Handmade Glass Beads: From Flame to Fame — A Canberra Artist’s Digital Revival

When the founder of Handmade Glass Beads, a Canberra-based glass artist and former Clown Doctor, approached Mulwaree Online, she brought with her a dazzling body of work, years of creative practice, and an undeniable passion for colour, form, and teaching.

What she lacked was visibility.

Despite a treasure trove of original handmade beads, one-of-a-kind jewellery, and decades of knowledge in lampwork glass, her existing website was hard to find, clunky on mobile, and failing to convert. In an increasingly digital world, her business—like so many artisan ventures—was being outpaced by mass-produced imports and noisy marketplaces.

She didn’t need to change her art. She needed to change how it was discovered, sold, and shared.

Today, thanks to a comprehensive digital strategy by Mulwaree Online, Handmade Glass Beads is not only selling products directly through a modern, SEO-optimised website—it’s gaining students, collectors, and even gallery attention. Her story is proof that it’s never too late to breathe digital life into a craft rooted in ancient fire.

The Challenge: A Hidden Gem in the Digital Shadows

For years, Handmade Glass Beads had quietly existed online through an older website—technically functional, but aesthetically dated and poorly ranked on search engines.

Even her most dedicated customers had trouble finding the site. Mobile visitors often bounced. And while her jewellery and bead designs were featured in exhibitions and private collections, online sales were sporadic at best. There was no proper blog, no SEO structure, no social media funnel, and no clear story connecting her artistry to her background as a Clown Doctor—a role she had lovingly played for over a decade in children’s hospitals.

Her brand was personal, joyful, and deeply human—but her website didn’t reflect that. It needed to.

The Mulwaree Online Solution: Build, Optimise, Humanise

Rather than starting from scratch, Mulwaree Online took what made Handmade Glass Beads special—the artistry, the Canberra roots, the story—and gave it a platform that worked.

1. A Beautifully Rebuilt Website

First, the website was redesigned using a clean, modern theme that highlighted her work rather than crowding it with unnecessary design flourishes. The goal was to:

Showcase the glass beads and finished jewellery with bold, clean photography
Offer a smooth eCommerce experience for customers (desktop and mobile)
Include a class booking section for her popular bead-making workshops
Introduce her personal story in a way that built trust and connection
Make the site easy for her to update herself

The final result? A website that balances artistry and functionality—handmadeglassbeads.com.au now feels like walking into a boutique gallery, but with the convenience of instant checkout and mobile responsiveness.

With beauty taken care of, the next priority was visibility.

Mulwaree Online conducted a complete SEO audit and keyword strategy based on:

Artisan jewellery buyers
Glass bead collectors
DIY jewellery makers
Workshop attendees in Canberra and surrounds
Niche craft communities searching for terms like “lampwork glass Australia,” “Canberra jewellery classes,” and “handmade glass beads for sale”

Each product page, category, and blog post was optimised to match high-intent search queries. Page speed was improved. Meta descriptions and headers were rewritten. Image names were updated. Alt text was added to every photo.

Today, Handmade Glass Beads ranks on page one for multiple regional and national search terms related to artisan beads, jewellery workshops, and lampworking.

3. Blogging: Stories That Stick

Rather than using the blog purely for SEO, Mulwaree Online encouraged the artist to write from the heart—about her process, her tools, her inspirations, and the stories behind each piece.

4. Google My Business & Local Listings

Although the business operates online, the artist offers regular in-person workshops and studio visits in the ACT.

Mulwaree Online helped her claim and optimise her Google My Business listing:

Location pins were added for her studio
Reviews from workshop participants were encouraged and uploaded
Class details and opening hours were kept current
Gallery images were added showing her workspace and products

The result? Local users searching “jewellery class Canberra” or “glass bead making near me” are now directed straight to Handmade Glass Beads.

5. eCommerce Integration That Works

Selling art online is notoriously tricky. Visitors often browse but don’t buy. Mulwaree Online integrated a minimalist, secure shopping cart system with:

Product filtering by colour, size, and collection
Custom order functionality for unique pieces
Express shipping calculator and tracked delivery options
Mobile-first checkout
Abandoned cart reminders (optional)

Customers can now easily shop by collection, whether they’re looking for necklaces, individual beads for their own jewellery, or ready-made gifts.

6. A Platform for Teaching and Sharing

One of the client’s biggest passions is teaching others how to make glass beads. Her classes had previously been booked through word-of-mouth and clunky PDFs.

Now, class listings are built into the site with:

Upcoming class calendar
Online payment and confirmation
Class descriptions and FAQs
Photo galleries of past sessions
Testimonials from students

This new system not only improved bookings but also expanded her student base beyond her existing contacts.

7. Social Proof & Testimonials

Using real customer feedback, Mulwaree Online added rotating testimonials across the site—from workshop attendees, gift buyers, and custom order clients.

“I never imagined I’d be able to make my own glass beads—but after one day in class, I was hooked. The whole experience was unforgettable.”

“These beads are like nothing I’ve seen. Each one feels alive. It’s wearable art, and I’ve bought from all over the world.”

These blurbs add trust, personality, and emotional resonance to the online experience—exactly what buyers of handmade items are looking for.

The Results: A Spark Reignited

Six months after launch:

Handmade Glass Beads saw a 480% increase in website traffic
Bookings for workshops tripled, with classes often selling out weeks in advance
Product sales rose over 300%, with international orders coming from the US and UK
Her email list doubled, supported by a newsletter opt-in offering behind-the-scenes content
The brand gained social media attention via Instagram shares and artist tags
A gallery enquiry was made based on the strength of the new website and blog presence
Local partnerships formed with ACT makers’ markets and creative spaces

Most importantly, the client reported feeling renewed confidence in her business, her digital tools, and her ability to grow without needing to “go corporate” or lose creative control.

Summary

Client: Handmade Glass Beads
Website: handmadeglassbeads.com.au
Industry: Artisan jewellery / glass art / workshops
Location: Canberra, ACT
Challenge: Outdated site, low visibility, poor eCommerce setup, limited class bookings
Solution: Website redesign, local and national SEO, blog strategy, eCommerce + class booking integration, Google My Business optimisation
Results: 4–5x growth in sales and bookings, full workshop calendar, strong brand visibility

What the Client Says

“Mulwaree Online didn’t try to turn my business into something it’s not. They helped me tell my story better, reach people who care about handmade work, and keep doing what I love—teaching, creating, and connecting.”

The Takeaway

Handmade Glass Beads is more than a store—it’s a window into an artist’s world. With the right digital strategy, even the most niche creative business can shine on a national (and international) stage.

Mulwaree Online’s approach wasn’t about chasing trends—it was about clarifying the voice, removing digital friction, and making creativity discoverable.

Whether you’re a jeweller, a ceramicist, a workshop leader, or a small studio with a big heart—your story deserves to be seen.

Hand Made Glass Beads