When I first started this blog, I knew I wanted a name that felt like me, something creative, personal, and a little different. That’s how Pua and Paper Studio came to life.
I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to laugh. Pua and Paper? Did I really just choose a name that sounded like “poo and paper?” The people-pleaser in me wanted to change it to something that wouldn’t risk anyone’s judgment, something that kept me inside the neat little box of stability.
But then I thought, what if I keep it anyway?
What if I just embrace it because I like it, because it makes me laugh?
So I did. Keeping the name as is became more than just a branding choice, it became a small act of courage. A tiny bit of exposure therapy for myself, a quiet rebellion against the part of me that worries about what everyone else might think. And you know what? I love it even more because of that.
Pua: A Flower and a Legacy
“Pua” means flower in Hawaiian, and while life later told me I’m technically Samoan (thank you, DNA test for the identity plot twist), the meaning still feels like me. The hibiscus flower (my logo) is native to both Hawaii and Samoa.
My favorite flower though, the tiger lily, belonged first to my grandpa. As the kindest man I’ve ever known, he didn’t become “Grandpa” until his oldest daughter and son-in-law decided to take me in as a foster case (another story for another day). Somehow and despite the situation, he felt like he was always meant to be there from the very beginning.
My grandpa was a farmer, a man who solved life’s problems with grit and creativity because that’s what life demanded of him, he pro at I can fix that. To me, the tiger lily isn’t just beautiful, it’s resilient and bright, just like him.
While I may not live the life of a farmer, I take pride in carrying his spirit forward, finding creative solutions and embracing life’s moments with the same resilience and heart he showed me.
Paper: My Canvas for Creativity
“Paper” holds a different kind of meaning for me; it’s possibility. A blank page, waiting. A space where mistakes can become a masterpiece, and plans change into something better than you could have imagined. Creativity doesn’t have to be perfect, sometimes, it’s the mess and chaos of it all that holds the most magic.
The Heart Behind It
Pua & Paper might make people pause (or laugh), but I’m okay with that. It’s memorable, it tells a story, and it represents choosing authenticity over approval, joy over fear, and creativity over perfection. This space is for anyone who has ever felt messy or broken, for anyone learning to piece together their own story one day at a time. Pua and Paper Studio is where the art of making meets the heart of healing.
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