20 Questions Interview
with Maria Chatzi

continued from page 1

11. What challenges have you faced?

Challenges? There were quite a lot of them — let me mention a few:

• The biggest challenge in my life was to raise my two daughters to become the creative adults they are today. I am indeed very proud to be the mother of two talented individuals who honor Learning and Creativity.
• Creating my small website was another challenge — Beginner’s fear of exposure? Probably.
• Going from my job as a teacher to making a living as a crafter and jewelry artist was also a challenge.
• Making the decision to offer free crafts and art courses at public libraries in my area, for youngsters and housewives who need a hobby, or for unemployed adults in need of an idea to start a small business, was a challenge I took seriously and am enjoying a lot.
• Also, a big challenge was a book I wrote for a winery in my area.

12. What worked for you?

Multi-tasking, progressing like a turtle but always moving forward, learning at my own pace and choosing myself whatever I needed to learn each time, doing my most creative work in the afternoons (when everyone else was either having a nap or enjoying a cup of coffee), planning and setting priorities.

13. What didn't work for you?

Working overnight for a last-minute project, strictly set deadlines, people that wouldn’t bend their rules, mass production (I hate it when asked to make identical stuff and have always refused to), offering the best of my knowledge to people who refuse to learn.

14. What three tips can you share with those starting on a similar path?

1. Believe in yourself and your dream, no matter what others say. You know better than anyone else what is best for you. Do not reason yourself into following a path — just listen to your feelings.
2. Be courageous, no matter what obstacles may stand in your way. If you know what you really want, you shall be strong enough to fight for it. Don’t give up, no matter how long it takes till your dreams come true.
3. Work only with people who love what they’re doing, who are dreamers and doers too.

15. What are you working on now?

• Creative writing activities for 3rd graders.
• A course on upcycled/recycled crafts for adults, at the public library in my neighborhood.
• A three-session presentation of techniques and ideas to craft with various sewing and knitting materials. It’s taking place in October, at a friend’s shop, free for everybody.
• I’m also working on three more craft projects for Melissa at Favecrafts.com, a community that’s particularly close to my heart.

16. What's coming up for you in the next year?

• I’m planning to connect with more fellow creatives and learn about techniques and methods unknown to me so far, which they use in their work — learning always excites me, offers me a wonderful sense of liberation and gives me new ideas for my creations.
• Writing a mini e-book, free for all, with creative ideas for crafts and activities with beach rocks and pebbles, introducing my website too, is another thing I’m planning to do next year.
• I’ll also try to make some time to write more articles and craft projects for websites and blogs I adore and I would like to participate more in online communities.
• Some other pleasant surprises may be coming up for me next year too, which will ignite my creativity and which I can’t imagine of now — that’s the best part in life.

17. What else do you desire/dream to do?

• Write and publish a couple of e-books.
• Write a couple of articles for Creativity Portal — I’m soooooooo thankful it exists!
• Write and publish a story book for children.
• Finish the book on cooperation I’m co-authoring with my next-door neighbor and friend Stavroula Papadopoulos, who’s also a teacher.

18. How will you make that happen?

I’ll have to start writing and making my new connections — the ideas and general plan are all in my head, it’s the detailed steps that I need to work on.

19. What question would you like to be asked (or are just itching to answer) that's not on this list?

What’s one thing you would advise creative souls to avoid?

Avoid toxic relationships with people that suck all the energy out of you and who are trying hard to not let you be happy and live as you like.

20. What's your Web site address?

My website address is: beachstonesinspired.com.

9/10/12