332. Behind the Diploma Diaries: Learning, Making and Sharing the Real Jewellery Journey with Kelly Twigg

What does learning jewellery making really look like behind the finished pieces?

In this episode of the Jewellers Academy Podcast, Jess is joined by jeweller and content creator Kelly Twigg of Willow and Twigg, the original Diploma Diary creator, to talk about the reality of learning new jewellery-making skills and why sharing the process can be just as valuable as sharing the finished result.

Kelly began her Diploma Diaries when she joined the Diploma in Silver Jewellery two years ago, documenting the projects she was making, the things she was learning and the moments when everything did not quite go according to plan. Since then, the Diploma Diaries have grown to include different students, tutors and jewellery-making techniques, giving an honest look at the highs, lows and breakthroughs that are part of learning a craft.

Jess and Kelly talk about why seeing other jewellers make mistakes can be so reassuring, how sharing your learning can help build connection and trust with your audience, and why experimenting with techniques outside your usual style can sometimes take your jewellery in a completely unexpected direction.

Kelly is also back on a Jewellers Academy Diploma this year, this time on the new Diploma in Wax Jewellery. She shares what it feels like to become a student again, why she missed the structure and community of learning alongside other jewellers, and how working in wax has given her more freedom to experiment and start again.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:

• Why the Diploma Diaries were created and how Kelly became the first Diploma Diary creator
• What it is really like to document your jewellery-making journey while you are still learning
• Why sharing mistakes and difficult moments can be just as useful as sharing successes
• How seeing other students learn can make online jewellery courses feel less isolating
• Why process content can help customers understand the skill behind handmade jewellery
• How documenting your learning can give you months, or even years, of social media content
• What Kelly learnt from revisiting her original Silver Diploma Diaries a year later
• The different perspectives shared by Emma René, Tori Foster and Jane Taylor through their own Diploma Diaries
• Why trying jewellery-making techniques outside your usual style can help you discover new directions
• Kelly's experience of starting the Wax Jewellery Diploma and learning to slow down, experiment and work in a completely different way

If you're currently on a Jewellers Academy Diploma, we'd love to see your own Diploma Diaries. You don't need to document the whole year. Share a project, a technique you're learning, something that went wrong, something you're proud of or simply a moment from your week at the bench.

Tag @jewellersacademy and use #DiplomaDiaries so we can follow your journey too.

Follow Kelly's journey on Instagram this year @willowandtwigg and discover other Diploma Diaries at @jewellersacademy

Find out more about the Jewellers Academy online jewellery diplomas:

https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diplomas