Welcome to my Journey with The MidLife Crafters! This is not just a name, but a concept that embodies the fusion of creativity and technology and life decisions... a journey I'm excited to share with you.
Posted Sep 28, 2025
When I launched The MidLife Crafters, I promised myself I wouldn’t just talk about transformation—I’d live it.
Last week, I introduced you to the heart behind The MidLife Crafters—the why, the name, and the purpose. Today, I want to begin sharing the what: the actual projects I’ve been pouring my time and imagination into. Because this isn’t just about building a business or a brand, it’s about the hands-on act of shaping wood, ideas, and even my own mindset into something that’s meaningful to me, and hopefully to others. It’s about taking skills and things I already know how to do and enhancing those with creativity, inspiration, and a whole lotta faith.
When I first got the machine and was learning how to use it, I found some neat designs to make signs, and bookmarks, glasses holders, and keychains. I decided from the get-go that I wanted to make things that brought positivity and light, and maybe some nice memories of the past and something to remind us to make more great memories in the future. Something that would capture a time, a place, a feeling….something that just makes you happy.
Here’s just a few of the pieces that really highlight my intentions:
The True Story of Jesus isn’t just to be remembered at Christmas. And having Faith and believing in something so much bigger than ourselves, puts a lot of things in perspective. These are the pieces that I’m drawn to, and I find a true peace and calm when I’m working on things like these. I’ve never had that kind of inner peace when working on anything before.
I really was excited when I saw how well the God Bless America sign
came out! It’s a tried and true statement that seems to have so much more meaning to me the older that I get. Right now, I think we all could use all the blessings we can get.
These are the last two I want to share and chat about (there’s plenty more on the Catalog page though).
These take me back to the London Church of God in London, West Virginia. I can hear the singing and feel the presence of my MawMaw when I think about these songs. These are some of the fondest memories of my life.
Being a kid, you just don’t understand how important memories like these are. I can see the board at the front that showed which hymns we would be singing. I can hear the creak of the steps as I went into the basement for Sunday School. Those basements had a special smell that takes me right back there anytime I catch it in the air. I can see the little Bible verse cards that we got with each of our lessons. Maybe that’s why crafting with inspiration and faith is so important to me now…because it reminds me of all those things that are past, but are always with me.
How I Decide What to Make:
Here’s my secret - I don’t start with trends. I start with some truth. I ask myself
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What’s tugging at my spirit right now?
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What would have helped me five years ago?
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What would make someone feel seen, inspired, or just a little more joyful today?
Sometimes it’s a prayer. Sometimes it’s a symbol of faith that helps someone else live their story better. That’s the craft. That’s the calling.
With just a handful of projects behind me, here’s what I’m already learning:
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Patience isn’t optional. Rushing almost always means wasted material and wasted time.
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Mistakes are part of the design. Some of my favorite “happy accidents” became features.
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Faith fuels creativity. When I pray before I start, I notice I work with less fear of failure.
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Technology is a tool, not the star. It’s my imagination and message that bring the piece to life.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning. I’ll be sharing more finished projects in the weeks to come, along with the stories, inspirations, and even the flops behind them. Because for me, The MidLife Crafters isn’t about perfection—it’s about process. And if my process encourages you to dust off your own creativity, then all the better.
So here’s my encouragement to you this week: find one small way to use your hands or your words to make something real. It doesn’t have to be pretty or profitable. Just create.
And here’s my advice and maybe just a sip of tea: don’t get hung-up on meaningless numbers. Anyone can spout off thousands of this and millions of that. Numbers are just that…numbers. They can be twisted and flipped and made into whatever you like. I could say I have a five-figure salary that contributes vast amounts into the local economy. That’s true…if you count both sides of the decimal point. People and companies are only as good as how they treat others. If they are open, honest, and fair - that’s someone I would want to know and spend time with. If they are underhanded, manipulative, and only out for themselves - that’s gonna be a hard pass for me.
Until next time, let’s keep crafting lives worth living—one project, one decision, one brave step at a time.
—Michele