Welcome to The Joy. Our new weekly blog bringing you literal joy on a Friday morning. If you want The Joy direct to your inbox, make sure you sign up to our mailing list.
This week, we're speaking to KB, a silversmith in Melbourne. She’s been creating jewellery for the last 10 years and works with silver, gold and semiprecious gemstones to create stunning masterpieces for her brand Midnight Kiss.
We’ve also got a delicious cocktail from Ovant that you can try at home, and the round-up of some of our favourite stories from the week.
- Your business looks like so much fun, why do you love what you do?
I love what I do because I get to create! There’s nothing more satisfying that taking a concept in my mind and creating a 3D piece of jewellery.
I love learning about jewellery techniques as well. I use the Lost Wax method and silversmithing techniques to create my pieces. My aim is to create comfortable yet striking jewellery for the free spirit, the wanderer and the kind at heart. I’m constantly reading and watching video content about jewellery, some would say I’m obsessed!
- What are you working on at the moment?
The newest concept in my business is holding workshops, I’ve been running these since November 2020. This is my second greatest love - teaching people new things! The joy I get from seeing someone master a skill is just so lovely and it’s my absolute aim to ensure that the people who attend my workshops are well equipped to begin their own jewellery journeys at home.
I’m constantly updating the processes and the workshops available to ensure I have a broad offering to the general public. I’ve also been learning more jewellery techniques myself, which lead me to create my newest range of signets with different types of settings! They are my favourite thing I’ve made to date and I get so stoked when someone orders one and I get to make it again!
- What are you watching at the moment, and why do you like it?
Loki! I’m really enjoying the Marvel series, but I’m also just a big Tom Hiddleston fan! I’m also watching The Blacklist, I love a good crime drama. I also put on The Good Place quite often - so many good laughs and Ted Danson is so great.
- What are you listening to at the moment, and why do you like it?
I’m a big podcast and Audible fan. Current podcast on my rotation is Do You F*cking Mind with Alexis Fernandez, and Manifestation Babe with Kathryn Zenkina. On my Audible list at the moment is Profit First by Mike Michalowicz. I’m all for self-help stuff and learning about the way our brains tick which is why the Alexis Fernandez pod is great - she’s just completed her masters in a Neuroscience and her pod is full of great insight into the human mind!
- Who is inspiring you at the moment?
I follow heaps of other jewellers on my social media and I’ve made some really great connections over a mutual love for all things jewellery. Some people who I’m really vibing at the moment -
Christina Gore Jewellery - she’s the sweetest human and makes really rad pieces! I have so many of her pieces and I just love them all! She also jumped feet first into running her jewellery business full time about 18 months ago and I really admire her drive and determination.
Katie Flinn Design - she’s an opal wizard and her rings are absolutely stunning! She’s also super open about the behind the scenes stuff about her business which I find really interesting too.
Maiden Voyage Jewellery - I’ve been a mad fan of hers for so long and I am obsessed with her gold work and engraving work! I aspire to be just as good as her one day when it comes to engraving! I’m also saving my pennies to treat myself to one of her incredible gold rings.
I’m super inspired by people just jumping in and giving something a go! Throwing caution to the wind and giving something your best shot, how cool is that to have the guts to just take the plunge?!
- What do you drink when you're not drinking alcohol?
Just water, or coffee. I’m not a big soft drink fan, and I actually just love water!
- What food brings you joy?
Mangos. I love when you walk into the supermarket and you can smell them - that’s how I know summer is here! But I love mangos so much because they just instantly transport me to a summer vibe, the suns out, it’s warm, I’m probably going to be at the beach and just living my best life! A very nostalgic food for me.
- What has brought you joy this week?
I’m big on practicing gratitude every day, the small things and the big things. Joy for me this week has been:
- My current monthly, Monday night workshop crew - the groups I have been having through are such legends and I have been having a rad time every Monday for the last month while I teach and help them create
- Catching up with a mate talking all things life and universe
- Finishing a custom piece that was really challenging but also a great growth in skills piece.
Visit www.midnightkiss.com.au to find out more about KB's creations.
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Our drinks of the week is actually three drinks of the week, the Punchy range of cocktails. We love these cans from London and they always make us smile.
In a world of sugary, eco-destructive and unadventurous drinks, the Punchy team thought it was time for something better. So, they began their mission to make better drinks, mixing concoctions at home that reminded them of good times with friends.
Each drink has a depth of flavour, it's own character, and is a ticket back to a special time. Often to places where you have salty hair and sand between your toes, or to carefree times with great food, music, dance and friends.
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Joy Story... what made us smile this week.
Australia's oldest living Olympian, Frank Prihoda, celebrated his 100th birthday in his beloved home town of Thredbo Village in the NSW Snowy Mountains.
Mr Prihoda was born into the Great Depression, and his adventurous century of life since has had as many twists and turns as any slalom event he's competed in. He was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1921 and learned to ski with his older sister Sasha as a child.
His passion and talent for the sport eventually saw him competing as an Olympian for a country on the other side of the world, when he represented Australia in the 1956 Winter Olympic Games in the giant slalom and slalom events.
He and his sister both have ski runs at Thredbo named after them.
Read the full story on the ABC Website.
Like Frank, you can find joy in your passion at whatever age, so make sure you do something that brings you joy today.
The Killjoy Team x