Welcome to my little creative corner.
Hi, I’m Melissa.
Illustrator, maker and collector of ideas based in Scotland.
If you’ve ever wondered why one person makes clay houses, paints scallop shells, illustrates fluffy creatures and is constantly learning new crafts… welcome! You’re in the right place.
Curiosity has always been my favourite creative tool.
You might also notice a little face peeking over my shoulder. Meet Thistle Puff.
Part thistle, part unicorn, part wee curious magical fluff ball, they’re a tiny reminder of what this whole business is built on: following ideas wherever they lead.
Because around here, curiosity usually wins.
How it all began
Like many good stories, this one started long before there was a business.
When I was little, my mum and I used to make tiny roses from homemade “clay” made from bread dough and glue. She was always creating something; crochet, painting, sewing or whatever new project had caught her imagination.
Looking back, I think that’s where my love of making really began.
Years later, while I was living in the Netherlands, my health meant I had to step away from work. I found myself searching for something to keep my hands busy and my mind a little quieter, and I naturally returned to making things. It felt familiar and comforting and made me feel a wee but closer to home.
One project quickly became another and before long, I had loads of little creations around my house. I loved making them, but there was one small problem, I couldn’t possibly keep everything.
So I opened an Etsy shop called Bewildered Unicorn.
Not long afterwards, my illustrations and digital designs had grown into something deserving of their own space too, so Gallus Unicorn was born.
When I eventually moved back home to Scotland, Etsy didn’t allow me to transfer my shop from the Netherlands, so both shops had to begin again with new names: Bewildered Unicorns and Gallus Unicorns.
The names may have changed, but the curiosity behind them never did.
Even now, I still love learning new crafts. If something catches my eye, there’s every chance I’ll end up trying it. Some ideas become collections, others simply become lessons, but every project teaches me something new.
Although I make with wool, clay and pixels, (plus any other medium that crosses my path) the ideas all come from the same place.
Bewildered Unicorn represents my endlessly curious side—the part of me that’s forever asking, “I wonder if I could make that?” It’s home to my handmade pieces, from shell trinket dishes and clay sculptures to seasonal decorations and whatever new craft I’m currently obsessed with.
Gallus Unicorn is where my illustrations live. “Gallus” is a Scottish word often used to describe someone who’s confident, cheeky or quietly brave, and it perfectly captures the playful spirit behind my drawings, stickers and stationery.
While the shops have different names, they’re simply two halves of the same creative brain.
Eventually, running multiple social media accounts became one project too many, so I brought everything together under one home: Bewildered & Gallus Unicorns.
Why two unicorns?
Still making things together.
Mum isn’t here anymore, but her creativity still appears in my work. I even use some of her old crochet pieces to emboss patterns into my clay, so in a quiet way, we’re still making things together.
Following curiosity wherever it leads isn’t just my motto; it’s how this little business came to life.
