KUCHING, Dec 15 — What began as a stay-at-home mother’s hobby has blossomed into a thriving festive enterprise for Kuching-based artisan Rena Kho, who brings the spirit of Christmas to life through intricately designed polymer clay jewellery and handmade accessories.
Kho, 57, said her clay-crafting journey began in 2013 after she was introduced to basic techniques through church activities. She later refined her skills by attending specialised courses in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Japan.
“My work initially focused on clay flowers and figurines before expanding into jewellery eight years later. Polymer clay really impressed me because, with a simple piece, you can create almost anything,” she told Bernama.
The Kuching native said polymer clay is well suited for jewellery-making as it is durable, washable and retains its colour for years once baked at a specific temperature.
According to the owner of Rena’s Story, each piece is entirely handmade - from conceptualising the design and selecting colour combinations to shaping, baking and finishing — with every pair of earrings taking at least one and a half hours to complete.
“For this year’s Christmas season, I have created festive-themed designs featuring red roses and Christmas icons. Several items, such as Christmas tree earrings, have already sold out due to strong demand, but they will be restocked soon,” said the mother of three.
Besides selling at physical booths, she also markets her creations online through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, allowing her to reach a wider customer base beyond Kuching.
Embracing Christmas as a season of love and sharing, Kho said she aims to reflect the festive message through her designs while spreading joy to customers from all backgrounds.
Beyond her own creations, she has also brought together a small group of Sarawakian women artisans, most of them homemakers, to collectively market handmade crafts including micro-crochet accessories, macrame bags and resin art.
She said the initiative allows women, including young mothers, to generate income from home while managing family responsibilities, transforming personal hobbies into sustainable livelihoods.
Kho added that festive seasons such as Christmas provide a significant boost to small craft businesses, with sales during month-long festive events reaching up to RM30,000, including products made by fellow artisans.
“Giving back is an important part of Christmas tradition, so a portion of our earnings is donated annually to charitable organisations, especially The Salvation Army,” she said. — Bernama
