Finding Magic After 40: When Life Changes Spark Creativity

I was that kid who devoured every book in sight. By the time I was six, I'd already read through our entire home library twice. I remember starting school and tearing through all the prescribed reading in the first two weeks, leaving my teacher scrambling to find more books to feed my insatiable appetite. During that time young children were not allowed to take books from the library without adult approval and my teacher supplied me with a steady supply fuelling my love for books. 

Then, at fourteen, when the books written for my age felt suddenly hollow and predictable, I stumbled upon something that would change everything: David Eddings' The Belgariad. From the very first page, I was utterly captivated. Here was a world that felt more real than reality itself, where magic wasn't just possible, it was inevitable. I was captivated by the mere concept of magic, the idea that an ordinary person can journey through the trials of life and become extraordinary and that family and friendship is not just those you are related to by blood.

During my late 30’s my husband and I moved to the UK. The transition away from family and friends had a very large impact on our lives. Mainly being away from our support system and being alone. This made me crave some sort of outlet. I started playing around with air-dry clay at first but the process frustrated me. Then after some YouTube videos I tried my hand at polymer clay and it just clicked. I started making small things at first, following tutorials, but it never felt like me. 

Then one day, almost by accident, I crafted a little deer. But this wasn't just any deer, it had impossibly long, elaborate antlers. It was magnificent, otherworldly, something that could have stepped right out of a fantasy novel. At that moment, everything clicked. This wasn't just clay in my hands, it was magic taking form.

There's something about fantasy literature that speaks to the part of us that refuses to accept that magic is impossible. These stories remind us that ordinary people can do extraordinary things, that even the smallest person can change the course of history. When I craft a dragon's wing or forge a tiny sword, I'm not just making an accessory, I'm creating a talisman, a reminder that we all carry magic within us.

With this newfound inspiration, I began translating the worlds I loved into tangible form. At first, I focused on books themselves, creating tiny book charms that captured the magic of holding a story in your hands. But that was just the beginning. What screams fantasy and strong protagonists more than dragons and swords? That is the inspiration behind my newest project. I'm creating a charm set that will include wings of a dragon and a magnificent magical sword.

When I unexpectedly found myself without full-time employment earlier this year, what could have felt like an ending instead became a beginning. I'd spent years in the corporate world, but now I had something I'd never had before: time to pursue what truly mattered.

Here I am at 45, embarking on a journey I never expected to take. I'm learning that it's never too late to discover who you're meant to be. Whether you're 15 or 50, creativity doesn't have an expiration date. Every day, I wake up excited to see what worlds will inspire my hands to create something new.

I'd love to see other readers discover pieces that speak to their favourite fantasy moments. Whether it's a bookmark that transports you back to that first magical world you discovered, or a charm that reminds you that you're the hero of your own story.

What book moment would you want to carry with you always?