Malaysia is famous for its arts and crafts that normally encompasses batik, pewter products, labu sayong/ gourd, silver and brass items, and straw mats or bags… however, that is not all there is to Malaysia’s arts and crafts offerings…

Yours truly was fortunate to follow Gaya Travel magazine & Selangor State Planning Unit (Tourism Sectorial) /UPEN Selangor along for a 3 day 2 night trip around Selangor to visit and learn more about the people behind some of Malaysian crafts and products, and well, it definitely was an eye opening and thrilling trip..

We visited 6 product owners and the Boustead Cruise Centre, so let me share with you a little on the places we visited…

1.   FS Design Furniture

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

FS Design Furniture is a manufacturer and supplier of commercial grade safe furniture, which are usually used for homes or offices from eco-friendly, green yet high quality furniture. Some wood are recycled from old windows, doors and houses..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

FS Design Furniture was started by two young entrepreneurs, Fazli Shah Simpon and his wife / partner Ilmi Shukri, both who are passionate with the Go Green mission in sustaining our environment by making beautiful and modern contemporary furniture with salvaged wood back in 2012…

The solid timbers used are mostly Douglas Fir, Meranti, Nyatoh etc and might be mixed with fabrics, stainless steel, metal or/and glass… and are produced at the factory which is about 12,000 square feet with highly experienced team of craftmen, welders, furniture finishing specialists and a quality control manager in Sg Macau, in Hulu Langat, Selangor…

Some of their clients include Borders, Diptique, MermaidStoreKL, Zawara Coffee and a lot more…

It was an eye opening visit as we got to learn how salvaged wood are given a new lease of life that make them look like new.

Check out more info at https://www.facebook.com/fsdesignfurniture/

2. ArtJamila

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Jamila is a 15 year old autistic girl who creates the most adorable artwork with intricate patterns and careful thought of details.. Her art pieces are simply breathtaking and we were definitely wowed by her…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Jamila was diagnosed as autistic when she was 4 but she uses drawings as a way to reveal her emotions and passion on paper as well as on digital.. Her distinctive style of drawing can be seen on her art work on which she spends a good quarter of the day on…

She has drawn for the Crown Prince of Selangor as well for various VIPs…

Do check her work out at www.artjamila.com

3. Amaze Creative

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Amaze Creative is a small start up dealing with handpainted canvas shoes and handpainted bags at the TAR Villa Apartments in Desa Setapak.

I am sure you might have come across some attractive and gaily handpainted canvas shoes, like I did.. but, did you know that these lovely handpainted shoes are actually painstakingly painted by some OKU/ the deaf and impoverish ladies which are brought in to Amaze Creative and taught how to paint by the owner of the place, Mr Chang Wan Sang and also Ms Yee..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The artwork is simply beautiful and it is also washable, and well, if you want something custom made like say a pair of wedges, a bag or something, you also can.. for a fee… be sure to check them out at egoodshops.com or www.amaze.com.my

4. QueenL’s Craft

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We sure were so fascinated by the non-stitch slip-in patchwork at Queen L’S Crafts as it was just so pretty and seems so interesting, so when the owner of QueenL’s Crafts Pn Latifah Hamzah from Pulau Indah gave us the chance to try it out, we were thrilled to bits… It took me about 45 minutes to complete my owl, and even then it definitely was challenging…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The patchwork art is I think still pretty unique in Malaysia, but was inspired by the Japanese ‘Kimekomi’ or easy tuck, which is a technique of tucking the fabrics into the grooves of the artwork and made Malaysianized by Puan Latifah, by using songket or batik cloth… There are 3 levels and you can simplify the artwork as a beginning level, or make it more interesting and intricate by matching the designs of the fabric to the artwork and so on…

Check out her designs and work at https://www.facebook.com/queenlscrafts/

5. ArtSis Studio

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

ArtSis Studio is run by 5 sisters who teach art classes at their Home Studio in USJ 9, Subang Jaya to teach kids and women art. They offer drawing and coloring classes/workshops and also Art Camps on weekends and school holidays

The sisters are all basically self –taught in Art, having been encouraged by their parents since small and all have a passion in Arts and Crafts.

The unique thing about this paint class is that the whole family are all artists, and the second brother is an Olympic level painter & the dad is the former Ketua Polis Sarawak, Dato’ Haji Mohd Yusoff Jaafar who paints very well too… and that has landed them a certificate of Having the Most Artists in a Family in Malaysia for the year 2001 in the Malaysian Guinness Book of Records..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We got a chance to try our hands on bubble painting using acrylic paint and oil pastels taught by the sisters and it was so much fun…

Do be sure the check out their art classes and workshops, which are taught from the heart and the way they know how – if you are around the area… ARTSIS STUDIOS

6. Heritage Inspired

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Heritage Inspired is the brand by Hanisah Izzati consisting of handmade custom made purses, clutches and handbags from songket, pelikat and batik..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hanisah Izzati was a Primary School Science Teacher who decided she wanted to create her own bags just for fun before it became something more serious… the bag steel clasps are sourced from overseas, in Singapore and China and she takes care to make the bag as perfect as she can. And she can make up to two bags a day.

She made her first bag using her father’s old kain songket with the help of google and youtube, and is constantly improving herself.

Besides the lovely range of handbags, clutches and sling bags, Heritage Inspired also produces some very pretty floral embroidery for bags, clothing etc…

Check out Hanisah’s gorgeous creations at her Instagram www.instagram.com/hi_heritageinspired

And that was the products and the people behind the products we got to see, feel and interact with this particular Kembara Kraf Selangor 2017…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

On top of that, we paid a visit to the Boustead Cruise Centre, which was formerly the Star Cruise terminal, though it has been acquired by another owner and acquired again by the Boustead Group in 2014.

Boustead Cruise Centre is the only international passenger cruise terminal in Port Klang, the largest and busiest port in Malaysia, quite close to Westport in Pulau Indah. It is also just one of the few maritime gateways into the country and welcomes international cruise liners as well as navy ships visiting..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Riding on the new wave of cruise tourism in the region since Malaysians are just beginning to learn how fun it is to cruise, Boustead Cruise Centre has also started a small arts and crafts gallery to introduce our local arts and crafts to tourists from the cruise ships to know more about our arts and crafts as well as to help some of our locals promote their products. Among these shops are QueenL’s Crafts and also an Indian stall selling pretty handmade tassel earrings and also offering mehndi designs…

Our little Kembara Kraf Selangor 2017 was definitely thrilling and exciting as well got some hands on lessons as well as learn more about new products in the market which are pretty much unique in their own way…

Thank you to Gaya Travel magazine & Selangor State Planning Unit (Tourism Sectorial) /UPEN Selangor for the amazing opportunity..