Santa Barbara entrepreneur “yearns” for mental wellness with yarn creations

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Sarina Carbajal is a fiber artist who makes what she calls “emotional support animals and vegetables.”

Each crochet creation holds an uplifting quote like “I believe in you. Go do your thing!”

She says these creations have been a gateway to larger conversations surrounding mental health.

“Growing up in a Hispanic family, a lot of mental health issues are brushed off or you're told that they don't exist or they're not real. This has really allowed a space for me to talk about it with people, and if they're having a hard time, they kind of open up to me about it, because we're just talking about the daily boost to serotonin and it's really amazing how you can connect to people through this,” said Carbajal.

Carbajal says she’s received a ton of positive feedback from parents of kids with sensory issues.

Each one of these creations cost $15.

You can find Sarina on State Street every Tuesday at the Farmer’s Market.