Meet the Maker

Chereen Leong Schwarz

owner | Designer | Maker

Hey hi, friend! I’m Chereen...owner, designer, and maker of Smeeny Made Wild (formerly Smeeny Beanie Knits). From growing up along the Pacific coastline and redwoods of Northern California to living most of my adult life in Colorado mountain town, I’ve always loved spending time outside. As a kid, I loved playing in the dirt, hiking, and camping, and after college, spent two seasons working and living in Yellowstone National Park.

After those seasons in Yellowstone, my (now) husband and I thought we’d be ski bums for a winter and moved to the small ski town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. What we thought would be one winter has now become 12 years!

After our first winter, I really wanted to pick up a crafty hobby. I was a chef by trade, so most of my time off was when other people were working. I’d always wanted to learn how to knit and found a couple of knitting needles at the local thrift store. I taught myself how to knit watching YouTube videos, and what started off as a fleeting fancy became a passion. I LOVED seeing my stitches become something more. I was obsessed with figuring out new patterns and new techniques. After several years of making things for close friends and family,

I started Smeeny Beanie Knits (now Smeeny Made Wild) in 2017, and in 2018 left my chef career to work on a local farm.

Two years later, I became fully self-employed and went from working 70+ hours/week as a chef, burned out, exhausted, and using knitting as a way to wind down, to choosing to prioritize LIVING and building a business that aligns and supports a life of adventure, travel, and spending time with the people I care about.

I could never have dreamed that what started as a side hustle is now my full time business and has grown to become an incredible community of other adventurous creatives, artists, makers, and small business owners.

Through sharing my creative life, adventures, travels, and love of the outdoors, I hope to inspire others to follow their dreams, build a life they love, and reconnect with themselves and nature. When we rewild ourselves, we live more intentionally, have more meaningful connections, and care more about things beyond ourselves.

Thank you for being a part of my story.