W I N T E R

By Divya Agrawal

Winter is a time for enjoying many a activity afresh - walks in the lovely afternoon sun, admiring nature's colors and variety, cosying up in woolens and many more. 

Mumbai is colder than usual this season. I am wrapped up in a light sweater and feeling very inspired - by the small excursions I have been able to go on, the new things I've seen and by the general sense of cool cosyness at home.

A perfect time to share 'winter ideas' with our readers - a selection of products that say warmth and winter!

Colors acquire a new meaning in this season. Brightness appeals, be it of the sun or in the surroundings. Poppies are one of my favorite flowers - these hand felted slippers with bright red poppies and the printed merino wool scarf are truly a winter luxury.

Images (Etsy): 1. sudarium; 2. anitaivancenko; 3. Crafticum; 4. AureliaFeltStudio

Cold calls for warmth and when is a better day to enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate with frosted cookies?!

Images (Etsy): 1. JuliaSmithCeramics; 2. OldTimeFavorites; 3. FreshPottery;  4. PrintableWisdom;

Mumbai is close to strawberry land, and one big aspect of winter for our family is strawberries :) Bake with them, add cream or simply eat them fresh. Better still, Wear them!

Images (Etsy): 1. ManyMornings; 2. CosyFabric; 3. francesfoxvintage

 Many reminders that winter is here - penguin paper clips and snow squirrel printed tote bag, a crocheted Christmas tree bookmark, a woollen kilim cushion and candles..

Images (Etsy): 1. HoweCute4You; 2. ChezGermaineCaillou; 3. rugold; 4. DecoDvorik, 5. Draiguna;

Nature is poetry in winter as snow shines on thistles and shrubs.

 Volcanic ash freezes in this iceberg to form patterns - so amazing!

Images (Etsy): 1. TheForestsEdgePhotos; 2. EyePoetryPhotography; 3. FotoartbyMarky

 Cardinals are the nature's bright spot in white winters. A collection of prints celebrating this beauty.

Images (Etsy): 1. strawberryluna; 2. GailWatkinsFineArts; 3. bmarinacci

Fairytales often speak about the clever red fox up to some tricks in a snowy winter. I personally love the orange colored animated depictions of this lovable animal. 

How about having her for company on a winter day - on your woolens and stationary?!

Image (Etsy) : 1. PeddlingPanda; 2. MelimeBabyArt; 3. Tuttolv; 4. JahnaVashti

Cosy and warmth immediately associates with babies. My mother pampered me as a kid with umpteen hand knitted, beautifully patterned sweaters and caps. Indeed, nothing matches the warmth of a hand knitted woolie..

Images (Etsy): WinterWhiteKnits; 2,4. SilverMapleKnits; 3. MerrycatShop; 5. rugold; 6. SrechaHandknits

Images (Etsy): 1. JillyAtlanta; 2. PetiteBellaaa; 3. thepurplehedgehog; 4. SewnNatural

Winter i.e. more indoors i.e. toys :) 

The gnomes are simply adorable. A cleverly designed puzzle - a polar bear family huddling together in the cold..Owls, bunnies - take your pick!

Images (Etsy): 1. HookedoPatterns; 2. PUPURIN; 3. Ecopuzzle; 4. StudioInBudapest; 5. mochimochiland

 More for warmth - jackets, scarves, hoodies and boots. One for your cellphone too ;)

Images (Etsy): 1. MaLieb; 2. AureliaFeltStudio; 3. WoolenClogs; 4. anitaivancenko; 5. WinterWhiteKnits

Some winter landscapes in print. 

I love the minimalism in the prints on extremes - a very poetic depiction of the bareness in a snowy Winter..

Images (Etsy): 1. blancucha; 2. FavoriteStory; 3. evesand

 Let's end here celebrating the spirit of Christmas and all the cheer it brings :)

 

Images (Etsy): 1.  FreshModernFabric; 2. MyKnitCroch; 3. KnockKnockCloset

All Images: Copyright respective Artists, Designers

 

 

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat  ( www.onthedesignboat.com )

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A  G I V E A W A Y

W I T H 

C R E A T I V E   B O X

Text: Hina Nitesh (with inputs from Bhairavi Malkani)

OTDB is pleased to start this new year with a bang! 

On this post is the much awaited giveaway kindly sponsored by Bhairavi Malkani of 'Creative Box'. 

Let's get to know this wonderful lady and her venture before we reveal the goodie that can be yours...

Warli painting on coasters

'Chase your dream, have patience and believe in yourself, don’t give up halfway as the real journey begins only after you have reached the goal.'

This is what Bhairavi has to say to those who want to do something on their own.

Dotillism art butterfly on a purse

Talent can lay hidden deep inside you till its the right moment and then something clicks and it blossoms the way you had never imagined it would...If you think I am being too poetic read Bhairavi's story. She has come a long way for someone who was never interested in arts & crafts. This was till she found herself a part of a campaign creating posters for an environmental cause in college and realized that she wanted to do this her entire life!!! 

Many ways of saying 'peacock'

A short stint of art education at the Nirmala Niketan institute nurtured the creativity and rest as they say is history! Today, Bhairavi has a bag making enterprise, holds art & craft workshops for children and art therapy workshops for adults.

Recycled T-lite holders

Bhairavi took up teaching art & craft during college with focus on best out of waste workshops. These continued post marriage and through her corporate work life too. Three years later she had quit the job and immersed herself full time in the creative pursuits.

Coasters from milk carton

She met a fair trade organization promoting the use of upcycled & organic cloth bags which got her interested in upcycling cloth. She inquired with the local tailors about their fabric waste and fashioned these into utility products.

Handpainted Lotus motif on bag...

The size of the fabric dictates the form it will take to utilize it to the maximum. The embellishment is first in the form of a rough sketch on paper with colour pens. It takes 20 minutes to stitch the basic bag and 2 hours to paint the image. 

Buddha on bag and cushion cover

 Encouragement from family and friends and good response at at flea markets and other events kept Bhairavi busy. Its been 5 years now and she is spreading the word of fashion with a cause.

Contemporary motifs handpainted

Creative Box started out with the urge to give back to nature a little. To share our belief of keeping our culture alive & preserving our nature through art & fashion. Bhairavi wants to take her venture to the next step through helping promote small time artists & entrepreneurs by sharing their work through a social blog dedicated to promoting home based entrepreneurs.

OTDB wishes Bhairavi all the best for her future endeavours.

And now for the much awaited GIVEAWAY...

This beautiful hand painted upcycled clutch can be yours ...yipppeee!!!!

You need to follow three simple steps:

1. Like OTDB

2. Like Creative Box 

3. Leave a comment on our FB page here and tell us what attire would you team up this clutch with? For that little extra you can leave a comment on the blog as well.The most interesting answer wins!

Simple isn't it? The contest runs till 20th January 2016. So hurry and post your ideas here! Keep watching this space for the winner announcement.  

All images: Copyright Creative Box

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

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S I M P L E  &  P L A Y F U L   

by Hina Nitesh

How many times have you sat down for a lecture with a pen and paper to take down notes and ended up with squiggles in the corners? Speaking for me - well  my mind was more on these little pen/pencil drawings than on the (often) boring lectures. In fact, one of my friends even experimented by closing her eyes and let her pencil 'respond' to the tone and tenor of the the lecturer's voice...The things we did in college!!

The lady I am introducing to you has taken 'doodling', as it is known, to another level. On OTDB today is Rachna Raghuram, an artist and a doodler. She is also the owner of the very aptly and cute sounding Doodle Doo. Though not formally trained as an artist, Rachna, has been doodling since her school days. She has a degree in business management and mass communication and even worked in the corporate sector for sometime.

While working a 9 to 5 job, she would doodle after work and on weekends. With her heart set on art, she sent mails to publishers of children's books and got successful when one of them responded. From here, there was no looking back. She gave up the cushy corporate job in favor of her of world of pens, pencil and colors. It was decision that she did not have to repent about. Presently, she works out of her home studio in Mysore and sells beautifully illustrated products through her online site Doodle Doo. She also customizes illustrations for clients as per their needs.

As I sit back and browse through DoodleDoo, there is a smile on my face that refuses to go. On the site you will find some lovely pocket mirrors (that's how it all started), calendars, fridge magnets, laptop sleeves etc. For me what takes the cake is part of a small link for 'portfolio illustrations' in which there are customized invitations.

The forms and lines in Rachna's works are pretty simple. The use of colors accentuate the illustration without overpowering it. I am in love with the way sentiments are portrayed in these illustrations -  playful lines overflowing with emotions. There is a child like quality in her works - a sense of innocence and positive thought process. Humour too is an integral part of her works.

Rachna is, as of now, a one woman army for Doodledoo and enjoys being her own boss. Apart from social media, she exhibits her products at flea markets and craft bazaar which she feels are good for connecting with the customer face to face.

Doodledoo is young venture and we wish Rachna all the success for her future. 

You can browse through her portfolio of works at Doodledoo and visit her Facebook Page

All images: Copyright Doodledoo

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

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T O Y S    t h a t   c o m e   A L I V E

By Divya Agrawal

Children's fiction is alive with stories where toys come to life. They speak, dance and act like living beings. Our featured artist for today, Nadya Sheremet's handcrafted toys are similar - they come very close to being alive. Being somebody who enjoys crafting by hand, I am completely taken in by the beauty and detail in Nadya's creations. 

Nadya creates elaborate sets to photograph these toys. The result is nothing short of stunning.  

Born in Ukraine and living in Russia, Nadya cites forests and mountains as her big love. "Nothing pleases me as much as unity with Nature."

 There are many more aspects of Nadya's work that are eye catching - extravagant hairdos, designer costumes, intricate embroidery and a balanced use of many interesting fabrics.

The clothing is elaborately designed and detailed. I love the blue coat with an over sized collar above, showing off the embroidery design on the dress underneath.

Note the wooden legs and embroidered faces on the pirate pair. Natural antlers - what a lovely addition to this jacket totting reindeer!

  

Nadya's creations also include brooches, stuffed animal toys and other items - all incorporating her sometimes unconventional, always elaborate embroidered designs.

What an impressive confluence of fabrics, embellishment and design! A treat indeed! 

 All images: Copyright Nadya Sheremet

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

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F R O Z E N  

by Hina Nitesh

No, this post is not about the movie but something equally interesting and captivating. How many times have you looked at waves and wondered if they could be put on hold? This week onthedesignboat is Graham Muir. The name might not be familiar to many but a look at his works and you will not forget him, that is a promise.

After teaching hot glass at Sunderland University for 9 years, Graham Muir established his studio in 1999 to make 'beautiful' glass. By his own definition beauty is not that which just attracts a viewer but that which keeps the viewer hooked. And he has surely been able to capture 'beauty' in his sculptures.

Coming back to the frozen wave question that I asked in the beginning -  Graham Muir's sculptures seem to capture that moment in time when that wave is frozen. To me it feels as if the glass waves will continue their motion the moment that split second in time is over. This lends the pieces a sense of delicateness and there is an ethereal quality about them. As the artist himself says, these pieces “convey both the beauty but also the often-frightening power of nature.”

Needless to say Graham Muir's work is not conventional. Departing from traditional handling of glass, Muir has over the years experimented and discovered a style which is unique to him.

Be it the wave sculptures or the scent bottles, they leave you mesmerized and wanting more. The artist has displayed his works are exhibition round the globe and also won many awards which recognize his creative genius.

Leaving you with some of the exquisite pieces from the artist's collection. 

For more details log on his website.

F e s t i v e    T r e a t s

by Divya Agrawal

As we weave through festival season, I relish the changes around. The most pleasant of course being the weather. Mornings are a delight - slight nip in the air often accompanied with a lovely breeze that soaks you up. 

Diwali just went by and the urbanscape turned into a treat of color and light. Lanterns, diyas, flowers and finery was omnipresent. I now look forward to languid afternoons perfect for an outing under the sun, or just lazing around making another something by hand, giving shape to a fleeting inspiration. 

On that note, today we bring to you some gorgeous handmade beauties, perfect to indulge yourself with or share as a gift!

Images (Etsy): 1. leschiwelt; 2. Gingiber; 3. WatermelonCatCompany; 4. persimmonstreet; 5. StudioByTheForest

Handmade spells 'love' to me. The thought, feeling, care and time invested in creating something by hand inherently qualifies it to be that. The turquoise glaze in porcelain birds, deep red of the tulip painted on wood and the undulating forest green of 'looking-like-lilypads' serving platters is enchanting. 

Images (Etsy): 1. DoodleDooz; 2. MountRoyalMint; 3. Geninne; 4. TheAnatolian

Geninne's ink engraved journal covers are a treasure. The strawberry sprout sculpted from polymer clay (check out this store - I absolutely love their offerings) and this lovely green-blue dress would be any child's delight!

Images (Etsy): 1. LiquoriceMoonStudios; 2. MWstudio; 3. maplemist; 4. byloumi; 5. ToinoAbel; 6. KARUBA

Treat yourself or pamper that special woman with something from this selection of exquisite handcrafted jewelry and accessories. The Amber earrings would be a treasured addition to a modernist's collection. 

Freshwater pearls strung on linen cord - oooh! a must have!

Images (Etsy): 1. TheManerovs; 2,5. serpilguneysu; 3. Naryajewelry; 4. SolasJewelry

Filigreed flowers and amethyst - an eye-catching and an 'I want' pairing.

The celtic pendant and tulip silver earrings - love, love love.

Images (Etsy): 1. cumbucachic; 2. HalfLightHoney; 3. Barruntando; 4. BirdAndFeatherCo; 5. RubyRobinBoutique

 Add a dash of green around you with these unusual planters. I am enchanted with terrariums - complete miniature garden and can't help wanting the spherical one made out of hand blown glass.

Images (Etsy): 1. Geninne; 2. AWhitefieldDesign; 3. goosegreaseundone; 4. BrotherEarthBoutique; 5. WoodlandTale

 Some more love for children around you. 

The rocking whale made me want to be a child again!

Images (Etsy): 1. roootreee; 2. BLOCKWALLAH; 3. LilaRubyKingShop; 4. Unihom; 5. CurrantStudio; 6. aliette

 Prints, illustrations, wood blocks, home and hearth - something for everyone.

Images (Etsy): 1. FarmhouseMud; 2. claylicious; 3. LiquoriceMoonStudios; 4. susansimonini

 

 Ceramics, oh what beauty...

These blue gold Mediterranean bangles are stunning.

Images (Etsy): 1. schalleszter; 2. adatine; 3. ElizabethanFolkArt; 4. BottegaKrua; 5. Murtiga

 

 And then some more..

Images (Etsy): 1. TheHighFiber; 2. HouseofSeance; 3. ScottBergey; 4. BangiShop; 5. TLCPouches

 These hand printed towels, the orange patterned wallet, funky green shoes - all are a riot of color. And, color tugs at my heart :)

Images (Etsy): 1. ButternutBrooklyn; 2. BullCityGems; 3. roddyandginger; 4. YennyCocq; 5. TableTopJewels; 6. northvintage

Some more handmade items that would bring a smile to a face. The crocheted stones are lovely, as is the lamp with a geodite base. 

What a treasure from some very talented Designers and Makers! Time to tag hubby on this post ;))

 All images: Copyright of respective artists/ designers/ makers

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

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