How it all began...

I've been trying to figure out how to start my blog off... do I write a general "Hi I'm Melani" or do I try and personalise it and give you more insight into who I am as a person. I still haven't decided so what I decided was to let my blog write itself!

BlackCatsAngel is my 'baby' put simply I was sick of being in crap telemarketing jobs (yes I was one of "those" people!) where my team leader didn't care about the company, just the sales, and the boss of said companies didn't give a damn about their employees either. It was a nasty and vicious circle and it was impacting on my health quite severely.

Backtrack to 2006-2007 - lot's of things happened, deaths and illness and trying to deal with my mum being ill and in and out of hospital all the while studying classical voice (I'm a muso at heart) full time at university... I needed something that would allow me to let out my creativity and allow me to have some 'me time'. I discovered beading and soon I was making many a fancy piece of jewellery for family and friends and they were urging me to start my own business...

For once in my life I listened to the wonderful advice I was being given and embarked on what has become a remarkable adventure. My jewellery has become more and more intricate over time, and has even been featured in fashion shows in Melbourne's L'oreal Fashion Week and will hopefully be in some stores soon!

So that's how it all started... However there is so much more to it than that! Yes! MORE!

As a child I would sit at my grandpa's side and look at all of his awesome photography. Photo's of landscapes, flowers and sometimes people. I was always amazed at how he captured the moment and that one moment - that one second told the story even without his words added to it.

I was entranced and received my first camera when I was about 8 and because I was so young and naive I let it gather dust - I didn't see how it would be possible to capture the moment like my grandpa had done so many times!

Fast forward to my 20th birthday where my wonderful mum suprised me with a digital point and shoot - the amount of hours I used that camera in the first year was phenomenal - I think I just about wore it out! I soon grew out of that and the other two cameras I ended up with rather quickly and at 23 years old I now have my Canon 450D with it's various lenses that I use to capture every moment.

So not only am I a jeweler, but I am also a photographer. I photograph everything from landscapes, through to glamour portraits, family portraits and weddings and it was weddings that caused me to take my photography to the next level and making it part of BlackCatsAngel Designs.

The very first wedding I photographed was as a guest and I loved capturing the fairytale as it unfolded around me. I can't thank Travis and Mellissa enough for allowing me to capture their day and use it in my portfolio - without them, I would not have had the courage to try and make it as a photographer in the wedding industry.

So I'm hoping that through all this you are learning a bit about my business and what it's all about, however there is one aspect to my business that hasn't been mentioned yet, and that's that I am not only a jeweller and photographer, but I am also a Make-Up artist!

As a child I was into theatre, acting, singing, dancing - you name it I was in it! I watched the 'grown ups' (who really were just big kids as I've come to learn) apply their make-up, and have sat through workshops learning how to apply it 'just right' and being a photographer I've seen how some make up is just not right for photography and how the wrong make up can really have a bad effect on the outcome - there is only so much photoshop can do!

I started out doing make up for high school shows and university productions and then one day I was asked to do someones wedding... I don't quite know how it became that way, but here I am and most of my make up work is on brides!

Life has been and is an interesting adventure, and mine I'm sure is not about to come to an end anytime too soon, at least I don't plan for it to - however there is one thing left for me to explain to you my dear friends, and that is the answer to a question I get asked all the time - "why did you name your business "BlackCatsAngel Designs"?

Many years ago, I was trying to think up a name for an online art community I was joining (deviantart) and I sat there for a goodly hour trying to think of something to no avail! In the end, out of pure desperation I decided that I would look to my right and use that as the first part of my username and then I would do the same thing to my left side. - There sitting prettily were my two Black Cats and the Angel on the Christmas Tree... And so was born BlackCatsAngel - Designs was added when I started making jewellery and it's stuck ever since!

So, welcome to my blog, please subscribe to keep up with the latest special deals and latest creations and leave any comments you wish! I would love to hear your feedback!

With love and light,

Melani

Website: www.blackcatsangel.com
Email: melani@blackcatsangel.com