Always innovative and resourceful, Melissa recalls her earliest memories of imagination and design. Her first inspiration was her mother, who created original dolls, clothes and accessories for her five daughters, often with Melissa at her side, playing with the small scraps of fabric remnants, trimmings and buttons. Always seeking a new market, at seven she was scolded for peddling vegetables from her mother’s refrigerator to unsuspecting neighbors.
Although creativity and innovation was ever present in the Callaway home, the sport of tennis was the center of focus and activity. All five daughters excelled at the sport, including Melissa, a nationally ranked Junior Tennis player, having once competed against well-known legend Billy Jean King. Melissa continued her athletic pursuits at the University of Arizona, but her inherent creative talent continued to emerge and she enjoyed studying art and design.
When she married Dan Neufeld in 1969 and moved to Austin, Texas she helped support his law school education by using common and accessible materials to create her first designs, traveling around Texas to retail stores and art shows, even fraternity fundraisers, selling her line. Dan and Melissa often laugh at those first designs, but are thankful for their first lessons in design and marketing.
In the years since that first foray into the world of design, Melissa has been the proprietor of three retail stores, The Patchwork Rainbow, The Quilted Pig and Petit Marche, but she is best known for her manufacturing company, Melissa Neufeld, Inc.
Melissa started her manufacturing company with two wrapping papers and two stickers, making her headquarters her home’s guestroom. Not listening to those who told her the line was too limited to start a company, in less than ten years she built the company into one of the premier paper goods manufacturing companies, including licensed products by well-known artists such as Mary Engelbreit, Jone Hallmark and Kathy Davis.
Although she enjoyed building her manufacturing company, Melissa’s passion has always been faithful to the art of creation. Each day she is inspired by the world around her and loves to incorporate her ideas with an array of materials, from acorn caps and oak leaves to glass glitter and vintage trimmings. Her reputation for originality and style has let to appearances on Martha Stewart Living and in Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion.
In 2002 Melissa encouraged her daughter, Barbara Schriber, to launch her own manufacturing company, specializing in handmade vintage-inspired paper products. Barbara licenses many of Melissa’s creations and the two women inspire each other with their varied styles and skills. The two are currently working on a book of Melissa’s lessons on tools, technique and design.
Once asked what has been important in encouraging her creative potential, Melissa responded with her most prominent lesson for all designers: to never know what the end result will be. Her favorite part of waking each morning is discovering what she will create, taking her designs where inspiration leads her.
Some of the companies that we share common interest with
Martin Meyer Imports West - THE BEST GERMAN GLASS GLITTER - wholesale only
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Country Living - countryliving.com