Born and raised in San Francisco, Justine Pon (she/her) is a Chinese American artist, crafter and DIY professional. Before the pandemic, Justine was on a quest to purchase a pair of boba milk tea-shaped earrings, but they were all too heavy for her sensitive ears. Armed with a few skeins of yarn, a pair of scissors and a conceptual idea, her pom pom accessory business, The Ponnery, was born!

Today, Justine creates adorable pom pom jewelry and accessories that celebrate Asian American food and culture. Her collection includes mochi donut ornaments, sesame ball keychains, joong earrings, and more.

The most challenging yet rewarding part of her craft is turning her rough sketches into actual 3D products. It can take hours to prototype a design before ending up with something that matches her vision,  considering factors like yarn placement, colors, shape, size, and extra details. Justine is continuously tweaking designs and honing her technique – it’s an evolving creative process.