Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Mish Mash Design Giveaway!

Sorry for being missing for so long. Lots of work, and some really great news. I have started work on my own line of accessories, and will share them with you really soon.
Also, I did not want to have a run of the mill Giveaway for Shotcouture, so that took time. And I am glad to share with you, the Mish Mash design Giveaway, along with an interview with the brand's talented designer - Abhilasha Jain.



I first discovered Mish Mash Design on Facebook, when the young designer, Abhilasha, initially started promoting her hand painted bags and cushion covers through the social networking platform. I bought my first Mish Mash cushion cover from Abhilasha’s stall at a popular store’s flea market. The lovely colors on the cushion cover placed in my living room promptly started getting me compliments. More and more friends and acquaintances wanted to know where they could get one. Meanwhile, Abhilasha was introducing one fabulous design after another, giving Mish Mash Design a unique identity, increasing her buyer’s base, and generally bringing a spot of happiness in many lives. After a few months of chasing, I not only managed to tag the super-busy, shy designer for an interview, she even offered an amazing Mish Mash Bag just for the readers of Shotcouture!

Here is the interview with Abhilasha...

Q 1.When did you first discover your passion? How did you start?
A. I was always interested in Art, in particular art on Indian culture,tribal based themes & vibrancy in bold colors always attracted & inspired me. My mom is a very good artist and has been the key in. However the passion actually turned in to a profession quite accidentally. I had been working in the Jewellery industry for the last 8 years. A few years back as a hobby,I used to hand paint bags and cushion covers for my friends & family. Appreciation from friends and the thought of doing something I loved led me to start Mish Mash Design. On all practical grounds , it was a crazy decision to leave a well set position in the Jewellery industry and build something from nothing.However for me this is exactly what I wanted to do.

Q2. What are the challenges you face as an artist?
A. For a creative person, you may be good at your skill but it takes time to understand the market, how it works & approach the right clientele. On an operational level, the hardest part which I have faced so far has been to find skilled labor to do the production as per my designs, imaginations & requirement.

Q3. How do you think your Art has changed over the years?
A. Honestly, these are still the initial years for Mish Mash, so I don't think I really can answer that. But I could say most of my work illustrates simple subjects like life, human beings and nature and here I aim to blend colors to bring about a lively mood. Like in any other field, as an artist you keep learning and evolving, so the focus is to constantly take inspirations from life and try to create something that can bring cheer to the end user.

Q4. What are some of your favorite designs?
A. Altough I love all my designs but my all time favorite designs are: Jodha akbar cushions, Tribal beauties bag, Rangeela Rajsthan Silk Bags,Boho Chic hand bag series & Fashionista bag series.

Q5.How well do you think Social Networking sites like facebook work for Independent Artists?
A. I feel nowadays social networking sites like facebook can be an amazing platform for independent artists.The biggest advantage is its ability to help artists engage and build their own audience across the globe. The artist gets immediate & direct feedback from his/her audience which helps artists understands their customer’s needs.

Q6. Where do you see yourself in a few years from now? What future plans do you have as an artist?
A. Right now I am going with the flow and totally enjoying this phase :).I currently have a small studio at my house where I create and paint stories. I am Retailing at a few stores in India and London and also available on some online stores.
In the long run, I do wish to create a niche for myself in the market by creating unique hand painted home decor products and fashion accessories accessible to as many locations across the globe!

Check out some of the Mish Mash Design products. It's hard to pick a favorite. You can check out more of Abhilasha'a work on HER BLOG.



Love her work already!

Great! Because like I mentioned, Abhilasha very sweetly offered one of her fabulous bags as a gift, for one lucky Shotcouture reader! The contest is open to readers across the world.



To win this fabulous bag, you have to
LIKE the Mish Mash Design page on Facebook.
AND
Follow Shotcouture through Google Friend Connect

For additional entries, LIKE the Shotcouture Page on Facebook

Once you have done this, just leave a comment on the blog, stating you have followed the required steps.

This Giveaway Ends 2nd December, 2011.





And yeah! Started posting on Lookbook. Check out my profile.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Pinwheel Mornings...

Lots of new followers. And lots to share. I have been blogging on and off now for five years. And the past couple of years have been the most eventful years of my life. I have seen way too many ups and downs, the kinds people get to see over several decades. I lost my Mother to hemorrhage, lost my dad to cancer, had to leave my loved pet behind, got divorced, permanently injured my knees, and started life practically from scratch.

But the going has been good. I have found out who my real friends are. I have discovered my strengths. And I have found some really inspiring people on the blogosphere. I am learning to respect myself, so I can expect the same from others. I am learning to put myself first. Thanks to your inspiring presence in my life, I have started work on my own line of hair accessories too! There are some women on the blogosphere who I have been following for a while now and who use this medium for far more than posting pretty pictures of themselves. They have relentlessly pursued their passion, travelled extensively, achieved what other keep day-dreaming about, and managed to bring just that little ray of sunshine to the lives of others. Even though I have never met them, I have learned to read between the lines and see the true grit that lies at the core of a woman. My this post is to honor a small handful of them. There are many more, and it's not possible to mention them all here, but in some small way, you all have helped me through a very difficult time in my life.

So, I'd like to give my very own "InspiraciĆ³n Award" to the following beautiful women.





Rachel of CapturingItaly


Anna of IHOD

Anya of Couture Millinery Atelier

HauteWorld

Mimi Bleu of Bonjour Romance

I also want to share a few random things about myself.
I love pinwheels.
I love quiet, happy breakfasts.
I love flowers, candles, and beautiful things.

Leaving you with a few pictures clicked around my house on a lazy Sunday morning.









And yes, there is an Awesome Giveaway coming up soon. Watch this space!