Crafter In The Spotlight 12 - 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.

I am delighted to announce this week’s Crafter In the Spotlight – August 2016 “RUCHI GUPTA”! With a Post graduation in History, a Business Management degree & experience in HR, this experienced crafter started crafting at a very young age! The very versatile Ruchi, who says :) Creativity is in her genes, has tried her hands at Sewing, Knitting, Tatting, Embroidery but her current favourite is Paper Crafting & teaching Craft. :-)

This extremely methodical crafter who doesn’t like any mess, has a meticulous & organised studio, plans her day very well & manages to craft & teach 5-6 hrs every single day! Wow, Way to go Ruchi :-) 

What would Ruchi Gupta do if she had magical powers? To know more about her very interesting journey & her favourite all time quote, please read her very interesting interview. CONGRATULATIONS Ruchi Gupta ! Wishing you loads of success on your creative Journey!

Here are excerpts of my interview with Ruchi:

Rashmi Closepet, MD, Itsy Bitsy : Tell us a bit about yourself & your background?

Ruchi Gupta : I am 49 yrs old. I am a postgraduate in history from Delhi University (graduation from St. Stephens College) and also have a Business management degree. I have seven yrs industry experience as HR manager. All this took a backseat when I got married and household responsibilities demanded my time and energy. I presently reside in Delhi but belong to UP, although all my life, I have lived at various places all over India and for a short period of time was abroad and travelled to Latin America, Caribbean and America. I am mother to two lovely boys now in their senior school. 

RC: How did you get into crafting?

RG: Creativity has been passed on to me through my genes as my mother is very creative person and was always doing something with her hands. She is an avid crocheter and always encouraged myself and my twin sister to learn new skills in our summer break. My crafting journey began at a young age of 14-15 as I started learning and participating in activities related to paper craft, sewing, knitting, tatting, embroidery and anything new that caught my fancy.

RC: What is your favourite type of craft?

RG: My favorite medium and type of craft is paper craft. I love to make flowers with crepe paper and decorations for family weddings are always my responsibility. I also love making mixed media canvases, decoupage and making art journals. 

RC: What are your favourite products at Itsy Bitsy?

RG: My favorite products to buy at Itsy Bitsy are always all the variety of papers and the special papers you introduce .Like to use more of the handmade papers rather than paper stacks. Also Mont Marte products like texture paste, gesso and brushes are always on my list. 

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

RG: Must haves from your stores are again papers, felt sheets, art supplies and silicon glue.

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

RG: Would like to see more of cutting dies. 

RC: You draw inspiration from?

RG: I draw my inspiration from nature and I am particularly drawn to the colors of flowers. Most of my works usually feature flowers or elements from nature. 

RC: What are your other interests?

RG: Crafting is all encompassing and I devote around 5-6 hrs daily for it. But I love to socialize and make friends and love to read. 

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

RG: If I had magic powers, I would love to transform all waste articles into things of beauty and create a society where skills of your hands and appreciation of arts are taught to everyone. 

RC: Your prized possession in your craft stash?

RG: My prized possession in my stash has to be my satin papers from your store which I conserve and use in very special projects.

RC: How would you describe your style of crafting?

RG: My style of crafting is very methodical and neat. Crisp lines and bold colors are something which I try to include in my work. I try and master any new technique that I come across before moving to a new one. 

RC: How do you organize your time for crafting?

RG: I have my own roof top studio. I usually finish household duties by 11am and very day spent good 4-5hrs in my studio crafting/teaching.

  

RC: Tips for people who want to craft?

RG: My tip to all crafters and beginners is to not overthink and just begin creating start. The more work you do, the more ideas you get .Also with each attempt you learn from your mistakes and the next project turns out better. You do not need lot of supplies, you do not need space but just a passion to create will carry you through.

RC: Your all -time favourite quote?

RG: Quote I like : creativity takes courage.

One of my mantras in life is to learn a new skill each year. So I have diligently learned for past 25 yrs and continue to enhance my skill set even now. There is no limit to learning and age is just a number to me.

Here are a couple of Ruchi's awesome creations :

Many congrats Ruchi 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 and other platforms.

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

Looking forward to many more creations, Happy Crafting!