All posts tagged: DIY

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Creator of ‘Soulspeaksbloom’ Nagaland – Vikhozonu Natso, Explains Why She’s Reviving the Art of Handcrafted Flowers

Published by Menule Chirhah

Interview by Menule “Flowers never fail to bring happiness and calmness to people, and I think we can all use more of that in our lives. So I want to bring flowers to more people… flowers in all forms.” Vikhozonu Natso from Nagalandquips with excitement and hope as we sit down to chat about her newly launched brand ‘Soulspeaksbloom’ – a hobby venture, through which she hopes to revive the age-old craft of making artificial flowers – and bring these handcrafted blooms from the DIY table to your living rooms! Just like how a fresh flower can gladden your heart with its fragrance, Soulspeaksbloom’s handcrafted blooms have this unique power to fill you up with a nostalgic whiff of childhood memories and pure joy – of making your very first flower with colored crepe papers during SUPW classes in school! In an age where the art of artificial flower-making is almost forgotten, Vikhozonu Natso from Nagaland –  a lover of crafts and DIY is bringing this familiar, yet almost-forgotten hobby back to trend. Over a …

#FACES | A Farmer Taking Shelter from the Rain Under a Bamboo Umbrella – By Shweta Gupta

Published by Samyama

“I’m Shweta Gupta, a photographer from Bihar. I was on my way to Jyotirling Mandir, Bhimashankar (Maharashtra) with my friends when we stopped by a paddy field to just observe people and take in the scenery. This particular farmer walked by in the rain with this ‘chatri’ (umbrella) made of bamboo and tarp, and it felt like a moment worth capturing! I was intrigued and went up to say hi. He asked me about why I was taking photos, to which I answered, ‘Everyone should see you and your lifestyle’. He smiled and posed for the photograph. We had a brief chat and he told me he was headed home. I was fascinated with this particular form of an umbrella because usually, in most parts of India, we see burlap sacks but this was different. It turned out to be a great photo!” ~Shweta Gupta from Bihar See some more of her photos on her Instagram!

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Hand Embroidery Artist, Akali Swu From Nagaland, Talks About Her Venture ‘Li-Mheghi’

Published by Shanmi

Hand embroidery, an ancient art form, is practiced by a handful of artists today. Akali Swu from Nagaland is one of the few artists who continue to work with needle and thread to create beautiful pieces. It all began in 2017 as a hobby and after receiving positive feedback, the orders began to flow in. Hence, “Li-Mheghi” came into form and since then, she has been running this venture single-handedly.  We had a quick chat with Akali Swu, an entrepreneur from Nagaland to talk about her venture, “Li-Mheghi” which deals in DIY seasonal gift items, hand embroidery pieces, etc. Hi Akali, please introduce a little about yourself. Hello! I am Akali Swu, a resident of Kohima, Nagaland and I am an entrepreneur who deals with DIY seasonal gift baskets. I run a small business called, “Li-Mheghi” where I take custom orders to embroider. Li-Mheghi in Sumi dialect means “A girl’s treasure”. What inspired to start your venture, “Li-Mheghi”? I started my venture ‘Li-Mheghi’ in the year 2017. Initially, it was just a hobby where I …

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“Being a Huge Fan of Harry Potter, I Started Making Magic Wands to Add to my Collection – and That’s How It All Began” – Potterhead Megha Thapa from Darjeeling Talks About Her Venture “Wands by Meghamax”

Published by Shanmi

Raise your hand if you are a Potterhead! We have one right here with us, Megha Thapa from Kurseong in Darjeeling. Growing up, she was a big fan of Harry Potter, and she started collecting every series – which later extended to collecting merchandise. During this phase of trying to collect everything Harry Potter, she started making those magic wands. Turns out, she was pretty good at it, that her wands looked pretty much the same as the ones she saw in the movies – that she and her Potterhead friends began adding her wands to their Harry Potter collections. Today she runs a venture called “Wands by Meghamax” where she even makes personalised wands for her clients. Today we have Megha with us to share more more about her hobby, her venture and how the money she makes is helping her pursue her dream of becoming a professional photographer. . Let’s find out more about her! We had a chat with Megha Thapa from Kurseong, West Bengal. She talk to us about her venture, …

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“Making Handmade Crafts Can Be Very Therapeutic” – Founders of ‘Dream Craft’, Stephanie and Embhah From Shillong Chats with R&L

Published by Shanmi

Isn’t it wonderful to be surrounded by crafty people who make their surrounding world a little more intriguing with magnificent handiworks? And how lucky are we have so many people joining this passion filled hobby! In earlier days, making handmade crafts used to be an activity to engage in during their free time.But with time, it has become even more valued as these hobbies help you relax and destress, while also creating many unique opportunities to earn a living! Today, we have Embhahlang N Mawlong, creative head of “Dream Craft” and his wife Stephanie P Basaiawmoit, who is an assistant professor by profession while also helping her husband whenever she is free!  “Dream Craft” is a design and craft business which specializes in all sorts of paper crafts such as – invitations (wedding, birthdays, other events), notebooks, custom made boxes, cake toppers, wedding service books, return favour boxes and packages, décor props, etc. Each products are made with utmost love and care. Let’s find out more! We had a chat with Stephanie P Basaiawmoit and …

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Praveen Khwairakpam | 23 Year Old Medical Student and Paper Craft Artist

Published by Shiori Chan

Praveen Khwairakpam from Manipur is a 23 year old medical student at Sikkim Manipal University. About a year ago, this student-doctor discovered his talent and passion for paper art. He says, “Paper is a beautiful medium to work with. It is delicate and comes in various distinct shades. The most interesting thing about working with it is how versatile it can be – you can fold it, roll it, layer it and let it flow to suit your design!”  A doctor in the making or an artist? How do you identify yourself? Tell us something about this dual personality you balance.  It’s a bit of both. I grew up in Imphal, Manipur and attended a boarding school in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh. That is where I figured my passion for art. It started with painting. Then, I moved to Delhi for my higher secondary education and my passion for painting and art continued there. Then I enrolled at the Sikkim Manipal Student, Gangtok and that is when my curiosity and creativity for paper art started. So …