ALL sisters fight while growing up, but some sisters fight more than others. Roma and Maan Agsalud did ? and still do. But in many ways, they have transformed their sibling rivalry into an art form ? literally.

?We used to fight a LOT ? and even until now,? says Roma, 26. ?We?re like Tom and Jerry,? adds Maan, 25. ?We couldn?t stand each other but we didn?t have a choice in the matter since we?re siblings, so we learned to live happily in constant chaos.?

What they also had in common was a knack for crafts. The sisters are the minds and hands behind Popjunklove, their home-based ?upcycling? craft business, churning out beautiful handmade art jewelry, among other yard sale treasures.

Roma, a field reporter for Radio Philippines Network, and Maan, a copywriter for Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, started it all out of that most basic of reasons ? hard cash. Living with their parents, businesspeople Manuel Roy and Marietta Agsalud, and five other siblings, the sisters wanted to help out.

?What we had a lot of were ideas and our love for crafts, so we decided to invest in that,? Maan recalls. Starting with just P5,000 as capital, the two prowled Divisoria for items they could use to decorate shirts they?ve been selling through their Multiply account.

?Our line of embellished shirts was born simply because we couldn?t afford to pay for printing,? Roma explains. ?We made embellished pins out of tape measures and all the funky accessories we could find. We pinned them on the shirt and voila ? Embellished Tees, the very first product of Popjunklove.? The need to expand their quirky product line brought in everything from journals to pillows, all ?repurposed? from other items.

?It wasn?t a talent or anything,? Roma goes on. ?It?s a skill we had to learn. We didn?t enroll in any seminars or classes, though. Everything was self-taught. Through trial and error, we eventually got the hang of it.?

What they also got the hang of was infusing personality in their unique items, such as their Scrabble-inspired pillows, Lego doodads and their Have Not Monsters. ?People are drawn to them because they?re not your typical stuffed toys,? Maan explains. ?The Monsters are in dire need of a loving home and you can help by adopting one. Unlike the usual cute dolls, these plushies have been rejected by the Cuddly Society.? It is that affinity for the atypical, that spark for the unusual and unlikely that makes Popjunklove?s merchandise so popular.

Maan says that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to raw materials: ?For us, nothing is ever too old to be considered useless. Instead of recycling, we want to think of it as ?upcycling? materials, turning old and seemingly useless supplies into new materials with a different value and purpose. It?s a creative and fun way of being earth-friendly.?

It all goes back to the time when Popjunklove was born, when Roma and Maan Agsalud first made up their name. ?It may be cliché but other people?s junk are our very own treasures,? Maan explains. ?We unearth old toys and forgotten trinkets and we use them in a new way. By mixing the old and the new, we create something that?s different, something quirky, something that will stand out from the rest. And when we do, we feel like we breathe new life into these things. We give it a new meaning, a fresh start. And these old toys you?ve grown to love, well, you end up loving them more.?

The rest of Popjunklove?s operations are done a little bit differently as well. Pushing the majority of their sales online enables the sisters to cut down on their overhead; bazaars are seasonal exercises for them as well. Along the way, Popjunklove has become a paragon of the local Do It Yourself or DIY movement, gaining a deserved reputation for well-made items chockfull of charm and character.

?Not everyone can appreciate our items,? Roma says. ?But what I?m sure of is that there?s always one in each family who can.? In particular, teenagers who love the same bright colors that the Agsaluds love make up their market. ?So while we don?t really dress as extreme as our clientele, we understand the attraction they have for colors and other unique old-school items,? Roma says.

From a sister-project, Popjunklove has expanded into quite a family business. ?It helps that we have extra hands around the house,? Maan says. ?My parents and siblings readily jump in to help us out in whatever way they can.?

Now they?re headed for more rarefied territory. ?This year, we are making things official,? Maan announces. ?Yes, we are finally going to register the business and get our brand name trademarked. It?s quite an exciting step for us. Aside from that, well, we?ll still continue to develop new items and expand our line.? Roma admits they?re also dreaming of eventually opening up a mall outlet.

All this planning and doing is energized by the push and pull of the Agsalud sisters? energy. Roma, a political science graduate from the University of the Philippines who is working on her masters in media studies, and Maan, a communication grad from Ateneo, never sit still.

?My sister and I are always up to something,? Maan says. The sisters even find time to throw a Frisbee around. Maan says Roma is the more organized one, while Roma says Maan is the moody one. ?She may hit me for this but I really think I am the one with a sunny personality in the family,? Roma laughs.

Their vibe remains as combative and productive as ever. ?My sister?s very creative and she?s the soul of Popjunklove,? Roma says.

?Anyone would be very lucky to have her as a business partner. We may quarrel a lot but that?s quite usual. Even if we didn?t have a business, we?d still be quarreling ? so might as well work while fighting, right?? Maan says of the shared passion that keeps them going. ?I don?t think I can do this business by myself. I would have gone crazy by now if she?s not around to keep me sane, even if sometimes she?s the one who?s driving me crazy. It?s not everyday you find a business partner whom you can borrow clothes from,? she says with a laugh. ?

For more information, visit popjunklove.multiply.com.