A Special Lei Order: Behind the Scenes of a Weekend Creation

This past weekend, I had the honor of creating several custom lei orders that truly embodied the spirit of aloha. Every lei I make is unique, yet each one carries its own story and sense of connection.

The Birthday Lei Poʻo

The first order was for a milestone birthday celebration. On Saturday morning, I gathered fresh koa and vibrant red and green ʻaʻaliʻi, each harvested with care and respect from my ʻohanaʻs garden.

This lei was a lei poʻo. Layer by layer, it began to take shape, wrapping together texture and color in a way that honored both tradition and the person who would wear it. The request was for something both bold, but not too big, so I incorporated fresh fennel, geranium, koa leaves, succulents, and young bundles of pine for lushness, with bright bursts of ʻaʻaliʻi for fullness and color.

A Gift for a Dear Friend

My second order, for Sunday afternoon, was especially meaningful. It was a gift for a dear friend I’ve known for years, and I wanted the creations to reflect both beauty and care. I chose to make three different lei, all meant for the neck but each in its own unique style.

• Lei One: Crafted with the wili technique, using koa leaves, gifted malo ʻulu, and hinahina. It was designed to sit open and drape loosely, giving it a natural, graceful flow.

• Lei Two: A quadruple twist of ʻaʻaliʻi, malo ʻulu, and hinahina. I loved how the soft, muted tones of the hinahina and malo ʻulu contrasted with the vivid reds of the ʻaʻaliʻi.

• Lei Three: The boldest of the three, made using the kui poepoe method. Folded koa leaves and malo ʻulu created a very full, dramatic lei that carried great presence.

Why I Do This Work

Seeing my friendsʻ reaction at pickup reminded me why I began this journey in the first place: to nurture Hawaiian tradition, share the natural beauty of our native and non-native plants, and create meaningful connections through handmade art. Every lei tells a story, and it’s a privilege to be part of each one.

If you have a special event coming up, or if you’d like to learn more about lei making, I’d love to help you celebrate with a custom creation. Mahalo for supporting local craftsmanship!