Nothing prepared me for how much motherhood would challenge and change me.

It stretched every part of me — my body, my heart, my identity.

I’ve wrestled with grief, trauma, and identity in this becoming. And through it all, creativity has been a thread I could hold onto — a way to process, to make sense, to find myself again. Actually, that’s not entirely true. For a while there I thought that I didn’t have time to be creative. My priority needed to be my family. But an innocent little vision boarding session hosted by Zena from Befriend changed everything (read more about that fateful vision boarding session and my epiphany over here).

Carmel Joy is a space I’ve created not just to share beautiful, ethical fabric and art — but to offer something deeper: a place where beauty, meaning, and connection meet. I want to make things that spark joy, that open up conversations, that help people feel more like themselves.

My background in science and education shapes how I see the world — curious, practical, always asking questions. My art brings that together with my love of nature, spirituality, and storytelling. I create what I would’ve loved to wear in the science lab, or what I want to see in my home now: things that are bold and whimsical, thoughtful and fun, beautiful and useful.

Alongside my creative work, I also plan to hold space through offerings like Mothershift Circles, Creative Sanctuaries, and Making Space retreats — because I believe that when we gather with honesty and creativity, healing becomes possible.

I hope something here brings you a sense of connection — to yourself, to your story, or to something bigger.