Craft therapy

THE implementation of the movement control order (MCO) may have posed huge hurdles and difficulty for some, but for art and craft makers, it has been the most opportune time to discover their hidden talents.

Samantha Lee, 23, decided to spend her time productively by indulging in clay crafting. She began by handcrafting personalised accessory dishes, and set up an online business called Embellish by Sam during the MCO.

“Embellish by Sam started as an ‘MCO just-for-fun’ project. During the MCO, I had stopped working for a brief moment as I was waiting to further my studies,” said Lee, who is currently studying for a Master of Child Psychology.

“At that time, I found myself having a lot of free time. I strolled through Twitter and came across a girl who was making similar items. They were so beautiful and I just thought I should give it a try. It took much trial-and-error to get it right, but the process was well worth it,” she said.

The marbled design on her accessory dishes have fascinating swirls and line patterns. The minimal style palm-size plates are made with polymer clay and come in four colours: blue, beige, grey and pink.

“My designs can be described as simple, but they still stand out. Its appeal is not too strong on the eyes, but stands out just enough,” said Lee.

“I spend a lot of time creating each item, one by one. Hence, every piece differs from the other. I also enjoy personalising a thank you note to each customer,” said Lee.

Inspired by happiness

In the beginning, it was difficult to create each piece, especially when it came to accurate measurements and techniques.

“There is something about the process which is therapeutic and satisfying, especially when I look at the end result. I always preferred to watch others rather than do it myself.

“However, one day, I decided to give it a go.”

Lee said she is inspired by “anything and anyone that gives off feelings of carefree happiness”.

“I love being surrounded by people that motivate me to feel grateful, content, and peaceful.

“It’s something that I hope my customers would feel when they receive their products, too,” she said.

Working with children

Although Lee is passionate about crafting, she plans to have a full-time career as a child psychologist.

“I was working as an Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) therapist for children with autism, but I stopped as I wanted to continue my studies; at the same time, I had ventured into creating these products.

“I had carried out one-to-one ABA therapy daily with children to help them with their social skills, communication, and learning.

“It was a life-changing experience. Hence, I chose to pursue my Masters of Child Psychology.”

Speaking about her intended profession, she said: “The job helped me become more independent. It made me feel extremely grateful for the time and resources I was given in a day.”

However, she admits juggling between work and her online business can be difficult.

“As each piece is made one by one, it can be rather time-consuming.

“Hence, juggling between work and my online business is something I am still trying to master.”