The Journey

Guest post from Antonious Maximus

Yea,  though I walk through the shadow of 2019, I will fear no crafting…

Dressed in the official uniform of crafting (pajamas and some form of slip-on footwear), sipping my morning elixir (java, java, java), my mellow meditation brings me to the ultimate question – what do I want to make next? This glimmers of an insatiable desire to create and achieve some semblance of accomplishment in between the insanity of life (probably due to the copious amounts of no-shedding glitter products and metallic media). Knowing that happy hours have turned into nappy hours, I will rest deeply on this thought soon. 

Looking back on the past year from the plateau I am on, it’s amazing how far I’ve come in my crafty journey. Creativation is always exciting to watch. Discovering more from those I know, and finding more that I don’t, but I have a new found confidence that these creators will keep me up to date with the latest and greatest throughout the year. The retreats and class room experiences beckon with and undeniable siren song, feeding my artistic soul in ways I didn’t know was possible, sitting at the feet of masters with other enthusiastic pupils.

The pursuit of becoming a triple black belt crafty ninja has manifested in a quest to understand multiple disciplines and secret ancient arts. Shopping, organization, art history, social media, techniques, tool selection, self expression, magic, psychology, science, and so much more are used to earn my belts as I try to move up the ranks. As the products fill my studio, a living breathing organism is created. A simple, yet complex, testament to my ability to express myself in an artful manner. It fosters the tingles and twinges of creativity that is so satisfying. It’s funny how a lifestyle that many consider a “hobby with sanctuary escapism” is a full contact obsession for me with olympic level disciplines. But still offers a safe zone to let my mind and soul run. Enough is never enough and there’s always room for more, even if purging is required to create it. It’s bled into my regular existence as it’s almost all I think about right down to my friends, what I wear, and what I watch these days (crafty videos are an endorphin spike unto itself).

The nice thing is the journey never ends, figuratively keeping me disappearing into the furniture even though I sit on it to pursue it. Being well rounded in life has left me well…round, but satisfied by a life well lived. Engaging with the community is an opportunity to bask in the weather on the way to an event and be around, heaven forbid, people oddly happy like me (it’s the excitement of playing with new goodies). Inky fingers should be a fashion statement, right up there with manicures.

With a smile and a wave back to the path, I go glowing from the sense of growth. May your journey be enjoyable, challenging, and gratifying.

Ant Max