{"id":2445,"date":"2024-08-21T09:25:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T19:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaii.carpentermediagroup.com\/midweekhawaii\/?p=2445"},"modified":"2024-08-20T09:25:57","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T19:25:57","slug":"home-made-goodness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaii.carpentermediagroup.com\/midweekhawaii\/home-made-goodness\/","title":{"rendered":"Home-‘Made’ Goodness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo<\/p><\/div>\n

Diane Mitsuyasu-Masumura of Weslyn\u2019s Creative Feathers will be one of many celebrating the 30th anniversary of Made in Hawai\u2018i Festival, which promises to be bigger and better than ever.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feathers and handcrafting are passions that Diane Mitsuyasu-Masumura has flocked to for decades \u2014 especially during adventures on Kaua\u2018i with her husband and son. <\/p>\n

\u201cBecause my husband and I hunted pheasants, I had the pheasant feathers available and started creating headbands. The three of us would spend entire days in the mountains of K\u014dke\u02bbe hunting pheasants, and my husband carried our son on his back in a carrier while hunting pheasants,\u201d shares Mitsuyasu-Masumura. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe loved it.\u201d <\/p>\n

Of course, those outdoor excursions weren\u2019t limited to just the Garden Isle. According to her, \u201cWhile bird hunting on the Big Island, my son shot a peacock, and that gave me the opportunity to use peacock feathers. Now I use peacock feathers, dyed goose feathers and all different types of pheasant feathers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those passions eventually led to the creation of Weslyn\u2019s Creative Feathers in 1989, a business that Mitsuyasu-Masumura named after her son and that showcases her ability to produce traditional Hawaiian featherwork. <\/p>\n

\u201cI use dyed goose feather(s) to create original designs and colors of lei k\u0101moe and wili poepoe,\u201d she says. \u201cThe stunning blue and green peacock feathers are the most popular feather(s).\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, this accomplished designer and maker still produces colorful, detailed lei, earrings, headbands and other accessories using an array of feathers from peacocks, pheasants and more. <\/p>\n

Many of her finest creations will be featured at the 30th annual Made in Hawai\u2018i Festival, slated for Aug. 23-25 at Hawai\u2018i Convention Center, where hundreds of local artisans, makers and entrepreneurs, including Weslyn\u2019s Creative Feathers, will serve up an array of brand-new products.<\/p>\n

Mitsuyasu-Masumura plans to offer new k\u0101moe and humupapa lei designs at the festival. Prices will vary between $275 and $1,200 because of \u201cthe rarity of the feathers and the amount of time involved in making the product,\u201d she notes, adding that new earrings, headbands, ornaments and machine-sewn hatbands will also be available.<\/p>\n

Prior to her participation in the yearly event, Mitsuyasu-Masumura sold her wares at small craft fairs. The festival, however, helped her \u201crealize the potential in expanding my business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since the first festival, my business has grown tremendously,\u201d she says. \u201cI always love seeing my customers. I have met so many beautiful people and have made so many friends. Yet, it never ceases to amaze me at how many new customers I meet every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Mitsuyasu-Masumura, the event is a one-of-a-kind experience. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you going to find another event with all Hawai\u2018i-made products in one place?\u201d she asks. \u201cHawai\u2018i people have absolutely one of the most creative minds anywhere. I am always amazed at the talent the Made in Hawai\u2018i Festival draws.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same could be said of the self-taught Mitsuyasu-Masumura, who developed her skills as a feathermaker through a combination of research and determination.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved the history behind the Hawaiian featherworks. I would read books and visit Kaua\u2018i Museum, admiring all the featherwork behind the showcases,\u201d she says. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t anyone on Kaua\u2018i teaching the feather art at that time, so I taught myself by trial and error how to handle feathers and I created headbands and earrings. I would visit a feather shop on O\u2018ahu when I got the chance, just to see what they were making.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully, Mitsuyasu-Masumura enjoys sharing her talent with those willing to learn. She works with several hula h\u0101lau and has created a one-of-a-kind lei hulu (feathers) for Merrie Monarch Festival performers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have taught students how to work with feathers. I feel so lucky to live the life I live. My work is also my passion. I wish everyone was this lucky,\u201d she emphasizes. <\/p>\n

Raised in \u2018Ewa Beach, Mitsuyasu-Masumura recalls that even as a child, she demonstrated a strong creative streak. <\/p>\n

\u201cEver since I was a little girl, I loved sewing, crocheting, knitting, macram\u00e9, drawing and even designed my own prom dresses. So, when I had feathers available, boy, did my creativity go wild,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n

\u201cI also collected scraps of wood from a koa paddle maker, and made hair picks and covered them with feathers. I wanted to be a fashion designer, so I guess I sort of followed part of my dream. I love what I do. I love creating and designing new patterns for the different lei and hatbands.\u201d<\/p>\n

These days, that love is manifested in her family members, who are vital to the enterprise that is Weslyn\u2019s Creative Feathers.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband, Wes, son, Weslyn, and daughter-in-law, Cara, are the backbone of my success. Without their help, I could never produce the amount of feather products I do,\u201d she explains. \u201cYes, I create and make every item, but they do the prep, and you know what they say \u2014 the prep work is what makes the product perfect.\u201d <\/p>\n