This week on the podcast, host Kim Thomson talks with Charlotte Smith. Char is a trained HGV mechanic, welding tutor and jeweller. She is passionate about foraging metals, giving new life to discarded items. Char is on a mission to help stop women from being intimidated by tools and to promote safe tool use and confidence.

In this week's episode, Jess chats to Elsa Tierney, an award-winning jeweller and goldsmith based in the UK. Elsa, who also has a background in sculpture and art, shares her journey into jewellery making, which began in childhood with crafting hair braids and bangles. Her passion led her to study textiles and fine art, eventually focusing on jewellery. She discusses her book, "Art of Wax," and recounts her career challenges, including overcoming epilepsy and finding affordable studio space.

The deadline to sign up for a Jewellery Diploma course with Jewellers Academy is fast approaching. You have until midnight on Friday 7th June to get yourself on the list. In this week's podcast, Jessica Rose is talking with Community Manager Anna Campbell all about the ten reasons to join a Diploma this year. If you've been on the fence about it do have a listen so you can decide whether one of the four Diploma courses is right for you.

In this week's episode, Jess chats with Sara Arnold, a student in the inaugural year of the diploma in silver metal clay. Sara shares her journey into jewellery making, which began when she repaired a beaded necklace from Egypt. Her passion grew, leading her to explore silversmithing and eventually discover metal clay during the lockdown. She expresses her enthusiasm for the diploma, highlighting the new techniques and challenges she faced, which significantly improved her craftsmanship. 

In this week's episode, Jess chats to Kelly Twigg, a jeweller known for her sea glass jewellery and active presence on Instagram. Kelly discusses her journey from a Navy career to becoming a self-employed jewellery maker. Kelly's Instagram success, boasting over 30,000 followers, is attributed to her authentic and engaging approach, sharing not just her work but also personal aspects of her life, which resonates with her audience.

In this bonus podcast episode, Jess interviews Alexandra, a jeweller who runs her own business called Von W Jewellery. Alexandra specializes in creating fine jewellery pieces using gold and diamonds, employing an experimental technique of melting diamonds into gold. She shares her journey, starting from her early experiences in silversmithing and her advanced studies on the Jewellers Academy Diploma courses, which equipped her with the skills to work with precious materials.

In this week's episode, Jess chats with Sima Vaziry, a talented metal clay jeweller whose work has been sold through the British Museum for over a decade, and who is the final jeweller to appear in the Handmade Jewellers series. The discussion focuses on how Sima uses her craft to support various charities, highlighting her involvement with Afghan Aid and other initiatives.

In this week's episode, Jess chats with Iain Sainsbury, who is the featured jeweller in the fourth episode of the Handmade Jewellers series and who recently got accepted to showcase his work at Goldsmith North, a prestigious fair for jewellers. Ian shares his journey of applying to the fair, highlighting the challenges and decisions involved. He emphasizes the importance of having a platform where people can physically engage with his jewellery, which led him to apply to Goldsmith North.

In this week's episode, Jess chats with Ange B, a jeweller who makes architectural style jewellery and who features in the third episode of Handmade Jewellers. Ange discusses her journey into working with gold in her jewellery business and explains how she transitioned from working mainly in silver to incorporating gold into her designs. Initially hesitant due to ethical concerns about gold plating, Ange eventually began using recycled gold, starting with a collection featuring mixed metals and gradually adding more gold pieces to her existing collections.