The name leechipear comes from Pearl's Chinese name, 荔琪 (lai6 kei4). 荔, as in 荔枝 (lai6 zi1) or litchi, comes from 茘枝角 (lai6 zi1 gok3), the Hong Kong neighborhood where her parents met for the first time. And 琪 nods to 花旗 (faa1 kei4), a term used to denote America. A reminder of how both her Chinese and American sides have shaped who she is as Pearl.

Growing up, Pearl remembers the proudest compliment from her mom was when she was learning how to make friendship bracelets. Back in the late 2000s as a child with no internet, she frequently visited the library to check out craft books. One book that particularly fascinated her was about friendship bracelets. The first time she tried to learn from the instructions, she couldn't even figure out the first knot. And then, not having learned the knot at all, the book was due back to the library.

A few weeks later, it was put back on the shelf! She checked it out again, and once more had trouble learning from those bare-bone pictures. A third time, the book went back, and Pearl went back to get it. This time, she figured it out!

She began to make them wherever she goes and gifts them to family and friends. In learning this craft, her mom highlighted her tenacity and praised her for not giving up.

As an adult, Pearl hasn't forgotten her love for crafting. She liked Chinese knots because they looked challenging, and she wasn't about to let a piece of string defeat her. Now, with many more resources than just a library book, she's learned everything she can about knots.

Today, she runs @leechipear, where she shares the artistry of knotting. She hopes her lucky charms can bring one good fortune and happiness, and serve as a small reminder to stay positive.