How it Started:
From a very young age, I was drawn to the fascinating world of arts and crafts. Growing up, I always had a keen interest in engaging with different types of materials as I could never settle with just one creative project. The messier the project, the more I dove into the creative process; therefore, those chaotic activities seemed to fly the time away.
Unlike my peers, a simple coloring book was never enough to satisfy my creativity cravings. I was always searching for something that went beyond the boundaries of normal. The more materials and creativity a project required, the more excited I would get to embark on that crafting journey.
My creative endeavors began with projects that I discovered on platforms like Pinterest or was inspired by on Youtube. I was captivated by a range of hands-on activities, from duct tape wallets to weaving 3D projects out of rubber bands using my Rainbow Loom. My interests were diverse, never even close to being the same.
On special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas, when asked what I would like for presents, my response would invariably be gift cards. Not just any gift cards, but ones that would allow me to shop at places like Walmart or Target—commercial havens where the crafting sections would call out to my young, artistic soul.
I distinctly remember creating emoji pillows at home. This idea was a result of my mom bringing home a hot glue gun from her office one day. I purchased some felt, vibrant puffy paints and, with an infectious enthusiasm, got straight to work. Imagining, designing, and finally crafting my very own emoji compilations in the form of cute, cozy pillows became a new dimension of my craft ventures.
While each creation was by no means perfect or of professional quality, they were my very own handcrafted creations, every imperfect stitch echoing the sheer joy of the process. It was at this point I realized that arts and crafts were not just my casual hobbies, they had become an integral part of me, the one activity that I loved, admired, and enjoyed investing my time in the most. The prospect of creating something new and unique from raw, ordinary materials filled me with an unparalleled sense of joy and accomplishment.
In hindsight, these early forays into arts and crafts were much more than just a kid’s plaything or pastime for me. They were the beginnings of a lifelong passion—a passion that has only grown and developed over time, shaping who I am today.
Journey to GIA 