In Love With Melinmade

I'm so in love right now. I can't stop thinking about her. Her name is Melinda Czecon and she's so super talented that I want every single thing she makes.

Obviously I'm partial to true artisans. But it's rare I even come across anything I'd consider REALLY unique these days. I love flea markets, street fairs and the like. Everyone knows I rarely miss the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival- both in the spring AND fall. I did actually miss the spring Arts & Music Festival because I was just kind of apathetic about it. It's almost always the same vendors, year after year. Here and there you see something kind of new but there are only so many hippie-dippy earrings I can buy and my house has been done since we moved in eight years ago.

B and E went to E's first Yankee game the day of Ridgewood's Fall Street Fair. I was going to go down the shore because it was supposed to be gorgeous out according to the weather people on the news all week leading up to it. Meanwhile, the weather looked like it was going to rain for the whole first half of the day. Plus, Jordan asked me to have coffee so I figured I'd meet up with her and then go to the street fair on my own. So that's what I did.

I was just kind of walking around aimlessly when happened upon Melinda's booth. I saw these beautiful, handmade, sweater-coats. I was in AWE. Right up my alley. AMAZING. They look like something out of a renaissance festival or a Disney movie. I could picture them in a movie like that Snow White and the Huntsman. Not in a campy way though. In a head-turning, stunningly beautiful way. There was one in creams and whites that I could picture Elsa from Frozen wearing. I could just picture walking into a room wearing one and everyone asking where I got it. It's THAT kind of look. Where you don't even want to take it off because it's part of your whole outfit. I'd probably wear a t-shirt and leggings under it so it could be the main focus of my look that day.

They're about $299 and you can tell why they cost that much. I wouldn't have been surprised if they cost more. They look every penny of the price tag. I know overpriced where I'm thinking- Yeah, good luck with that. Not in this case. It's a good thing they're expensive- well, for me. I'd never be able to decide on one color. Every single one is prettier than the next. I tried on the electric blue and black but there is one with burgundy I covet too. My only trepidation with that one is that there is beige in it and well, I can't wear beige. There is a light blue, one with greens- you name it. I want them all. ALL.

I think it's the hood that is the coolest part though. They're like long, pointy, I don't know what you'd call them. They remind me of the ends of leprechaun shoes. They're amazing.

She does "handwarmer" gloves too. I'm obsessed with fingerless gloves like that too. But I lose too many of them to buy such gorgeous ones. Although, if I run into her again at one of these fairs when it's cold, I can totally see myself giving in when B does that whole- "Do you want them? You can have them!" as he does any time I see something he knows I think is really unique and special. Her stuff is definitely of that caliber and definition.

Look for her and check out her etsy store. https://www.etsy.com/shop/Melinmade?ref=shop_sugg

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/Melinmade

Schedule:

Cranford, NJ on Oct 12
Fair Lawn, NJ on Oct 19
Paramus, NJ on Nov 30 (Paramus High School)



Melinda Czeczon
Emmaus, PA
Email: melincz@gmail.com