What is Joyfully Crafted Studio?
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
Ever since I was a young girl, I have always had a fondness towards crafts. In school, arts & crafts was my favorite activity. I can recall being so excited anytime a teacher pulled out the construction paper, crayons, scissors or glue. I just absolutely LOVED it. I loved to color and I even loved writing in print and cursive. Crafting has always been my happy place- my escape. A way to connect to myself.
Throughout the years I believe I have had mixed feelings and actions towards it. Some moments I would create and other moments I would doubt my abilities. When I became a mom and then a preschool teacher is where I can see my creative juices began to flow. As a mom, I created costumes by hand or gifts for teachers. As a preschool teacher, I created classroom boards that where filled with creative ideas and I was able to incorporate craft ideas with the children. Again, it was a way for me to connect with myself.
In 2020, I began more creating and one day I created a JOY piece made out of butterflies. It was just an artistic expression for me. I showed it to a group of women that I was walking with in a coaching program and someone said, “wow, I want one!” My response, “really? You would.” A resounding yes from several other ladies and Joyfully Crafted LA was born. For about 6 months I began crafting. Many items were created from someone saying, “can you make this?” And always I said, “yes.” It was such a fun time and I created some great pieces.
With my first piece created being Joy- I knew that I wanted to include joy in my business name. With crafts being something I loved since I was little I knew I wanted to include that as well. When I craft, I craft with Joy- hence, Joyfully Crafted…everything crafted is done with Joy.
Then 2021 came and God shifted our family from Los Angeles, California to Shelbyville, Tennessee. During this transition I created a little and in retrospect, I believe the doubt began creeping back in. I created minimally for a couple of good friends/customers who specifically wanted an item.
In 2022, God showed me a vision and although my roots are Los Angeles, He was calling me to more. So the LA became Studio. Why studio? A studio is the workplace of an artist, painter, or sculptor.
At the end of 2022, I went back into the preschool world and the business again was put on the back burner.
At the beginning of 2024, I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder and I was put on rest for four months. During that time I healed, learned and grew. It was a hard but necessary time of rest. I also began itching to create. To allow the gifts of God to flow through me. It began with someone wanting a t-shirt to be made. I made the shirt and I just kept creating.
Again, I could feel the doubt trying to creep into my heart and then God led me to the first scripture in the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
God created. As many times as I read that scripture or recited it, it never hit me as profoundly as it did then. He is creator. The one who took nothing and made it into everything. Creation was from the beginning. The gifts in me could no longer be seen from my eyes as just something I did to feel happiness but rather God showed me that as I was made in His image- this gift of creating comes from Him. It is a gift from the Creator. There is purpose in my creating.
Joyfully Crafted Studio began to have more meaning. It is a way for me to connect with the thing that God wired me to do. It mixes my gift of creating with my gift of teaching. I find myself creating things that will bring us and keep us connected to the Father.
Everything that is created - is created with you in mind. Joy is not merely a feeling but it is a response to God. It is a posture in which I can be filled with praise and love and excitement because I know that God is God. That He is loving and kind and wonderful. As each item is created, it is created and then crafted with a posture of joy.
Joy is my superpower, it is what I desire to spread into the world. May each item created bring joy and love and a closeness to the Father.
In the studio, the artist crafts all things in Joy. This is Joyfully Crafted Studio.