Woman with a shaved head and tattoo, sitting on a cream-colored, textured sofa, wearing a beige off-the-shoulder dress and earrings, with green plants nearby.

Get to Know…

Melissa Shippee

Specialty - Bead Weaving, Bead Embroidery

Melissa G. Shippee is a celebrated and published beadwork designer whose creative influence extends across the global beading community. She teaches workshops internationally, contributes regularly to leading books and magazines, and is sought after for her skill in illustrating detailed, easy-to-follow diagrams for fellow instructors.

With a background in both physics and art, Melissa brings a unique blend of precision and creativity to her work. Her journey into beadwork began when motherhood inspired a new direction—one that evolved into a thriving artistic career.

Her impressive body of work includes two full-length instructional books, Beautiful Beadwork from Nature and I Can Herringbone, along with numerous featured projects in publications such as Beadwork Magazine, Bead & Button Magazine, Bead Star Magazine, Perlen Poesie, and Beading All Stars.

Melissa’s talent has earned her notable recognition, including being named a Beadwork Magazine Designer of the Year and a Starman Trendsetter, as well as multiple awards for her bead artistry.

Explore more of Melissa’s inspiring designs at:

mgsdesigns.net

Melissa’s Creative Portfolio

Colorful beaded necklace with leaf-shaped pendants and large central crystals.
A decorative writing utensil adorned with pink feathers, gold beads, pearls, and iridescent stones, held by a black-gloved hand.
An ornate mask decorated with pink and purple beads, gold accents, and rhinestones, displayed on a mannequin head.
Beaded dragon in pink, purple, red, and turquoise with labels for each color, displayed on a white background.
A woman with a shaved head and a large floral tattoo on the side of her head, wearing earrings and a striped top, standing against a dark background.
A beaded necklace with green, purple, and blue beads, featuring a large clear gem pendant and three smaller purple gems, resting on a purple fabric background.
A decorative item with silver, blue, and white beads, large blue gemstones, two white pearls, intricate metalwork, and a cluster of light grey and white feathers at the top.
Gold necklace with turquoise and white beads, featuring a large pendant with intricate beadwork and green accents, laid on a gray surface.
A woman with a shaved head and a large floral tattoo on her scalp, sitting on a bed with cream-colored bedding, wearing a beige, off-the-shoulder, button-down dress and a beaded black and beige necklace.
Jewelry set featuring a bracelet and ring with intricate beading, blue and gold accents, set against a black reflective surface.
A decorative jewelry box with a beaded necklace draped over a mannequin hand, featuring an elaborately decorated clasp with beads, crystals, and a small charm, all set against a purple fabric background.
A gray mannequin head wearing an ornate, bejeweled masquerade mask decorated with pearls, gemstones, and beads, with long beaded tassels hanging from the sides, and a dark blue ribbon or fabric draped over the shoulder.
Two decorative beaded bracelets with large floral embellishments, one with yellow, blue, and purple beads and the other with blue, gold, and pink beads.
A woman with a shaved head and a leaf tattoo on her scalp, wearing a striped long-sleeve top and high-waisted jeans, standing against a dark background, with her eyes closed and one hand on her head.
Necklace with pink and black beads and floral and leaf-shaped designs, displayed on a light gray background. The text "Les Fleurs Anciennes" and "Melissa Shippee" is at the bottom.
Ornate beaded necklace called Rhapsody Necklace with pink, blue, purple, and amber beads, featuring large teardrop-shaped amber beads and a central circular pendant, on white background with text indicating it is designed by Melissa Shippee for MGS L
Beaded floral necklace with purple, pink, and gold beads, and a central crystal embellishment, resting on a gray and white fabric background.
Colorful beaded necklace with turquoise, gold, and brown beads, featuring a large turquoise pendant.
Beaded decorative pendant hanging from a brown cord.
Gold and turquoise beaded necklace with a large ornate pendant and decorative beads.

Melissa’s Available Workshops