Jewellers Academy Podcast

In the 300th episode of the Jewellers Academy Podcast, Anna Campbell is joined by jewellery artist and Diploma mentor Vicki Ralph for a relaxed, inspiring conversation about their shared love of silver metal clay.
They talk about how they each discovered metal clay, why it felt different from traditional silversmithing, and what makes this medium so empowering for beginners and experienced makers alike. From practical tips on keeping clay hydrated to the magic moment when a soft piece of clay transforms into solid silver, this episode explores both the technical and emotional sides of working with metal clay.
You'll also hear about favourite techniques including carving, botanical moulds and reverse-set stones, as well as an inside look at the Diploma in Silver Metal Clay and the supportive mentoring community behind it.
If you've ever been curious about metal clay, this episode will leave you feeling confident, inspired and ready to jump in.
 
Key Moments
02:03: Celebrating Episode 300 and 300 consecutive weeks of the podcast
04:56: Vicki's origin story; flying to Germany to learn metal clay with Anna Mazon
07:56: Anna discovers metal clay after silversmithing did not feel like the right fit
10:01: What is metal clay; shaping, drying and firing clay that becomes real silver
13:00: How accessible it is; starting with minimal tools and torch firing
15:52: What surprises beginners; creating beautiful silver pieces quickly
17:21: Troubleshooting drying clay; hydration tips and staying calm in the process
21:30: 'Everything is fixable'; the zero waste and forgiving nature of metal clay
22:01: Different forms of metal clay; lump clay, paste, syringe and slip
28:20: Favourite techniques; carving, botanical textures and meditative flow
30:32: Reverse-set stones; building fantasy scenes with vines and embellishments
35:09: Letting the clay lead; how designs evolve during the making process
37:58: Inside the Diploma in Silver Metal Clay; beginner friendly and skill-building
42:44: Mentoring and community; watching confidence and signature style emerge
52:42: Advice for beginners and aspiring professionals; jump in and just start
 
Links mentioned in this episode
Free 5 Days of Silver Metal Clay https://www.jewellersacademy.com/5-days-of-silver-metal-clay
Diploma in Silver Metal Clay https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diploma-in-silver-metal-clay
Vicki's website http://victoriaralphjewellery.com/

This week on the Jewellers Academy podcast, host Anna Campbell is joined by website designer and e-commerce specialist Helen Rawlinson (HR Digital Design) to talk about when and why jewellers should move from platforms like Etsy to their own website. They explore how third-party marketplaces have changed over the years - becoming more crowded, more price-driven, and harder for genuine handmade businesses to stand out - and why relying on 'being discovered' on these platforms is far less realistic than it once was.
Helen talks about the positives of having your own website, including giving you control over your branding, your customer experience, and the story you tell about your work and pricing. They discuss the long-term value of owning your customer relationships and data, especially through email marketing, so you can build repeat sales, credibility, and a sustainable jewellery brand.
The episode also covers practical considerations like platform choice and why 'done is better than perfect' when it comes to getting your site live and improving it over time.
 
02:04: Introduction and today's topic
03:13: Meet Helen from HR Digital Design
05:14: The downside of third-party platforms
07:43: Why customer experience matters
08:40: Price comparisons on marketplaces
10:02: Your website as the hub of your business
10:47: Why handmade shouldn't compete on price
12:15: Educating customers on your own site
15:38: Why discovery on Etsy is harder now
17:02: Marketplace fees explained
19:30: Website costs as an investment
21:00: Reviews, stress, and lack of control
24:00: Owning your customer data
26:10: The power of email marketing
28:54: Social media vs email for sales
30:18: Repeat customers and loyalty
32:39: Credibility and trust online
34:26: You don't need huge sales volumes
35:05: Branding and design on your website
39:43: Done is better than perfect
42:44: Shopify vs Squarespace
48:24: Sunk cost bias and getting stuck on Etsy
49:25: The reality of running your own site
51:40: How Helen helps clients
54:20: Where to find Helen
55:10: Closing thoughts
 
About Helen
I'm Helen, the founder of HR Digital Design, and I work primarily with ambitious and growing small businesses who are ready to take their online presence a bit more seriously. A lot of my work is with creatives who've grown their businesses on platforms like Etsy or on home-made websites and then reach a point where they want more control, more stability, and a website that actually supports their business rather than complicating it. I build and advise on websites that are practical, sustainable and designed to grow with the business, without unnecessary jargon or pressure to do everything at once.
 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hrdigitaldesign/
Events for creatives - https://www.hrdigitaldesign.com/pages/create-and-commerce
Website - https://www.hrdigitaldesign.com/
 
Jewellers Academy offers a range of business courses designed specifically for jewellers. Explore the options and find the right next step for your jewellery business at the link below.
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/jewellery-business

In this episode, Jessica and Anna talk about how to start and grow a jewellery business using silver metal clay. They share practical tips on keeping startup costs low, developing a signature style, pricing your work confidently, and choosing a business model that suits you. You'll also hear ideas for scaling your designs through moulds and casting, adding teaching as an income stream, and using social media to share your process and attract customers.
The conversation covers everything from hallmarking and batch making to the importance of confidence and finding the right audience for your work. Whether you're completely new to metal clay or already making and selling your jewellery, this episode is full of useful insights to help you build a creative and sustainable business.
If you'd like to try metal clay for yourself, join our free 5 Days of Silver Metal Clay challenge. You'll learn to create five silver jewellery projects in five days and receive the tools and materials list in advance so you can be fully prepared to make alongside us.
 
Join the free 5 Days of Silver Metal Clay challenge starting on 2nd  March https://www.jewellersacademy.com/5-days-of-silver-metal-clay
 
Explore the Diploma in Silver Metal Clay for a full year of guided learning. https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diploma-in-silver-metal-clay
 
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
Teaching Jewellery Making online course https://jewelleryschoolonline.teachable.com/p/teaching-jewellery-making
Free jewellery pricing masterclass and calculator https://www.jewellersacademy.com/pricing
Hallmarking for jewellers https://www.jewellersacademy.com/blog/hallmarking-for-jewellery-designer-makers
Alliance for Metal Clay Arts Worldwide https://amcaw.org/

In this week's episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, host Anna Campbell is joined by trauma therapist and teacher Anne Cheshire to explore why so many people turn to making when life feels overwhelming. They look at trauma as a nervous-system experience (not just around major life events), why we can't always think our way out of anxiety or paralysis, and how jewellery-making and other creative practices can help restore safety, focus and agency. The conversation includes practical, body-based tools you can try immediately to support yourself alongside your creative work.
Key moments
01:02 – 03:02
Anna introduces the episode and reflects on why so many people turn to creativity when life becomes difficult.
03:02 – 07:02
Anne Cheshire introduces her work and reframes trauma and overwhelm as nervous-system experiences, not just major life events.
07:02 – 15:02
Why creativity can be healing: how making engages the unconscious brain through the senses and safe, purposeful action.
15:02 – 19:32
The idea of flow and why jewellery-making helps people step out of everyday pressure and mental noise.
19:32 – 25:02
Overthinking, decision paralysis and 'doing without moving forward' - what's happening in the survival brain after overwhelm.
25:02 – 29:32
Practical exercise: using gentle physical 'pushing' movements to switch on calm engagement and action.
29:32 – 37:02
Inner critic vs healthy striving: how to recognise when fear of the new is shutting you down creatively.
37:02 – 45:02
Making creativity feel safer: opening and closing routines, boundaries, and working within a clear creative brief.
45:02 – 49:02
Overwhelm, big-picture thinking, and why constraints and themes support focus, play and progress.
49:02 – 53:02
Grounding techniques for dissociation and feeling spaced out, including simple, discreet body-based tools.
53:02 – 55:22
How to find and work with Anne Cheshire, final reflections, and episode sign-off.

About Anne Cheshire
Anne is a trauma therapist, teacher and medical herbalist based in Edinburgh. She specialises in helping people recover from stress, overwhelm and trauma by working with the nervous system and the unconscious brain. Through her Whole-Brain Reboot approach, Anne supports creatives, founders and high-achievers to move from anxiety and paralysis into calm, confidence and purposeful action.
 
Free cheat sheet on managing your physical responses to stress
https://anne-cheshire-coaching.mykajabi.com/physical-sensations-of-stress-freebie-7607a236-349c-480e-99f0-ee0ab6f6a408

In this episode, Jess is joined by jeweller and wax tutor Elin Horgan to introduce Week of Wax - a free 5-day online wax carving course starting on 2nd February and open for enrolment now.
They explore what wax jewellery is, why it's such an accessible and creative material to work with, and walk through each project you'll make during the week, from carved rings and granulation to charms, build-up techniques, and a classic signet ring.
Whether you're completely new to wax carving or already working in wax, this episode will help you understand where to start and how wax can fit into your jewellery practice.
👉 Sign up for the free Week of Wax now
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/week-of-wax
 
Key moments
01:02 – Introduction & Week of Wax overview What Week of Wax is, who it's for, and why it was created alongside the Wax Diploma.
02:39 – Meet Elin Horgan Introduction to Elin, wax tutor and practising jeweller.
03:07 – Getting started with wax carving Why wax can feel overwhelming at first and how structure helps beginners.
04:22 – Why wax is ideal for experimentation Affordability, rising metal prices, and why wax is perfect for exploration.
05:23 – Casting options & real-world examples Casting wax jewellery in silver, gold, brass, and bronze.
06:22 – Day 1: Wax carved ring Why rings are a perfect first wax project.
08:58 – Using wax tubes How wax tubes simplify the carving process.
10:41 – Day 2: Granulation in wax Adding texture using granules and heat pens.
13:03 – Day 3: Wax charms (taught by Jessica) Designing and carving small charms for jewellery collections.
14:30 – Turning wax designs into collections Using moulds and repeatable components in jewellery businesses.
16:36 – Day 4: Build-up technique heart pendant Melting and building wax instead of carving.
18:16 – Finding your personal style in wax Geometric vs organic approaches and mixing techniques.
19:12 – Day 5: Signet ring with Stelios Karantonas A more technical project focusing on symmetry and scale.
20:37 – Why signet rings work so well in wax Engraving, surface design, and creative possibilities.
21:47 – How to approach the Week of Wax Do all five days or dip in — lifetime access included.
24:05 – Encouragement for first-time wax carvers Why wax is playful, forgiving, and meditative.
25:22 – Wax Diploma & next steps Time commitment, diploma start date, and how to learn more.
26:39 – Where to find Elin Horgan
Elin's Website
Elin on Instagram
27:00 – Final thoughts & invitation to join Sharing work, learning together, and enjoying the process.