Journey & Thingz

Hi, I’m Joy Joshua, founder of Journey & Thingz.Journey & Thingz is a Chicago-based mobile arts business offering thoughtfully designed, hands-on jewelry-making and creative workshops that spark connection, creativity, and joy. Our experiences are beginner-friendly and welcoming for all skill levels—whether you’re making jewelry for the first time or refining your personal style, you’ll leave with something you’re proud to wear.I’ve been making jewelry since I was 7 years old. Raised in a creative household, I was encouraged to explore color, texture, and storytelling through my hands. That foundation guides my workshops today: relaxed, supportive spaces where people can slow down, try something new, and enjoy the process.We love working with small groups—friends, celebrations, community gatherings, and private parties—and we’ve also expanded into larger-scale corporate and institutional creative activations. Over the past year, I’ve partnered with organizations such as Uber and McKinsey & Company, designing and facilitating values-aligned team experiences. This has included both live facilitation and custom production, including 4, 500+ bracelet-making kits created for a multi-day corporate event at the Grace Hopper Celebration in ChicagoIn addition to corporate work, I’ve led citywide cultural programming in partnership with Chicago Public Library as part of the Renaissance Project, designing workshops inspired by archival research from the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection. These programs connected history, storytelling, and hands-on art making across multiple branches, welcoming participants of all ages.To date, Journey & Thingz has facilitated 400+ art and STEM-based programs, hosted 150+ jewelry-making and accessory design workshops across Chicago Public Library, and taught 5, 000+ participants. Our work has also been featured on Daytime Chicago, where I shared how jewelry making can be both expressive and grounding.What sets Journey & Thingz apart is our ability to scale creativity without losing intimacy—whether facilitating a small workshop, leading a corporate team activation, or producing custom kits for large events. We bring the experience to you and tailor each workshop to your group’s vibe, goals, and comfort level.Let’s make something beautiful together.