Welcome to 2025 – Here’s what’s coming up this year

It’s been a minute. How are you? What’s the tea? ☕

Walk-ins are back, Elementor is dead, a subcontractor callout, and pricing changes – here are the changes coming to Origami Graphics in 2025.

Walk-in hours are back

In late 2024, I started reserving 8 hours weekly for walk-in jobs – space that is not bookable in advance to make sure I’ve always got room for quick-turnaround work. Think of this like bar seating that you can’t reserve at a restaurant – it’s set aside especially for people who rock up last minute.

After a brief too-busy hiatus in January, walk-ins are now open for 2025 and you can request work by submitting a contact form or sending me an email. I recommend getting in touch on Monday mornings to maximise your chances of getting same-week turnaround – these places are first-come, first served and existing clients tend to take these spaces fast.

The move away from Elementor has begun

I posted in February 2024 that I was ending Wix web design services permanently, and in April 2024 that I would be ceasing new website builds on Elementor. Both of these businesses are headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

My boycott is due to the far-right Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza, which is estimated to have killed at least 45,000 people. Based on US President Donald Trump’s comments on February 5, 2025, stating that there were “1.7 to 1.8 million” people left in Gaza – when in 2023, the population was listed as 2.1 million – the actual number of people killed could exceed 400,000.

While my blog posts generated heated debate – and while a ceasefire has now been announced – I stand firmly by my decision to remove my business’ contribution to the Israeli economy in lieu of official Australian sanctions. Also, Trump is now talking about turning Gaza into the “riviera of the Middle East” and displacing 1.8 million people, so I’m not really satisfied with the outcome despite the ceasefire.

What’s this mean for websites in 2025?

As my own website is built in Elementor, I am now in the process of redesigning it entirely and rebuilding it, using new software which is not Israeli-owned and which is based outside of Israel.

New client WordPress websites will be offered using any of the following options:

• Custom themes
• The WordPress Block editor
• WP Astra (Brainstorm Force, India)
• Beaver Builder (Fastline Media, USA), and
• Divi (Elegant Themes, USA).

I’ve also created a few brilliant Squarespace + custom CSS sites for clients in the past year, and am looking forward to sharing these soon.

If you have an existing Elementor website, I’ll still provide maintenance services – and if you want to divest from Israel without losing your existing site, you can cancel your Elementor subscription and jump onto mine instead. That will minimise the amount of funds going to this Israeli business every year, by reducing the amount of subscriptions people have.

Finally, note that as the USA appears to be going down the toilet too, I’m going to be proactively searching for alternative web software – preferably Australian – to support other nations’ industries moving forward.

I’ll be hiring a few subcontractors to tackle peak work periods

I’ve been constantly booked at over 100% capacity since May 2024, and this has resulted in slow turnarounds and a poor work-life balance. This can’t continue, so I am putting out a call for junior designers who might like to help with overflow work during peak periods. I will remain responsible for the overall design and the finished client product, as well as communication with my clients – however, it’s a great opportunity to get hands-on design experience.

If you’re interested in casual work from time to time, send me an email and include the following:

• Your full name and business name (if applicable)
• Your ABN (if Australian) or other business registration number
• Your hourly rate (please ensure it’s at least $50/hour – you need to be fairly paid)
• What types of design work you’re most interested in – graphic, web, motion, publication, etc
• A paragraph or two about you
• At least 3 samples of your graphic/web design work

If I like the quality of your work and think we’d be a good match, I’ll pop you on the list for casual design support when I’ve got more enquiries than I’m able to handle.

Prices have risen for 2025

To make sure I can pay subcontractors and to reduce demand to a more manageable level, my graphic and web design prices have risen for 2025.

Pricing is now as follows:

• Standard Rate: $120 hourly/project-based
• Express Rate: $200 hourly/project-based
• Day Rate: $880

All pricing includes GST. Legacy clients (pre-2025) remain on their old hourly rates as a thank you from me.

Design waitlist now open

Because of how crazy-freakin-busy I was all 2024, Origami Graphics now features a waitlist for those who want first access to open booking slots and cancellation places.

Sign up to be offered a place as soon as one opens up – and to get priority over enquiries that come through after yours. There is no obligation to move ahead with work – I’m just saving you a seat.

I’ll also ask if you’d like to go on the waitlist when you submit a quote, to make sure I can get your job done as quickly as possible. This waitlist helps me prioritise work and allocate my time fairly, even when things get too busy.

And one more thing

I’m once again based in Dublin, Ireland, for the rest of 2025. I’m working on GMT time zone, and you can use my booking calendar to automatically organise a meeting at a time that works for both of us.

I’ll be back in Australia in July and November, so please note those dates down if you’d like a catchup in-person.

I’m also working with several UK clients right now – my services aren’t limited to Aussies – so if you’re international but like the look of my stuff, drop me a message!

That’s all for now. Chat soon with a phresh new website, yeah?

Taylor