Crafter In The Spotlight 4 - Itsy Bitsy

Hello friends!! Itsy Bitsy brings you "CRAFTER IN THE SPOTLIGHT" – a unique way of encouraging and appreciating the talented crafters. We recognize talented crafters week after week, turn the spotlight on them & feature them in our "CRAFTER IN THE SPOTLIGHT"! We love what you talented crafters create & are amazed at each of your unique creations every single day! We love the way you use Itsy Bitsy products & give life to those products.

We are very excited to announce this week’s “CRAFTER IN THE SPOTLIGHT”  - June 2016 – VAISHALI KHANDWALA KAJI !

An Architect & a freelance Interior designer, she loves to decoupage & teach craft ! This extremely talented crafter wants to use her crafting skills to design customized, co-ordinated home accessories! Her journey into crafting started in Singapore where she had to teach craft to Children & this is an experiences she cherishes in life! Her creations are utility based & feature fabulous textures !  Playing with materials, textures & forms comes naturally to this Architect !She has been an active participant in Itsy Bitsy Crafters Café & we wish her loads of success on this creative journey of hers & would love to see many more creations from her in the future.
Congratulations Vaishali!!

Here are excerpts of my interview with Vaishali

Rashmi Closepet, MD, Itsy Bitsy : Tell us a bit about yourself, your background? Where are you originally from?

Vaishali Khandwala : Hello Rashmi, team Itsy Bitsy and everyone, to whom, I am connecting through this spotlight. Thank you for appreciating my work. I am an architect by profession and have been a freelance interior designer.  I am currently staying in my home city Mumbai. Happy to be a mother of a lovely daughter and a crafter at heart.

RC : How did you get into crafting?

VK : Marriage  and motherhood are the 2 M’s that bring change in every girl’s life . This changing course of life, paused my interior work, however was keen to creatively occupy myself. We moved places and each place had something new and exciting to offer. I was in Singapore then and decided to teach craft to children. It was fulfilling to see children enjoy the craft time and especially my daughter, who would come up with her own innovative creations. Crafting in a different country was a great experience….different thoughts, set ups, and amazing craft supplies. It all added to my knowledge and ideas. Soon we moved to Bangalore, and it was here that I got introduced to the crafting fraternity in India. A creative world much, much bigger than I thought to be. This time, I moved a step ahead, from crafting for children to making hand crafted products. Gradually, I got to know about supplies, I had not heard of before….new techniques, new mediums and so much to explore, experiment and craft. My love for crafting got a new direction and the journey continues.

RC : What is your favourite type of craft?

VK : I enjoy decoupage, as with this technique I can create utility and home décor products, at the same time it helps me up cycle treasured objects. It’s not easy to find customized, co-ordinated home accessories and that’s what I intend to cater to. I also love making beautiful, personalized decoupaged gifts for various occasions.

I have got opportunities to work on some scrapbooks and have had happy experiences. Coming to mix media, it makes me feel like an artist and reminds me of my interior projects.  Playing with materials, textures and forms comes naturally to me. This art is forgiving and helps adding dimension to the craft. My crafting journey started with children. Crafting for their needs and teaching them craft are the most fulfilling moments for me. It’s like connecting with the child in you…working with basic yet interesting craft supplies. Craft table full of colourful, cheerful stuff !!!!

RC : What are your favourite products at Itsy Bitsy?

VK : My favourite products from Itsy Bitsy are the variety of embellishments, flowers, stamps, stencils, pattern papers, texture mediums and blanks for decoupage. However the collection of general and theme art and craft supplies is huge. Amazing products and Diy kits for children. Products that can help bloom their creativity in a great way.

RC : What products from Itsy Bitsy do you think are must have’s for a crafter?

VK : Every crafter must have embellishments and pattern papers from Itsy Bitsy. They are sure to find a unique collection at Itsy Bitsy.

RC : What product would you like to see at Itsy Bitsy?

VK : I would want to see more collection of inks, sprays, mix media mediums and decoupage napkins.

RC : What do you do to make your workplace inspiring?

VK : My workplace needs to be organized and supplies well segregated.  May sound a little different, but I cannot work with a mess around. Craft materials inspire and pave way to my creations. Need not be plenty at a time, but I try to make the best of what I have.

RC : What are your other interests?

VK :  I like to visit new places and watch movies. Spending time, reading creative blogs and  learning something new each day motivate me. I also like to take craft workshops. Being a facilitator opens up new perspectives.

RC : If you had magic powers, what would you want to contribute to the Crafting world ?

VK : Magic powers….I would love to have them and create a space for children where they have the freedom to explore their creativity. Children are immensely talented, they can do wonders. Would like to interact with them and support them. Each child has his/her own creative world and being a small part of it with magic powers would be a dream come true.

RC : What is your most treasured possession in your craft stash?

VK :  I treasure most of my craft supplies. Decoupage napkins and stamps in my stash are dear to me.

RC : How would you describe your style of crafting?

VK : I cannot say that I have one style of crafting. Crafting is journey. Every time, it’s working with different set of base products and supplies, attempting to make something different and better each time. Incorporating new techniques and ideas is the key. A common factor is the style with which I bind forms and elements together.

RC : What do you do when you’re suffering a creative block?

VK : When suffering from creative block, I take a break, go with the flow. That’s soothing enough. I really do not worry much about it. It’s sure not to remain forever.

RC : How do you organize your time for crafting?

VK : I generally prefer to craft, when my daughter is at school. So I make a schedule accordingly, such that I have time for her when she comes back.  In case of something urgent, late night hours have to be put in.

RC : Tips for people who want to craft?

VK : People who want to craft are passionate about it. Use that passion and love for crafting to creating something new. It is satisfying and will take you long. The resources and supplies available today are overwhelming.  Go step wise, figure out what you like, invest wisely and make the most of your talent. Believe in yourself and your work, each one of us can contribute in a special way. So enjoy the journey. Crafting is a form of expression for me. I always say Create, Express, Enjoy !!!!

Here are a couple of Vaishali’s awesome creations :

Many congrats Vaishali for being the CRAFTER IN THE SPOTLIGHT - ITSY BITSY :-) :-)

You will receive Rs 500/- Itsy Bitsy gift voucher :-) :-) & a Crafter in the Spotlight badge, which can be proudly displayed on the side bar of your blog.

Also, visit our Youtube channel to view & to know more about this crafter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy4CbZzBC-4

Looking forward to many more creations, Happy Crafting!