Life in Saudi Arabia could be boring for some housewives. But Julia Xu, a Chinese housewife whose husband works with Saudi Aramco as a geophysicist, discovered a rewarding task that has made her life enjoyable and worthwhile. “Since I came to the Kingdom, I have found the transition from an educated, working woman to a housewife difficult. I searched for something that would make my life more meaningful; then I discovered that making stocking flowers is one of them,” Julia said. “Stocking flowers can bring more beauty to people's lives, especially in the desert where there are few fresh flowers. Making flowers that brings joy to others makes me happy and fulfills me,” she said. Julia and her husband have been here in the Kingdom for four years. She came to know the art of flower-making when the Xus visited China two years ago. “I found the silk flowers stunning. I bought a beginner's package and learned the basic skills from the book. Since then my days were occupied making more flowers,” she said. Friends have expressed delight and appreciation for Julia's flower creations. They say the flowers are beautiful and very creative. Julia said the basic materials in her flower-making venture are stockings. That is why, she said, they are also called stocking flowers. The materials are shipped from China. When she started the flower-making as a hobby two years ago, she had difficulties sourcing for the materials. Recently, she found a lot of sources on the Internet. She also experiments with a variety of designs and techniques. “The nylon silk is dyed in the factory. But sometimes those colors need to be adjusted or tweaked, so I would paint them by hand.” The beauty and fine craftsmanship of Julia's flowers has spread within the community. She is now selling her flower creations at craft shows and other events within the Saudi Aramco camps to compensate the costs of the materials. Last month, she participated in the Aramco-Dhahran Women's Group Mall Day Exhibit. She is also taking orders now. Julia is considering holding her own flower exhibition. “I have a lot of ideas in my mind which need time to work on,” she said. Julia is now very much occupied with two things: making stocking flowers, and teaching the Chinese language in the Saudi Aramco camp, another of her talent.
