As soon as I stepped inside Mia McDonald’s home I could tell this woman had magnificent style. It’s one thing to buy pretty things but it’s another thing to be soulfully stylish and take pride in every object that enters your home… Mia is most definitely the latter. From the array of artwork scattered all over the house, to the interestingly shaped light pendants, to the playful sculptures and her Gucci clogs (that I desperately wanted to steal)... Mia has fabulous taste.
Mia is the co-founder (alongside her brother) of Ernest & Joe - a jewellery store that creates handmade heirloom pieces of jewellery, designed to keep forever. As huge lovers of EVERYTHING handmade, we were so excited to learn more about the handcrafted process of their designs and of course, have a sneaky tour of Mia’s epic family home. Enjoy!
Shop sleepwear here.
Who are you and what do you do?
Hello! I am Mia, i own Ernest and Joe, where we make modern heirloom jewellery in our tiny studio in Geelong West. My oldest Brother, Luke, has worked for me for about 10 years now and if we are throwing labels around, he is the head jeweller! And then we also have Lily who is our part-time photographer, PA, social media manager and HR! hahaha..and then there is me… I fluff about a fair bit.
How did you get into the business of creating jewellery? Where did this journey begin?
It was my Mum, Sally, who got me into jewellery making. I was in my early 20's and a brat who had just gotten home from travelling and I wasn't doing a thing! Mum asked if I wanted to do an 8 week silversmithing course with her, and I agreed on the terms that she paid for it! Mum and I owned the business together for about 10 years before I let her retire. Fast forward 14 years and here we are!
Shop bed linen here.
What is the design process for your jewellery… from start to scratch?
It depends on the piece we are making. Sometimes it is 100% made in house, if that is the case, Luke and I usually throw ideas around and do lots of trial and error until we are satisfied with the finished product. If it is a piece that is getting cast, I work with a CAD designer to bring my ideas to life. Lots of emails back and forth and prototypes!
When do you feel most creative and where do you draw inspiration from for your jewellery?
My creativity comes in random bursts. Sometimes if I'm having a super lovely time with my girlfriends, I get a burst of inspiration. If my mind is quiet and I have room to use my imagination, I get creative. Other times we sit and chat things out in the studio and design something together which is a pretty beautiful moment.
Shop resin here and shop bathe here.
For people who struggle choosing the right jewellery for themselves, what are your best tips?
First would be to pick your metal. Try the colours on and see what works best for your skin tone. From there just have fun with it. Throw out the rule book and pick what feels good for you.
They say don’t mix family and business.. what’s it like working so closely with your brother? And what advice would you give to other people in a family run biz?
For us, working with family works! We know each other so well and it is always fun and supportive. We are both very relaxed and don't get worked up easily so it's actually the dream workplace. Luke is my part-time therapist because for the first half of each day, I unload all of my worries onto him! I would say the most important tips are to have open communication, trust and honesty.
Shop lounge here.
You’re a Mum of three (plus three fur babies) and you also own two businesses. How do you ensure you don’t burn out or get overwhelmed? What brings you a sense of calm (amongst the chaos!)?
Oh my goddddd, don't be fooled! We live in a state of overwhelm and burnout! But for us, most of the time, it works. We would go crazy if we didn't have a thousand projects going on at once. And we're relatively young, we both have the mindset that while we can do all of these things, we should!
What influenced your sense of style, interiors and fashion?
I'm not really sure! I think i'm a bit of a bowerbird, I collect inspiration from all different places. My personal style I'd say is pretty minimal, I try to add more colour and brightness to my outfits but always go back to black, grey and white haha. But in our house we have lots of fun shapes, colour and textures. I love bright patterned bedding, different cushions and plants and art. If in doubt, Pinterest!
There is so much beautiful art in your home! Who are your fave artists of all time?
I honestly don't think I could pick a favourite! We have collected art from all different times in our lives and they all represent something so different for us. Our Mel Grisa butterfly artwork is so colourful and brings so much joy, our Prudence Caroline original artwork makes me feel really calm, Ariana Luca's original artwork inspires me and then of course... our kids paintings are so full of love and are so cute!
Shop lounge here and sleepwear here.
What part of your home do you love the most and why?
It is no secret that my front door is my prized possession. My Dad is a leadlighter and did our front door for us when we moved in. After all these years I still find myself staring at it in awe. The colours and the details blow my mind and also the deep sentiment attached to it. I like that when I look at it i can get a peep into his wild and creative mind. Apparently it was inspired by snakes & ladders! Second to that it would probably be my 'Mum chair'. I recently bought myself an armchair, somewhere I can sit and relax and have some timeout… but please note, I haven't ever sat on it alone without kids and dogs jumping on me for a cuddle (besides this photoshoot).
Mia wears the Lata Shift Dress - Shop apparel here.
You’ve renovated this home since moving in and are planning to renovate again. What’s your advice to people about to embark on a reno journey for the first time?
We are embarking on another reno on our home. We had that third child you see, so we need the extra space! The lesson we learned last time is to make yourself comfortable in your rental. We squished ourselves into a unit the first time around and almost went mad. This time we have been lucky enough to find a place out in the country for a few months which we are beyond excited about. I would also say, stay relaxed and stay fluid! We are pretty good with making decisions on the fly and adapting to things that come up which is a very useful skill when renovating. If you can learn to go with the flow, let go and be open to changes, you'll be fine.
Shop our dine range here.
Shop resin here.
You’re a Geelong local… describe your perfect day out in Geelong? Give us your best recommendations for our Geelong friends.
I am a pretty simple Gal when it comes to spare time. I'd be happy with a coffee from our cafe, Rossco's Social Club, a walk along the river or a few laps at the local pool, and then if i'm lucky enough to score time away from the kids, a cheeky margi at The Arborist and a bite to eat at Songbird. That would do me just fine!
Explore the STUNNING Ernest & Joe jewellery on their website here.
And chuck them a follow to see what they get up to in their Geelong studio here.
With a whole lotta love xx