As we are gearing up to begin Fun A Day 2022, we are excited to share with you the amazing work and inspiring stories of some of our excellent participants. First in this year’s series of ‘Fun A Day Stories’ is Melissa Latto of nine9angels and nineangelshome who makes colourful jesmonite homewares and polymer clay jewellery. 

Melissa took part in Fun A Day for the first time in 2019 and has remained connected to the project ever since. It is fantastic to see participants return year after year and to see their work evolve.

How did you hear about Fun A Day Dundee?

I found out about Fun A Day when I met Sam Baxter, the project coordinator, at my first big market in 2018, not long after I had my little girl. January can be such a dull month, and so dreary after the festive period, that I jumped at the chance to get involved and get creative. 

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What are your favourite things about Fun A Day Dundee?

The thing that spoke to me the most was the routine! Being self-employed, it can be hard to know what’s happening from one day to the next and I’m some who loves to plan, so this project was so comforting to me! It also showed me that no matter how busy and stressed I get, it’s always possible to carve out some me-time, even if it’s just half an hour, every day.

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Please tell us a little about projects you’ve made as part of FADD in previous years…  

For my first project, I set myself a (scary) target of creating a new style of earring every day. It helped me to decide which of the ideas in my head were workable and it was the kick-starter for my first wholesale catalogue. Many of them were just for me though, and I must have doubled my earring collection that month!

For last year’s project, I decided to research fun ways to use my waste materials. I never throw anything away if I can help it, so I have lots of jars of colourful scraps of jesmonite and clay! It wasn’t a new item every day, but I still found lots of inspiration and tried so many ideas. Some didn’t work out, but some have led me down new paths of creativity. My favourite piece was this clock face that I made using jesmonite chips to create a terrazzo effect. Lots and lots of sanding, but so worth it!

What are you looking forward to about FAD2022? 

After a crazy Christmas build up, where I feel I’ve been so busy I haven’t had the chance to make anything new in months, I’m looking forward to Fun a Day 2022 so I can get all the ideas I’ve had out of my head, and into reality! I’ll be looking into ways of making new moulds for my jesmonite creations, so I’m unrestricted in the shapes I want to produce. I can’t wait to see what everyone else has planned. Finding new Insta and real life friends is a huge part of the fun of Fun a Day!

Thank you Melissa! If you would like to see more of Melissa’s work please visit her on Instagram or have a look at her Etsy homeware and Etsy jewellery shop.


If you would like to take part in Fun A Day 2022, you can do so by emailing ‘Sign me up!’ to funadaydundee@gmail.com

You can also follow along with the fun on Facebook, Instagram and twitter.