Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanny Melendez.
Hi Melanny, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I used to suffer from a lot of depression and anxiety. I am a very introverted person who likes to be by myself, having kids and a small family who need attention took a lot out of me mentally and eventually physically. I was always drained because I never took time out for myself or had any hobbies. There came a point where I finally decided I needed to have something for myself and dabbled in a couple of things I was interested in but none of those stuck with me. January 2020, I was watching baking shows on TV one night and decided I wanted to try decorating cakes but thought I should probably start small and work my way up, so cookies was the obvious choice for me. My best friend has been decorating cookies for about ten years by this point so I went to her for guidance. Once I have my mind set to something, I have to execute it ASAP. The next day I bought everything I needed and it was history from there. Ask me if I’ll ever touch a cake.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This ‘hobby’ has quickly become something that takes up a lot of my time. I come home from work and straight away begin on cookies until 1,2,4am or sometimes even all night until I have to go back to work in the morning. Juggling cookies with my personal life and work has been the biggest struggle that I have yet to find a balance for. There have definitely been weeks where we order food for dinner more than we should.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I pride myself in making cookies that are “not your average cutesy sugar cookie”. I put a lot of detail in my work, I also incorporate a lot of pop culture and realism and I think that’s what sets me apart from others. At this point, I think I am most known for my sneaker cookies, Sneakers are a big part of my home life so I always feel the pressure to get them as accurate as possible with color matching and detail.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
An important lesson I’ve learned is to be more intentional with my time. Taking moments to just sulk in the moment and do things with purpose. It’s easy to go thru the motions and be put in a daily routine where it can feel like you’re on auto pilot. Especially now when all the days seem to blur together.
Contact Info:
- Email: sugarcoatedatx@gmail.com
- Website: https://forms.gle/QxKEj7gTcpxm5pMR6
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarcoatedatx/
Image Credits
Portrait – Chris Baker
