moving, spreading out, bending, the softer metals molecules yielding to the force of the steel hammers velocity .... yup I would definitely miss that.

What is your favorite material to work with?
22k gold! It's so warm and easy, expensive, but easy! You don't have to be as hard with it, it's like wearing silk after sack cloth for months!

What is your life like outside of Etsy?
I am a multi-tasking mom. I home-school {for now} the two oldest of our three boys, aged 9, 6 and 2. I also recently found out that our fourth child will be joining our merry band in November sometime. I truly do try to make everything I can from scratch. Not only for the pure joy of learning to do something new but also for the ecological aspect of it all too. I always find something creative to do whether it's baking, cooking, drawing, painting, scherrenschnitte (paper cutting), origami, book making, sewing, writing, or building lego wonderlands with my boys!

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?
I love that Etsy has finally gotten some of the new features out like the sorting, but I love the forums and treasuries most.

What do you enjoy "window shopping" on Etsy on your free time?
I do ... too much! my favorites have 1040 items (and that's weeded out over time too)

Is there an online "tool" that you like to use?
Wix.com! I have the upgraded version but it enabled me to create this beautiful website for free. I chose to pay to have the banner-less option but it's so easy and I couldn't have asked for more!

What other interests do you have?
Anything and everything I can get my hands into. but mainly the preservation of techniques on the brink of being lost to modern technology and convenience. So I love challenges.

Where in Florida do you live?
We moved to the Orlando Metro area in Fall 2002. This was my second time living here. From 1985-90 I lived here with my parents. So I've been in FL for a total of 12.5 years. I love the FL sun! I love the beaches and the springs.

Could you recommend a fun activity near your Fl home that other members might enjoy?
Well I like to go for adventures, especially those that can inspire with the lure of history! St. Augustine is one of my favorite places in Florida! It has great historical sites, good food, awesome college! And I wouldn't forgo one of the springs like Rock Springs near Apopka, or Blue Springs either.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?
You can find me here:
http://www.mielemelograno.us/
http://www.mielemelograno.blogspot/
http://www.twitter.com/mielemelograno
you can also look me up on Facebook, LinkedIn, WeddingWire, just type in Miele Melgorano.I can also be found on the Knot.com under local vendors>South FL>Wedding Fashion>Rings

What “super” power would you like to have and why?
The ability to re arrange molecules ... then I could solder my jewelry without the use of harvested natural gases. I would be the ultimate green jeweler! I could even "smelt" the ore etc, who needs poisonous slag when I could just pull the elements to the surface and take the out?!

What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
I got married to Jack, after knowing him for 5 weeks! Here was someone I couldn't let get away, and I knew something - I could trust him, with my heart! We had so many corresponding/similar things in our life. Yet we are different in so many others. Our shared experiences help draw us together, our differences balance us out. And after 12yrs and {soon to be} 4 children we are still growing in Love. You realize that not every moment is the best. It's the "not so easy" times that truly help you to appreciate every drop of happy moment you can catch!

If you were a dessert what would it be?
Now I have to answer this one too because it would be the amazing modern twist on baklava I had once at the Barbery Fig in Mpls, MN. It was a baklava w/ lavender infused honey. I'm that exactly, fragrant and sticky sweet, with many layers of crunchy goodness surrounding a sweet nutty core! Me 2 a tea ;-)