Table Runner

A loved one recently bought a new house and she was furnishing it. That inspired me to gift her a runner for her dining table.

The upholstery on the dining chairs was a colour which looked gray in daylight and off-white under lights.

So I made her a two-in-one table runner – off- white on one side and gray on the other. (Though this is photographed on a 60 inch table, it is actually meant for a 72 inch one.)

I painted the off-white with maroon and gray with the help of stencils to give a sober, classy and elegant look.

The other side I painted with the classic combination of red and green to give it a bright, festive modern look.

I also made 4 matching place mats. Hope this table runner sees happy family dinners around it.

Chocolate Day 2022

For the past years I’ve been making chocolate bouquets on chocolate day. But this year, with the new cricut I made these cute little chocolate holders.

Valentine’s day Gift bags

February is the month of love and showing love entails gifting. 😜😍

I’ve bought a fresh stock of good quality printed paper and with my new cricut machine, I’m whipping up quite a storm.

I’ve made these small gift bags – to gift chocolates, or jewellery to your valentine.

Heart Top Box

Bow Bag

Purse Bag

The bags are embellished with bows/hearts and look so pretty that they are a gift by themself.

Pop-up Flower Bouquet Card

I got my first crafting machine (cuttlebug) about 10 years ago. After a few years of creating lot of getting cards on it, I craved for more. I had my eye on another machine (cricut) and secretly pinned for it. It was a costly machine and didn’t know whether I could justify it’s purchase. But recently I acquired this mean machine and I’m thrilled. After the initial trials to get the hang of it, I made this first project – a pop-up Flower bouquet card.

Origami Gears – Engineer’s Day

“Engineers turn dreams into reality.” – Hayao Miyazaki

Today is Engineer’s day. To celebrate it I combined my love for Art And Science, Engineering and Origami and made these paper gears.

I used the fan fold to create these medallions with teeth that engage and turn.

Origami Ganesha

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi , a festival where Hindu homes welcome the elephant God Ganesha to their homes.

This year, I’ve made a paper Ganpati using origami.

And the best part is that the Mooshak (mouse), Modak (sweet Prasad) , Chakra, Aasan (mat) and flowers are all made from paper using origami, quilling and punch craft.

Festive Decorations

With the start of the holy month of Shravan, many festivals will now be celebrated in Indian homes.

For the decorations of the pooja an ‘aaraas’ or backdrop looks pretty and is usually done in advance.

I had posted the dahlia flowers decoration last year for Ganesha festival. Here’s another arrangement from origami flowers in the same colour combination as most Ganesha statues have this colour scheme of yellow, orange and red.

Dahlia Backdrop by Sharmila Hasabnis

Floral Fantasy

Mandalas – perfect symmetry, balanced use of space, intricate patterns exuding peace and calm.

The Zen process of creating a Mandala

Mandalas always make me introspect. The inner pure centre symbolizing my core being, surrounded by close family and friends in a shell around me. Then the space in between to keep away the outer chaos.

I chose the colour purple because it represents royalty, creativity, wisdom, peace and mystery.

Floral fantasy

Magic Planters

Look at these beautiful planters. Take a guess as to the material of which they are made. Blue pottery? Porcelain? Bone China? Clay? Cement?

Magic Planters

Magic Planters

You will never believe that these are up cycled from ordinary brown plastic pots.

I had bought ordinary brown plastic pots 4 years ago. Over the years, with exposure to the sun and rain, they became brittle and their edges snapped off. Then they started cracking downward and I had to scrap them.

Cracked, broken and discoloured planters

But the thrifty artist that I am, I saw potential in them. So I cut them to the height till where they were brittle.

Planters cut to about one-third height

After cleaning and sanding them, I gave them a white base coat. And then decoupaged them with some pretty decoupage paper and finally sprayed a protective glossy coat.

Et voila!!!

Magically transformed into bright and beautiful as new

The best of ‘best from waste’ that I’ve made. A complete magical transformation from broken and old to bright and beautiful as new.

Mohini Mandala

A mandala as it is called in Sanskrit is a  ‘circle’, and a geometric configuration of symbols. A mandala generally represents the spiritual journey, starting from the outside universe to the inner core, through layers.

Drawing mandalas provides the benefits of meditation – it calms the inner self. It improves concentration and heals from within.

I’ve made this mandala over a yellow, orange and red background. It looks so rich and vibrant, I’ve named it Mohini – the enchantress.

Mohini Mandala