All posts tagged: Handmade

Kavya Madappa from Bangalore, an Eco-warrior Creating Tree-free Paper at Bluecat paper

Published by Samyama

Kavya Madappa is from a hill station in Karnataka, Coorg. Growing up, she was always surrounded with nature – hills, rivers and fresh air. Her love for nature has inspired many of her ideas and revelations, one of them being Bluecat Paper – a venture that makes and sells tree-less paper. It uses various by-products and textile wastes like linen, flax, hemp, coffee husk, mulberry bark, and banana fiber to make creative products like notebooks, coasters and more.  With over 650 products, a few installations and an exhibition in Dubai, she has become an eco-warrior! We were amazed to know about her venture and how she is giving her best to make the world a better place! Scroll down to read our chat with her.  Hey Kavya, thank you for taking some time out to chat with us. Please introduce yourself to our readers!  Hi! My name is Kavya Madappa, I’m 41-year-old. I live in Bangalore even though I am originally from Coorg, Karnataka. My hometown is known as the Scotland of India, with green …

Making Soaps Look Like Desserts ⁠— Meet the Owner of The Sass Bar, Rishika Nayak From Mumbai

Published by Samyama

Rishika was never one to settle on a conventional job. She knew that she wanted to create something of her own, something different yet a reflection of her personality. And then inspiration hit! Meet Rishika Nayak, a creative soap-maker from Mumbai. She is the owner of The Sass Bar which makes dessert-looking soaps — yes, soaps that look like cupcakes, pastries and everything sweet! Even though you can’t eat it, the soaps are truly a dessert for the skin, as they are made with organic ingredients. Her soaps are unlike anything we’ve seen so far and it was a great fun getting to know her and her brand. Read our chat with Rishika on our blog. Tap on the link in bio or below.  Hello Rishika! Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi! I am Rishika Nayak from Mumbai. I’m the owner of Sass Bar – a company that makes handcrafted dessert-looking soaps made from raw ingredients. I I began experimenting with soap making when I was 19, which inspired me to take up …

This 23-Year-Old Veterinarian Makes Handmade Soaps That are Actually Life Changing | Meet Lavanya Sophie, Founder of ‘Elixir Soaperie’

Published by Nara Longkumer

The thing about anything handmade is that every item is made with so much care and is full of love. Bonus if they make your life a little better too. Today we have a creator who makes great handmade soaps. We got introduced through a friend, who couldn’t stop raving about her soaps. We also found out that she is a veterinarian graduate, and currently a master’s student, who also runs her popular soap business ‘Elixir Soaperie’ on the side. Let’s find out more about her and her handmade goodies. Meet 23-year-old Lavanya Sophie from Pondicherry, founder and creator of ‘Elixir Soaperie’, which is a range of handmade soaps, scrubs, eye gels and other beauty products that work wonders. She makes everything from scratch and even adds fragrances and essential oils as per specific preferences. She chats with R&L about her entrepreneurial journey and her handmade soaps. Hi Lavanya. Tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to? My name is Lavanya… Well, technically Dr. Lavanya. I’m a 23-year-old veterinarian graduate and am pursuing …

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This 21-Year-Old Student from Nagaland Makes Precious Feel-Good Handmade Cards | Meet Viketuno of “Yours Craftfully”

Published by Rachel Thong

Making a career out of what you love doing is exactly what Viketuno, a young artist from Kohima, Nagaland has done with ‘Yours Craftfully’. With her brand of cute handmade crafts, we can see the passion she puts into every piece she creates. More importantly, her cards remind us of our school days where we used to pour our hearts and hours into making handmade cards for every occassion. From bookmarks to cards, every one of her creations has her signature doodle on them, which gives it a cute and customised personal touch. Today, we feature Viketuno of ‘Yours Craftfully’ as she talks about what sparked her interest and what influences her. We chat with Viketuno, a 21-year-old student from Nagaland, who also runs her arts and crafts venture called “Yours Craftfully” She talks about her passion for art, Doodling, and handmade crafts. Hello Vike, please introduce yourself. Hi, My name is Viketuno Sanyü. I am 21 years old from Kohima and am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in English language. I make handmade cards and other craft items and showcase/sell …

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“My Art Helps Me Explore the Unventured Territories” Meet the Miniaturist Shirali Patel from Ahmedabad

Published by Asmita Das

Miniature is a thing that is much smaller than normal, especially a small replica of a particular thing. Introducing the Miniature Artist Shirali Patel from Ahmedabad, who is amazingly fascinated and bitten by the miniature art bug, since she was a child. A self-taught and a self-mastered artist, Shirali shares her story with Roots and Leisure on how the culture of India has become her inspiration towards the creation of her artwork Small Idea.   Share a little details about yourself and what you have been up to? Hi I’m Shirali, a Bio-Chemist turned Fashion Designer turned Miniaturist. After working for over a decade in Retail Industry, I left my corporate job and pursued my passion for creating miniature. I am a self-taught and I have mastered this art after many years of mistakes and experimentation. “It’s been 8 years now that I’m sculpting miniatures and my quirky little utility and collectable products bring smile on many faces.” What initially sparked your interest in this field? I just love miniatures. Miniatures fascinated me as a child …

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A Chat With A Designer Cake Artist of Culinart – Shwethaprajwala from Bangalore

Published by Asmita Das

They say, “If you have creativity in you and haven’t realized it yet, no matter wherever you are, whatever you are doing, creativity is bound to hit you.” Being a Commerce student and an MBA in Human Resources, she found her calling for baking cakes with utmost creativity and love after experimenting on being a Graphic Designer. Today, we got a chance to strike up a conversation with a Designer Cake Artist Shwethaprajwala from Bangalore who shares on how she got hooked onto baking fondant cakes with her Designer Cake Boutique – Culinart. Hey Shwetha, share a brief about yourself I’m Swethaprajwala, the Chief Designer of Culinart. Like most modern Indian women wear many hats, I’m a proud Bengalurean, a Homemaker and a Cake Artist working out of home. Tell us about your venture – Culinart. What’s so special about it? Culinart is a Designer Cake Boutique, started in 2012, specializing in creating designer cakes. Our cakes are usually ordered for special ceremonies, occasions for family, friends and significant others.  My creations are homemade, customized, and based …

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A Beady Conversation With Uma – The Creator of Hol-O-Beads

Published by Asmita Das

Ever thought how the jewelry made of beads are created? Ever thought of making them? Today, we introduce Uma Vaijnath – the Creator and Founder of Hol-O-Beads (@holo.bead) who shares her story on how she got hooked onto making wired jewelry. Her creative jewelry work on beads, threads and wires are something to look at. Here’s a quick conversation with Uma on how one trip inspired her to get into beading. Share a little details about yourself and what you have been up to? I’m Uma Vaijnath, Ex-Software Professional. Now I have turned to a Happy Homemaker since 2005 after my daughter Abha’s birth. What initially sparked your interest in this field? A visit to Dakshinachitra in May 2012. The trip literally sparked the interest in trying magazine paper jewelry and thread jewelry. At one of their stalls, a shop keeper showed how to do a thread jewelry, which I could easily do and the same person backed off to show a macrame based bracelet. “I bought that bracelet for Rs 40/- and took up …

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Sewing Art onto Fabric | Meet Shivani from Darjeeling

Published by Shiori Chan

Shivani Rai from Darjeeling, West Bengal is a fabric artist who sews, swoons, and sells personalised artwork online, making sure that she weaves quality into her products, giving her customers the satisfaction of creating exclusive and unique gifts. Are you one of those people who find it hard to buy the perfect gift for someone else? Or, are you looking for quirky, customised artefacts to personalise your office bay or that lonely corner in your home? Well, we have a solution for your problems – the adorable Shivani Rai, who weaves charm, insight, and love into all her creations. At Roots and Leisure, we are forever on the lookout for ‘unique’. So, when we had the chance to talk to this amazingly talented artist, we definitely weren’t going to pass it up! Read on for the interview below… Photo | Shivani Tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Shivani Rai. I’m from Darjeeling, India and am currently based in Delhi. I make fabric art and sell it via my Instagram page – …

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Lady Behind ChanChalee’s Embroidered Crafts | Natchalee Kongcharoen from Thailand

Published by Pooja Ghose

Our foray into discovering Thai entrepreneurs never ceases to amaze us. From innovative cafe owners to passionate bakers, and even baristas making a big difference in their local communities, we have just scratched the surface. Every new story tells us something more about the Thai brand of resilience and patience. Today, we bring a new face into the mix. Meet designer Natchalee Kongcharoen, who is the founder and designer of ChanChalee. What is ChanChalee all about? ChanChalee was founded in 2016 as a clothing store.  At present, I am a graphic designer by profession. My work on ChanChalee works as a secondary source of income. But it’s my primary source of inspiration in life. I am also inspired by natural fiber fabrics. Most of my design ideas come from just touching the natural fabric and thinking about the kind of embroidery that will look the prettiest on it. It also feels good to adopt a clothing material that has been manufactured in an environmentally conscious way. “I am also inspired by natural fiber fabrics. Most …