When You Mix Hawaiian Vibes with Filipino Hustle...

You get me.

You get The Sweet Leis Co.

You get leis that are cute AND color-coded, sentimental AND slightly over-the-top, traditional AND blinged out with custom tags and origami flowers, and glitter.

Somewhere along the way, I learned two core truths that I've come to live by:

1. A lei is a gift of aloha.

2. If the Filipino lola sees your lei doesn’t have enough origami money on it? Trust me, it is a full-blown scandal.

   
   

What Happens When Two Cultures Meet at a Craft Table?

When the laid-back spirit of Hawaiʻi meets the full-speed energy of the Filipino hustle, you get pure, high-functioning lei-making madness.

You get the spiritual act of lei-giving, the gentle weaving of love, celebration, and connection, plus the full-force, detail-obsessed, “let me just make this perfect” energy of a Filipino party planner on her third wind and fourth cup of black coffee.

You get a lei that’s more than a gift.

It’s a statement.

It says: “I love you, I’m proud of you, and yes, I stayed up all night crafting this masterpiece because I was raised never to show up empty-handed or underdressed.”

It’s Not Just Ribbon. It’s an Experience.

Let’s be clear: these aren’t your average leis.

My leis come with:

• Color-matched bows that took four sample spools and three nervous breakdowns to decide on

• Hand-folded money origami (because flat bills are offensive)

• Personalized paper charms, tags, and if needed… actual LED lights (true story)

• Tags cut on a Cricut that I have a love/hate relationship with

• And vibes. Always, always vibes.

Do I sometimes whisper to the lei mid-construction like it's a sentient being?

Yes.

Do I believe each lei tells its own story and demands its own drama?

Also yes.

Do I question my life choices around hour three of a “simple” order that somehow turned into a full Pinterest board of possibilities?

Every. Single. Time.

Meanwhile, in the Background…

While all this is happening, guess what’s playing?

No, not soothing Hawaiian slack key guitar.

Not tropical lo-fi beats.

Nope.

MrBallen's "The Strange, Dark, and Mysterious" podcast.

Because nothing says “let me tie this ribbon with precision” like hearing about a cursed cave, an unsolved disappearance, or a haunted staircase in the woods.

There’s just something weirdly motivating about listening to the strange, dark, and mysterious while you’re hot-gluing fake flowers onto satin. It’s like the lei is watching you. And now you’re watching it back.

Am I slightly paranoid by the end of the episode?

Of course.

But you best believe that lei came out flawless.

A Craft Rooted in Culture, Fueled by Chaos

This business was never meant to be a business.

It started out the Filipino way: “Can you just make one?”

Then it became ten. Then twenty. Then a full-blown online shop, because apparently there’s no such thing as chill in my DNA.

But underneath the caffeine, ribbon scraps, and occasional existential meltdown is something real:

The work ethic I inherited from my family.

The joy of creating something that makes someone feel seen, celebrated, and deeply, truly loved.

So, What Do You Get When You Order a Sweet Leis Co. lei?

You get more than ribbon and flair.

You get hours of handcrafting.

You get precision guided by caffeine and emotion.

You get storytelling, heritage, pride, and a healthy sprinkle of glitter.

You get aloha, you get ambisyon, because yes, I’m proudly ambisyosa with a flair for the dramatic, a borderline obsessive love for crafting (obviously), and just a sprinkle of “don’t talk to me, I’m in the zone and I will stab something with this floral wire.”

You get me.

And just maybe, if you listen closely, you’ll hear a glue gun clicking, a Cricut misbehaving… and MrBallen whispering about the eerie sound of a typewriter that no one touched.

Now that’s lei-making with a twist. :)