Photo by Valeria Castillo.

Melissa is a graphic designer, illustrator & author who is passionate about all things handmade. She is originally from Monterrey, Mexico and deeply influenced by its rich culture and history. She currently lives in Milton, Ontario with her husband Tom, twin boys Wesley and Elliott and two cats Milo and Benjamin.

Always having a passion for the visual arts, Melissa received an Honours Bachelor Degree in Graphic Design from the joint program at York University and Sheridan College. She pursued her passion for handmade with her first business Milo&Ben, creating sewn and needle felted animals based on her illustrations. After winding down Milo&Ben Melissa went on to write her first book Handmade Animal Dolls, a how-to book on how to make her stuffed animals. Her second book Vibrant Punch Needle Décor focuses is inspired by Melissa's Mexican heritage, the patterns reflect the vibrant colours and geometric patterns of traditional textiles, with a modern touch.

Melissa has also collaborating with various companies illustrating and designing fabric, paper collections, phone cases and package designs.

Following her own maker journey, she founded Makeology, a growing community of artisans that supports small business owners. Through Makeology a series of videos was born, the videos highlight artisans, their work and their space. 

You can find her and her current projects on Instagram @melissalowrydesign