Mariel is a professional in North Little Rock who works mainly with fabric and sewing creations. She is an avid animal lover and volunteers with Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas. Some of her work is currently for purchase at Gallery 26 in Kavanaugh.
Mariel talks about her studio below.
“I live in a small efficiency and work all around that space but felt like I wanted to have a dedicated area where I could call it my ‘craft home’. My loft area was becoming just an area for storage since I have to make the best use of my space. Instead of buying a table, I decided to use my creativity and see how I could keep both the storage and create that desired crafting space. I stacked up the storage containers and added a nice lace blanket to make a table.”
“I hung my threads on this cute pear shelf above my sewing machine for easy access.”
“I love how the natural light seeps through how I don’t have to worry about cleaning up if I’m in the middle of a big project. The good thing about my sewing machine is that I can take it downstairs if I wish. Everything is versatile.”
“Since this used to be my sleeping area before I bought my big mattress, I also feel a calm connection. It’s amazing how a little reorganizing can bring life to new ideas and create such a wonderful nook.”
Creativity Inspirations:
“Music and nature are big inspirations when beginning any project. Listening to music helps calm the mind so that I can easily tap into creative ideas and embark on new journeys.”
Other inspirations:
“Seeing other artists at work through craft meet-ups, blogs, Pinterest, and ideas from local hobby stores. I always think ‘If I can do it, I should try it.'”
“Creativity and imagination go hand in hand. It means innovating when there is a lack of materials thus making use of resources by being cost effective and helping our environment.”
Paper Opera 
