Stamping Project 1: Card using stamps!

Aah! The amazing feeling of trying something new for the first time.

My sister asked me a couple of days back to make a card for her brother-in-law Anant who is one of the sweetest guys I have ever met! He is a wonderful person. And I really loved making a card for him.

Now this was an opportunity for me to try my hand on something new which I have never tried before. Luckily, right that time I happened to see this challenge on Indian Craft Room Challenge and it inspired me to try making a CAS card. (For people like me who are not aware what CAS means, it means Clean-And-Simple a.k.a CAS)

So this is what I came up with. A CAS card using my brand new clear stamps from Itsy Bitsy. I had these stamps for some time now but yet did not get a chance to use them.

My sister Saumya absolutely loved this card and used the entire inside space to write a lovely message for Anant, wishing him luck with his new journey into the professional world!

I am a new member in ICR and this is my very first entry in it's challenge.

Cheers!

Quilling Project 11: 1st Wedding Anniversary Gift

It's been a long time since I was away from my blog. Frequent trips, innumerable train journeys and flights to meet my brother, extended family and my friends kept me busy. And, of course, travelling cross country between regions of drastic weather difference took  toll on my health too which rendered me inactive.

Now I am back and was actually busy since last couple of weeks on a project which my brother and his best buddy Priyadarshi asked me to make as 1st Wedding Anniversary gift for a lovely couple, both of whom happen to be my clients' [;-)] very close friends.

I got the opportunity to meet and know them while I was visiting my brother. They were there too, to visit him and rest of their band of friends. They both are amazing, fun-loving, talented and super awesome people! I had a gala time with them. So when my brother and his best buddy asked me to make something for the couple as their wedding anniversary gift, I couldn't help but agree to it.

Now it was easy choice to make something for them with paper quilling because it was their 1st ANNIVERSARY GIFT and the element representing 1st anniversary is PAPER!!! So I decided to make a quilling project with their names.

It still needs to be framed but apart from that it is complete.

I have used the technique of "Negative spacing" to highlight the names.

My fetish for Paisley is quite evident in this art! I just love paisley. It's unique shape, somehow, mesmerizes me a lot. Although I could never fathom the reason why.

I wanted the artwork to have a henna-like design so chose paisley, a prominent and frequently-used shape in henna. 

The size of the artwork is just a little bigger than A3 size. 

The choice of colours in this artwork represents how vibrant and lovely the couple is. Both unique individuals, with their own identities, who make a beautiful couple, complementing each other.

I hope they like the present!

I am entering it in IQCG DT call 2016..

Quilled Project 10: Papa's Birthday and Belated Father's Day Gift

My father's b'day gift! His birthday was on 22nd September and I was a little late in preparing this for him since I had my exams till 17th September. So finally I was able to finish it yesterday and presented it to him today!

I wanted to make his gift on the similar lines as my Maa's Mother's Day gift so that both will go with each other (see it here). So decided on quilled typography. I chose the word PAPA as it is supposed to be his Father's Day gift too ( I know, I know I am freakishly late but then I have my surgery and my exams to blame for it)

The BG is same as that on my mom's gift (so that both gifts compliment each other). I chose my Papa's favorite colours to do the quilling. White is his utmost favorite, so decided to do it in white. Apart from white, his favorite colours are Blue and Grey. So used a dash of other two colours so that the whole look doesn't get monotonous (pun intended :-P)

Still need to frame it though....

Entering it in IQCG # 20 - White on White. 

Quilled Project 9: A Photoframe

Quilling Project 8: Mother's Day gift for my Maa

My Maa, my creator, a woman of substance. Only if I could be even 10% of what she is. Her stamina and caliber to perform 24 x 7 in her office as well as at home amazes me. She is a perfect blend of a working woman and a homemaker. The way she has balanced office life and personal life, the way she has always been the perfect daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, mother, aunt and played all the other roles of a woman in a family one can think of, the way she has made a special niche for herself in the world and in the hearts of everyone who knows her, is beyond my comprehension. She taught me the essence of scientific temperament and helped me to be who I am today. Her ceaseless support and encouragement is all that I need.  I can never run short of words to define her but yes, the space would definitely be less to write those words.

On this Mother's Day, I decided to make a gift for her, a unique one and which can symbolize what she means to me. So I decided to make a quilled Mandala.Let me explain you what Mandala is. Mandala (Circle) is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the Universe. 

For me, my Maa (mother) is the the very center of my Universe. My whole world revolves around her. When ever I am ecstatic about anything, I share it with my mother. If I am in doubt, I always turn to her for guidance and when sad, a little motivation and encouragement from her sends my spirits right up again. I have written the name with which I call her (it's written like this ' माँ ' in hindi) in the very center of the Mandala representing my Universe.

The colors that I have used to make the mandala are the primary colors, Red, Blue and Yellow. Any color which you will ever see in the entire universe is made by these primary colors itself. 

Just like my Maa is my creator, the primary colors are the creators of the entire color spectrum of the Universe. And this is what choice of these particular colors in my Mandala symbolizes.

The base of this layout is a 10" x 10" cardboard covered with white, wrinkled hand-made paper. I have made my Mandala so that the base forms a rhombus shape when held straight. 

When me and my bother presented this to my Maa as a gift, she immediately understood the logic that I had used while making it and the choice of colors! Amazing!  Needless to say that she just loved it! 

Now I will soon get it framed and will put it up on the wall of my parent's bedroom. I am already thinking of making something for my Papa which will compliment this artwork and which I will present it to him on Father's Day! 

I am entering this artwork in IQCG # 16 ----- 1, 2, 3 Recipe. To elaborate my artwork according to the challenge, I have made 1 Mandala using 2 shades each of 3 primary colors. (Shades of the quilling strips from inner circle to outer circle are Light Red, Dark Velvet Red, Light Yellow, Bright Yellow, Soft Blue and Ocean Blue)

PS: I won the IQCG # 16 ----- 1,2,3 Recipe! Thanks IQCG team!

Quilling Project 7: For a SHONA baby!

I made this special photo-frame/layout for one of the most adorable baby boy I have ever met. He is the sweetest answer to my very close friend's uncountable prayers. She endured lot of pain, heartache and agony during past couple years because of some misfortunes but her patience was rewarded with such a beautiful blessing, her baby boy!!!

This is what I had made as a gift for the new Mom when I was going to meet her baby boy for the first time. I wanted to remind her that God has perfect timing; never early, never late. It takes a little patience and a lot of faith. But it's always "WORTH THE WAIT". I chose all the elements related to her newly born baby and to welcome her in the realm of motherhood.

The picture I chose to use in this photo-frame/layout was the first picture she had sent to me of her boy. He is just a couple of hours old in this picture. Although he is already three months old when I first met him a few days ago, but judging by comparison of this first pic of his and our first tête-à-tête', he is quickly growing up to be a handsome boy! Mashallah! He is as cute as a button, so I have used buttons in my creation to signify this! I have used bunting to signify the celebration of my friend's first step into motherhood. Two little hearts signify the love and affection of the little baby's mom and dad. And of course, there are a lot of baby related items like pram, bib, pacifier, feeding bottle, rattler, nappy pin and his two little, tiny feet!!!!

Here is a close-up of some elements. Little white patches that you see in the picture below is still-wet glue which had later vanished when it dried.

I added a little stand at the back so that this photo-frame/layout could stand on it's own.

My friend and her hubby were so thrilled to receive this gift! May Allah always shower his choicest blessing on them and may the baby and parents be always happy and healthy! Ameen.

Entering this creation in Try It On Tuesday's New Beginnings challenge and in Create Something Catchy's Anything Goes challenge.

Quilling Project 6: Birthday gift for my chaddi buddy Niharika

It was my chaddi buddy Niharika's birthday this month. She is not only my friend but also one of the biggest patrons of my creativity. She has always supported me, encouraged me and pushed me to indulge more and more in various art forms. She is the one who gave me the most memorable birthday gift this year, a huge, colossal stock of crafting supplies!!! 

I wanted to gift her something special too. Something she might cherish all her life while at the same time will show my gratitude for everything she has done for me. So I decided to make a jewellery box for her in shape of a birthday cake!

I made it entirely out of handmade paper using cardboard only as the cake base. The walls of the box and the cover is made of only handmade paper. I have used the kind of handmade paper which she had introduced me to (click here to know the story), the quilling strips and paper doily are from the stock which she gave me on my birthday.

A lot of elements of this box were inspired by Lulupu's March 2015 moodboard:

The soft pastel colors of my box were inspired from pastel colors of the french macarons, wreath and the pic of the photoframe.

The flowers on my box were inspired by the flowers in the vase.

The idea of making a "Birthday Cake" shape of the box and the quillography on my box were inspired by the Happy Birthday sentiment in the mood board. Of course, there are no birthday celebrations without a birthday cake.

The idea of doing the number 31 in white color was inspired by the digit 3 in the moodboard.

There are a number of ways in which I have included number "3":

  1. Luckily it was Niharika's 31st birthday so no. 3 itself was included.

  2. I have used only 3 colors, blue, white and pink.

  3. I have made 3 sets of 3 flowers each. 

I am entering it in IQCG # 14 - Box It Up! I am also entering this creation in Lulupu's 3rd Birthday special challenge to celebrate her birthday and to honor her patronage of my creativity! WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL! Wishing happy birthday to Lulupu too! May both of you celebrate many more birthdays in future and have lots of success!!!

PS: This creation of mine is chosen to be one of the toppers in IQCG # 14 - Box It Up!