I started designing jewelry to help my daughter cover expenses for my chronically ill granddaughter. For 4 years my jewelry was listed first on eBay, then gradually to Etsy on my daughter's shop. Etsy now carries my daughter's line of Awareness bracelets and anklets under https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChronicallyCaring. She has bracelets, anklets, necklaces and keychains covering all the major diseases, cancers, misc. afflictions and sells to many support groups.

Since the Etsy site has evolved to have more focus on Julie's awareness items and less on other types of jewelry, I have set up my own shop. I focus mainly on African jewelry designs. I like them best because they are so colorful and unique, and at the same time help workers in Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia to sell their wares. A friend with the State Department started me on my African jewelry designs, sending me a variety of beads while on assignment in Ghana in 2012.

I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii where I have had a graphic web design & development business there for the past 14 years and moved to Texas 6 years ago to be nearer family. My focus now is on jewelry design. I recently opened a second Etsy shop for my everyday jewelry designs: MelloDesignsBoutique.

The beads used for these one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces come from several countries in Africa as well as Indonesia, and a few focal beads from China and Tibet. Some are collected on world travels, some from friends on assignment in Ghana and others from local US merchants who work with African communities to help their economy.

Batik/ Bone beads are popular in most African countries and are handcrafted from animal bone and thereafter dyed through the batik method to give them color. Mudcloth beads are another name for Batik dyed beads because the resulting bead designs resemble bogolanfini cloth known as mudcloth.

Clean most African beads with a small amount of Mineral Oil on a clean cloth and rub. This is not recommended for old, batik dyed or Antique beads as their dirt is well earned and adds to their history. Cleaning agents such as soap are not advised.