11/21/2025
Finding My Spark Again
This past weekend, I did something I’ve wanted to do for years. I finally took a cabochon-making class. Life and business can get busy, between designing, making orders, packaging, and running day-to-day tasks at Sa Jolie, I hadn’t carved out the time. But I’m so glad I did, because this class truly lit that creative flame in me again.
I headed to The Makery in Central Texas for a workshop with gemologist John Heusler, and it was everything I hoped for and more. The class was small (just nine of us) which made it fast-paced, personal, and incredibly informative. John’s expertise is on a whole different level, and seeing his finished stones (all those gorgeous pieces in the bags!) was inspiring on its own. The others? Those were mine and I’m proud to say I made six cabochons by the end of the class.
Was it challenging? Absolutely. Do I have things to work on? Of course. But completing them felt so rewarding.
And it wasn’t just the gemstones that made the weekend special. I got to share the experience with my mom, who took the class with me. We even had a little tea break in between (you know me—tea, wine, and coffee are my love languages… other than jewelry, of course). At the end of the night, everyone gathered for pizza and wine, which made the whole experience feel like a creative retreat with new friends.
If you’ve ever thought about learning to make cabochons or you’re just looking for something to spark inspiration. I highly recommend taking a classes at The Makery. Sometimes stepping out of your routine is exactly what your creativity needs.
This weekend reminded me why I love what I do. Jewelry isn’t just my business, it’s my passion. And getting back to the roots of creating something with my hands was exactly the refresh my heart needed.