Well, it has been a while since I created a bloggityblogg (goodness me, time has slipped away this year)! I also STILL haven't created a newsletter (face palm). I'm here today to spill my thoughts, and wrap up another year of surviving. I'm holding on.....
Another adventurous year has seen many new faces and a handful of returning long-term students walk through the studio doors, to learn the art of wax carving for jewellery making. It's so surreal meeting new people and sharing my passion and knowledge with them. I still can't believe this is my "job". In addition, a few handfuls of my one of a kind silver and solid gold jewels have also found their homes (humans!) this year within Australia and abroad - which is still so exciting, and still feels so novel! I'm ever so grateful to occasionally sprinkle you with thoughtfully crafted arty farty sparkles, and to have the honour of showing you how it's done behind the scenes - so thank you thank you thank you!
My social media content is currently "lacking", as I have been invested in family, teaching and focusing on cooking up plans for the final month of this year - as well as mapping out 2025 in a very broad (chaotic overly-ambitious how-the-heck-will-I-even-manage-this) sense! I also recently spent a large amount of time finalising the last jewellery collection of 2024, and there likely won't be any more jewellery for some time. Oh how I wish I was an octopus..... but it's me with my two hands and one (maybe sometimes only half, or a quarter of) brain.
In September I casually (and somewhat humorously) announced that my intention was to start filming content to build an online jewellery school, specifically for wax carving. I'm not a tech-savvy person, so it was a very long and stressful month of researching the equipment I'd require - as well as upgrading the necessary items! To get the ball rolling, I wrapped my jewellers bench in adorable pale dusty pink vinyl and added a leopard print trim - because I always deliver that 5a5s, AND it matches my jewellery packaging. Plus, the brown laminate wood top looked awful on camera, so I had a mini "design meltdown" and consulted my bestie for help. She always comes to the rescue, and suggested the vinyl as a temporary fix!
You may be wondering how much progress I have made with filming. The answer is "not much yet" (eek hahaha - I've got a reel on the way about this).... However, I have filmed a short test video, and have arranged my setup and lighting. It's ready to go (or at least I think it is)!
I have a few more classes to wrap up before the year ends. Teaching takes up a considerable amount of my time and energy, and although I love it I'm really looking forward to closing the studio so I can have a solid month to focus on filming (and a bit of rest too, because I have lost so much time to this body of mine). I find it really difficult executing huge tasks in dribs and drabs, and much prefer to work SOLIDLY for weeks on end to just GET SHEET DONE! I haven't mentioned a release/launch date for the online course/s, primarily because this is all new to me, and it's going to take me some time to build it, learn how to edit it (new software hurdles eek) and transition it all to a new platform. And I'm OK with that, because I wouldn't be here if I wasn't patient with myself (or happy to navigate the storm...s)!
But firstly, what have I closed off from my usual operations here at Madame Mak Jewellery?
The major one is that I'm no longer hosting Zoom 1:1 live wax carving classes for my audiences interstate and abroad. It definitely had its place, and the demand was high for a few years (especially with everyone at home). I'm grateful to have met so many brilliant humans who also shared a keen interest in jewellery making, wax carving and startup sagas/running a business. It has been so wonderful and wholesome hearing your stories and connecting with you, but I must narrow down and focus on the next big thing. My intention is to replace this Zoom realm with my online school - so you'll be able to work at your own pace without pressure, and have things on replay too!
So what's the plan for Madame Mak Jewellery in 2025? Keep reading to find out!
Wax carving jewellery courses in my Melbourne jewellery studio (3105, Victoria, Australia) will still continue as usual. Saturdays are reserved for my beginners/introductory wax carving course, and Sunday's are for my cast-not-set gemstone setting in wax intermediate course. I have just released a bunch of dates for these workshops, through to mid-2025. I will also be accessible for 1:1 private wax carving tuition during the week for any projects that don't fit into the regular course framework (eg. your own bespoke design you need help with), however my schedule is limited and it will vary weekly due to other commitments (and another pivot because that's just how I roll). The exciting news is that I'll be trialling "one week" workshops as a regular part of my framework offerings, and these 5-day workshops will be run in the last week of every month. Previously, this intensive 5-day workshop was hosted on request, or at very specific times of the year. This workshop does require you to take a week off work/commitments, and interstate/international students are also welcome to attend this workshop (and my other wax carving workshops). I have already released the weeks/dates for these, through to mid-2025.
With regard to my jewellery collections - I will not be creating any more one of a kind silver statement rings until I decide to (IF I decide to). They are extremely labour intensive as they are individually carved (no two are the same), and they typically take a long time to find their respective (and most appreciative) humans. However, I will be making big art pieces just for fun/levelling up techniques when I can - and these pieces may or may not become available for purchase. I'll be creating small one of a kind collections sporadically throughout the year, time permitting. I will also be showcasing the "Forest Fairy" pendant and ring collections (which I launched in early 2024) a little more, because I don't think I granted them much time to shine. I would also like to expand my made-to-order range with new designs when I have the opportunity - and perhaps offer a few customisable options too (gemstones). All of the made-to-order treasures are always listed at more affordable price points as they have been moulded to facilitate copy/reproduction, which eliminates my labour costs associated with a traditional 1 of 1 wax carving (carving a piece of jewellery from scratch). Creating "wax collections" where the client chooses the metal on the website listing is also a viable option which I've considered - however I'd need to come up with a few designs to utilise the gemstones I currently have in my inventory (no more gems - the accountant said NO)! The cost of materials (and cost of living) has gone through the roof, so it's becoming much harder for me to make one-off pieces of jewellery on a whim as I previously have. On that note, bespoke design remains closed for the time being as I don't foresee having the mental or physical capacity to give it my all (it's INTENSEEEEE, and I haven't done bespoke work in many years as I burnt out badly from it, along with the enormous amount of paperwork and design consultations required to execute people's visions and ideas).
I feel so lucky to be able to do this - this delusional dream chasing. A one-woman show, living a slow-ish paced existence with gratitude - every single day.
I'm looking forward to meeting many more faces this year in my studio, and hope to continue bedazzling the bling-slingers around the world.
Thank you for your support. Whether it's a like, a follow, a comment/message, a jewellery purchase or attending my jewellery workshops - it's all so special to me.
Four years deep. Still running on two credit cards, and a dream.
Much love,
Dahna @ Madame Mak Jewellery