Dream Maker Creative is on a mission to get people making! We believe that crafting is therapeutic and that creativity is an essential life skill to be nurtured. And it's so much fun! Crafting is a great way to spend quality time with friends and family and get away from the stress of everyday life. The gifts and keepsakes you create will be a reminder of that time together.
We've created Dream Maker to be a creative haven, a convenient and affordable way to craft without the hassle of planning, shopping, and cleaning up afterwards. Plus, we take away the fear factor of trying something new with our friendly guidance and projects chosen to insure your success. Even if you swear you don't have a creative bone in your body!
Sara Lorien Smith
Owner, Designer, Crafter, Instructor
Welcome to Dream Maker! I'm a lifelong hobby crafter, freelance web designer, and homeschooling mom to two boys who are currently 11 and 13. I love to create and aim to inspire others to do the same. I have WAY too many interests and can't settle on just one creative outlet. I like to experiment with different mediums and then share what I've learned. Through the years I've gone through craft phases that included crocheting, stained glass, and sewing. Now days I dabble in lots of projects and desperately want to learn more about metal art.
I'm a former techie, having spent 15+ years at companies like Apple and Cisco, small now-defunct tech startups, a high school, and a non-profit. Much of that was spent providing desktop and systems support, project management, and user experience research. Most people expect that a craft shop owner would come from an art background. Not me, I consider myself more of a designer and art appreciator. Through my tech career, I became highly adept at problem solving and improvising on the fly, simplifying processes and instruction for beginners, and designing solutions to solve business needs. I consider these my super powers.
When I had my first child in 2008 I looked for part-time work and couldn't find anything that utilized my skills while offering the flexibility I wanted for my family. When I had child number two shortly after in 2009, I gave up looking for outside jobs and began freelancing. The rest is history.
I have a BS degree in Information Technology with a minor in Digital Communications. I also hold an MS in Human Computer Interaction, an interdisciplinary degree that meshes together psychology, design, research, human factors, and tech. Though I didn't go the path of software designer like I had intended, I use all these skills as a web and product designer, and craft instructor. Though "design thinking" is a trendy catch phrase, it's something that I've practiced for many years without even realizing it.
Here's a few of my other professional endeavors:
Terra Create - Craft kits featuring nature themes and materials for ages 10 to adult (will also be sold here at Dream Maker)
Sara Lorien Design - Boutique web design and marketing studio, serving small businesses and non-profits
