This is a long one! Grab a cup of tea first...Or just scroll down and look at the pictures to get the jist of it

In May 2017, I booked a soul-searching trip to Bali. I was coming out of a toxic, on-and-off relationship that had chipped away at my confidence and left me feeling broken and unsure of who I was. I just needed to get away — space to breathe, clear my head, and find my true self again. I was also carrying a heavy sense of guilt for staying so long.

One early morning in Ubud, I was walking out of Yoga Barn when a bossy taxi driver pulled up beside me on his scooter. He was determined to convince me to hop on and let him take me sightseeing: waterfalls, temples, rice terraces, the whole list.

I’d already done all of that. Honestly, I just wanted to chill in a quiet café after my yoga class. I kept turning him down until he mentioned something different: a silver ring making class.

That stopped me in my tracks. It was a very quick “hell yes.”

What was meant to be a simple three-hour class turned into a full day in the studio. Hammer in hand, I felt something shift.

For the first time in months, I wasn’t consumed by my monkey mind, endlessly rehashing the past. I was creating. I was present. My mind became quiet.

Working with my hands felt like meditation. I realised jewellery could be more than just adornment. It could hold healing, intention, and strength.

I had found a creative form of therapy, and it felt good.

Making my first ever piece of jewellery in Ubud Bali with the help of the Balinese artisans

What was the first piece of jewellery you ever made?

It was a mantra stacking ring, stamped with the word “COURAGE.” At the time, I needed that word more than anything. It became my daily reminder to keep moving forward, to stay strong, and most importantly, to have the courage not to go back to that relationship, no matter how many times it tried to pull me back in.

That same year, I made six more solo trips to Bali, all just to return to Ubud and spend time with the local artisans. Each visit, I was back in their jewellery studio, learning new techniques and falling deeper in love with the process.

Before long, I had built up a small collection of my own handmade pieces. Some of them were... not great. They went straight into my scrap metal “FUCK IT” jar. But others were surprisingly good. Good enough that friends started asking me to make them one too.

Silversmithing gave me more than just a creative outlet. It gave me a way to heal, to reconnect with myself, and to start again. That’s where this whole journey began.

Taking professional jewellery classes

July 2019 I decided to take a professional technical drawing for jewellery design course. I wanted to learn how to sketch out my ideas properly and bring my designs to life on paper before bringing them to life in metal.



Then after that I decided to enrol in a professional silversmithing course.

The course cost a small fortune, but it came with a full jewellery-making bench and all the tools I needed to set up a home studio. I was so excited that I could finally practice at home again.


My first little jewellery bench in my bedroom, 2019. The course provided me with this portable jewellery bench which I placed on a desk and I still use it to this day!

Suffering self-doubt / imposter syndrome

But as I was practicing at home, something unexpected happened. I started to suffer from a lot of self-doubt. Little voices in my head kept whispering things like, "I’ll never be able to do this. Who do I think I am?"

Comparing myself to other silversmiths with more advanced skills felt intimidating. I was drowning in negative thoughts about the dream I was trying to pursue. I was killing it off before anyone else even had the chance to judge. Fear of failure is a bitch.

That was around the time I discovered visualisation meditation. I started using it as a way to face my fears, to imagine a version of myself in the future who had made it, who was confident, and doing what she loved.

Through these meditations, I began to appreciate my journey more. I went through a huge period of personal growth and a kind of spiritual awakening. 11:11 ✨ (if you know, you know).

And then I remembered my courage ring. It was never about being perfect. It was about the journey, not a race to the finish line.

Gemstone hunting in India for ethical suppliers

Then I took a 3rd course, this time in gemmology, to prepare for a trip to India where I planned to source gemstones for my designs. I was already heading there for a friend’s wedding, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to start building relationships with my own suppliers.

Took some time out to travel India. This is the blue room at the Royal Palace.

While in Jaipur, I visited six different gemstone suppliers and eventually found the one that aligned with my values. They became my preferred ethical gemstone supplier, and I still source from them to this day.

For my opals, I choose to keep it local. I use Australian opals for their beauty, uniqueness, and connection to home.

The Launch

Then on 25 April 2020, I softly launched my small business under my own name, Angela Wozniak Jewellery. It was the year the Covid pandemic hit, and in a strange way, the timing felt right. I didn't really promote my website but I did invest a lot of time learning and implementing SEO.

I still remember my very first customer. A girl from the USA, and it completely blew my mind. She bought a turquoise stone ring I had made back in Bali that I  listed on my website. I’ll never forget that moment. It felt like a tiny spark had been lit. 

Thanks for reading this far

If you are discovering my small business for the first time, I'm very grateful that you read this to the very end! If you’ve purchased from me, thank you so so much for supporting my craft and my dreams. It means the absolute world to me! 

Either way, don't be a stranger! Feel free to leave me a comment below or ask me a question or DM me on Instagram @angelawozniakjewellery

Lots of good vibes and ocean energy,
Angela. X