Hi, I’m Elaine Joy. The hands behind Handy Crafty Studio.
I am a compassionate compulsive dreamer. I am a paper artist, product designer, and library professional. After facing burnout and health challenges, I discovered the healing power of crafting. Traditional Chinese medicine revealed stress as the root cause, prompting me to change my diet, lifestyle, and seek creative outlets.
In 2020, I packed up my Treasured Paper studio to welcome a new baby, leaving little time for myself. I began to look for a new crafting hobby to deal with everyday stress. I found most kits to be overly complex, poor quality, and inaccessible. I was frustrated by the lack of options for adults. This inspired me to merge my love for art, teaching experience, and design skills to create simpler, more joyful crafting experiences. Making things by hand became my sanctuary, a way to recharge and find calm amidst daily hustle of life.
Before the pandemic, I led workshops with organizations like Arts King Society, Varley Art Gallery, and Richmond Hill Public Library. I saw firsthand how many people longed to be creative but felt intimidated by traditional art instruction. I became passionate about simplifying lessons and redesigning workshops so every participant could succeed and leave feeling fulfilled. Having taken countless courses myself, I deeply understand what students need to feel confident and inspired.
My creative path was anything but conventional. Growing up in a traditional immigrant household, arts and crafts were seen as distractions. But I secretly sketched landscapes and colored with my siblings, inspired by the joy I saw in my mother’s sewing circle. That early spark never left me.
When it came time to apply to college, I panicked. I had no portfolio, no formal training, and no experience. All I had was a dream: to make anything I could imagine. I began a self-taught journey, devouring instruction books and online courses. I took evening classes in painting, pastels, jewelry, printmaking, and even glass-blowing at the Art Gallery of Ontario and Harbourfront Centre.
Eventually, I earned a place at Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU), where I studied Industrial Design. I spent every spare moment in fabrication studios, exploring paper, wood, metals, plastics, fibres, fabrics, bookbinding, and modelmaking. I was often the last to leave campus, driven by my desire to learn and create without limits.
My designs earned me a top portfolio interview score, a full scholarship, and later, an offer from the prestigious Royal College of Art’s Design Product graduate program, an honor typically extended to just one person per country. I declined the offer after my grandmother’s passing, but I made a promise to myself: RCA would not be the peak of my design career. That promise continues to fuel my creative fire.
Today, I’m thrilled to share my passion through Handy Crafty Studio, a space dedicated to making creativity more accessible, joyful, and healing for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned maker or a curious beginner, I believe crafting can be a powerful tool for self-care, connection, and transformation.
Much love,
