Maddabling: Friday Friends - Dusty Divas

Happy Happy Friday my lovely blog readers. I hope your collective weeks have been creative and fulfilling.
I haven't really got much to report, work has been a bit crazy, still learning my new role ...... I did try a new recipe - Chickpea Pancakes wtih Lamb, Yoghurt and Cauliflower Mash. I am actually thinking of posting a new recipe, maybe once a week or maybe once a fortnight on the blog.............I digress.

This week I want you to meet my new Friday Friends Joji and Rhain, the fantastically creative Dusty Diva team behind Joji Creations.

Joji Creations is based in Melbourne, Victoria and specialise in Handmade Jewellery and Paper Products proudly made in Australia.

Joji and Rhain recently held a giveaway and I was lucky to receive a beautiful Origami Crane Brooch. When it arrived in my mailbox, I was quite taken with the lovely packaging and the brooch itself is just divine. Intricate and detailed, I can't imagine how much work goes into making these exquisite origami creations

And honestly, aren't these Purple Origami Flower earrings just stunning ? So detailed and beautiful, I wish I had the patience and skills to create wonderful pieces like these.

There are also some wonderfully creative pieces in the Geekery Jewellry to be seen, made from recycled bits and pieces...... for example the Harddrive Reader Necklace "made from Scrap IT Materials destined for landfill. It is made from parts of a hard drive and is hung on a strong leather necklace. The necklace is very secure and is a lovely addition to any outfit with the wires and the bottom wheel reflecting the light. This pendant is a nice weight and makes a a stunning statement piece."

Harddrive reader Necklace with Embellishments

Harddrive reader Necklace with Embellishments

Or the Twisted Rainbow, unique earrings made from "six colour rainbow computer wiring. The wires have been twisted together and attached to an ear wire so they can be hung as earrings".

Twisted Rainbow Wire Earrings

Dear readers, I invite you to take the time to pop your feet up for a while, take an online journey and immerse yourself in the colourful and intricate world that is Joji Creations, with the Joji Creations Journal.

The Joji Creations Journal
Joji Creations is the creative outlet of an accountant, Joji, and a computer tech, Rhain, who needed something to do other than working. Beginning with a Christmas present from the inlaws in 2009, the original range of origami jewellery stemmed from an unexpected plethora of cranes and stars which had began to overtake the crowded Melbourne terrace house which serves as Joji Creations’ base.

With further prompting from family, and after much procrastination, Joji Creations decided to open an Etsy store and begin selling at Rose St market in Fitzroy. Along the way Joji Creations ceased to be a one-woman show and a partnership was formed in order to handle the challenges of art and business. This arrangement continues to work well aside from arguments over the use of paper scissors to cut wire and the delegation of the boring business tasks.

It would be expected that an accountant would be willing to handle the bookwork, but Joji is yet to have any input into the database management. This trend continues into all the boring and administrative tasks and Rhain is also left to do all the clean up at the end of every project. The process works well and Joji never needs to remember where it was the pliers were last used.

The Joji Creations’ range of jewellery includes origami, geekery, spoon pendants, fused glass, and wire wrapping. Inspired by nature and our country estate, Joji Creations strives to create new jewellery and ornaments as the mood strikes us, which often results in a diverse range of one-of-a-kind pieces. Through out our work there are two distinct personalities within the pieces though many of the items require teamwork for their completion.

Our favourite mediums to work with are paper and metals, and we relish the many frustrations of fused glass.We are constantly inspired to create custom pieces for friends and family and are always heartened to see our creations worn by those we love. Joji Creations looks forward to our new range of handmade paper which will raise the colour choice from 50 to 500 colours as a new supplier comes on board in the next month or so.

Due to the ever-expanding range we will be opening a new Etsy store ‘Foolery Lane’ to house the sterling silver and precious stone work that is currently only available at markets.

The real winners out of Joji Creations are the family and friends who get to trial all our new products, though we are sure in 20 years time they will all have more than enough jewellery to last them for eternity. Our thanks go to our sister company Leadlight By Ettore who not only accompanies us to markets but also allows us to use his studio, kilns, and expertise at all hours. Our thanks also go to the stockists who have taken Joji Creations into their shops over the last 6 months, (in alphabetical order) ‘Arbour’ and ‘Blue Attic’ in Brunswick, ‘Can’t Think Straight’ in Daylesford, and ‘Stockroom’ in Kyneton.

Joji’s favourite pieces are the range of origami gift tags and cards where her fumbling fingers are in awe of how small the latest model she taught Rhain, just 2 days earlier, are now smaller than she could ever imagine folding. Rhain however has a soft spot for the custom wrapped jade necklace Joji made and loves the simplicity and elegance of the origami brooches.