6.1.16

Winnings and Gifts from the Crafty World


Thrills of Crafting!
Before I start sharing new projects in 2016, I want to express how amazing this crafty journey has been for me. I started this blog as a way to chronicle school projects I made for my daughter and to share the occasional cards I made.
         5 years down the lane..this  blog and my blogger friends have come to mean so much to me.It gives me such solace from  life's everyday stresses! Crafting has helped me to make friends outside the healthcare community and my family circle and for someone who is quite private and rather shy it sure means a lot!!
          The utter generosity of the crafting community never ceases to amaze me!And in this post I am sharing some of my winnings and gifts from the crafting community [my last post in the same theme was in November 2015]
Isha
          I won this huge haul of crafty goodies from the generous and immensely talented Isha during her blog giveaway!There are so many goodies that I have not got around to using even a fraction! I have inked up the gorgeous Joy Crafts stamp in this Floral Card!
Ike
           I won the beautiful book with CD during Ike's giveaway. She is an immensely talented crafter and draws so beautifully !! She sent me the cute card and gift all the way from Greece!
Ike
          I loved the cute cat face she drew inside the card...such talent!! And she is such a generous soul she hosts her own Challenge called Ike's world Challenge ..be sure to check it out...you too can win awesome prizes!
Ike
         The crafty world is full of generous loving souls and I won this lovely stamp set and festive washi tapes from the Indian Craft Shop Lulupu [run by the talented and generous Karuna] when I was tagged by my crafty blogger friend Jaya in facebook! I am not very active on facebook and I take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful crafters who keep tagging me to win giveaways along with them!
Lulupu
          I dont purchase  a lot of craft supplies online but I am in no way a frugal crafter...I spend like crazy in physical stores and during sales! Recently crafter and store owner Maninder had a tempting sale at her craft shop Rainbowkraftykari and look at the goodies she sent me as a gift for a small purchase I made from her! Thank you so much Maninder!
Maninder Kaur
    If you are an Indian crafter you must have come across the utterly talented Mansi Gupta. She creates the most amazing 3 D flowers and has a way with dies and stamps which can literally take your breath away!
        And here is the "droolworthy" card I got from Mansi!!
Mansi Gupta
       A couple of us crafty bloggers from my city of Bangalore try to meet up every couple of months..sometimes we have fun swaps too. I got this beautiful mini-album from Remya!
Remya
        This was the first time I had got my hands on a mini album though I have seen many online. It was fascinating to see the little book unfold as you can see in the picture below.....awesome isnt it!
Remya
             Some time back I had written a review about the amazing Artistry Inkpads ...that post was wonderfully received by the crafting community and I was so pleasantly surprised when the owner of the company Shilpa Kenia sent me more gorgeous inkpads to play with...Thank you so much Shilpa....I love your products !

Shilpa Kenia
            There are crafters for whom many of us have a deep respect for and whose creations we marvel over. Papercrafting and the love of recycling and making interactive cards  forged a mutual love between myself and the immensely talented Pooja who surprised me with this gorgeous New Year Card...Thank you so much Pooja...my kiddo was so thrilled to see her name too inside the card!!
Pooja
            Many of you may be familiar with the popular Unstampabelles Challenge hosted by the generous Susan. I love her Challenge and I was lucky enough to win this gorgeous embossing folder for participating in the Sun theme Challenge ! Susan also sent me a beautiful handmade card all the way from Australia...Thank you so much Susan...I so loved the design and the wonderful coloring on your card!I will treasure this for life!
Susan Unstampabelles
           The paper crafting community in India is very small and there are hardly a handful of stamps being manufactured in India. Most craft supplies are imported from the USA and other countries making papercrafting an expensive hobby. I like to encourage local entrepreneurs in the field in whatever small way I can ! I was lucky enough to win this beautiful stamp which is made in India under the banner Peek a boo designs and designed by Vidushi Saraf.
Vidushi Peek a boo Designs
Wish you all success Vidushi.
Sudha Kalra
        Some crafty friends go back a long way....my friend Sudha Kalra whom I have  known in blogland for close to 5 yrs sent me this cute penguin tag/ ornament and some lovely embossing tools ! I have an obsession with crafty tools and Sudha correctly guessed I would love this set which is one of the popular items in her craft shop. I will soon post a formal review of these beauties!
Winnie and Walter
           In October during the World Card Making Day week I went on a wild card making spree and was lucky enough to win a 50 dollar voucher from Winnie and Walter.I wish to Thank  my blogger buddies Hussena and Paru who helped me as otherwise I would have wasted on shipping charges without knowing Winnie and Walter generously give free international shipping on winnings! Along with the goodies I ordered I got some gorgeous sequins and this sweet handwritten note ! Dont you just love a company who takes the trouble to write a handwritten note!
Winnie and Walter
          December 2015 was particularly memorable for me as I got to meet a dear crafter friend Priya Sivaraj and spend hours chatting to her and shopping at her shop in Chennai.I was so touched by her hospitality  ...she went to all the trouble to cook a grand lunch for me and drove me around in peak traffic hours [ which is a big deal considering the kind of traffic we have in our big Indian cities!]
Priya Sivaraj
          As a parting gift Priya gifted me a big set of Akashiya Sai watercolor brush pens , gorgeous huge tubes of puffy paint [ for my daughter!] and the longest scale I have ever seen!I was speechless !
From Rajni Chawla
         On Christmas eve  I got to meet and spend hours with one of the most talented and popular crafters in India.....literally a Crafty Goddess if I may say so !Rajni Chawla is so hugely popular and in demand in the  crafting circuit that she travels several times a year to different cities in India to conduct workshops in a wide variety of papercrafting techniques!
        I think whatever adjective I use to describe Rajni Chawla's work will fall short as her work is breathtakingly beautiful  and mesmerising!My photograph of the wonderful works of art she gifted me and my daughter doesnt capture a fraction of their true beauty.
With Rajni Chawla
       Thank you so much Rajni ji for accepting my invitation to come home for dinner!!It was amazing meeting you in person and talking to you!

         The seasoned crafter will agree that our crafting community abounds in similar stories  about the  crafting world...the thrill of winning a challenge or giveaway, receiving a RAK, meeting a crafty friend or craft celebrity!
        And if you are a newbie crafter, I hope my post gladdens your heart to know you have entered the beautiful world of crafting where friendships are formed across the oceans and where a little wisp of paper or a tiny golden sequin can bring a smile to a weary heart! 

46 comments:

  1. Oh SO beautifully penned down, Doc :) Oh yeah...little wisp of paper or a tiny golden sequin...would bring in umpteen smiles...SO true!!!
    Such beautiful artistic souls out there in this community..

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    1. Hehe Sathya...I even fall in love with the envelopes if you know what I mean!! And I am so blessed to be part of this fun and generous community!

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  2. The crafter heart doesnt need much to be happy.. beautiful post..

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  3. Wow aren't you so very lucky...What a haul of goodies and such pretty crafting from everyone.... So well deserved, gosh your daughter is getting cutier and she grew alot too. Bless you both!

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  4. Nicely written...how blessed are we to have friends hundreds and thousands of miles apart that think of us and call us or message when they don't see us around. I truly feel blessed.
    Happy new year to you and Prisha!

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  5. Nicely written...how blessed are we to have friends hundreds and thousands of miles apart that think of us and call us or message when they don't see us around. I truly feel blessed.
    Happy new year to you and Prisha!

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  6. Omg.....u have beautifully penned up ur emotions. I am overwelmed with ur genrosity. It was indeed the best Chrismas Eve ever spent. Your beautiful house...verywell decorated with ur creations can be a treat to anyone's eyes. In last 2 years i have met so many crafters across India ...all enjoying crafting ifor different reasons,,,,but meeting u n ur family made me think differently. Though crafting is a stress buster for many but enjoying everything to fullest n enjoying everything with everyone is what I learnt from your family. The way u all were cooking and serving together was what i liked d most. It was an AWESOME and INVALUABLE spent with u all. I really loved the hobby corner ur husband has made for himself....and that desk was d best.
    Loads of love for ur daughter n regards n respect from d bottom of my heart for u both.

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  7. Your post just brought a huge smile on my face, Sonia. It's so heartfelt and true. I completely agree with you- crafting community is beautiful where even a small gesture goes a long way.Have a great year ahead. :)

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  8. You have just opened your heart and let go here Sonia. So well written and yes, there so much to learn here and it definitely is a great feeling to belong to this community.

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  9. Ah I never knew u have a flair for writing.what a wonderful article u have penned. Felt really blessed to have a friend like u Sonia.wish u a successful newyear
    Anandhi

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  10. Wow what gorgeous wins! Love the way you penned everything down..gratitude is a very noble but rare quality :)

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  11. Wonderful Post full of beautiful Crafty Goodies.
    Fantastic photo of three happy people.
    Have a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year full of great Crafting.
    Patricia x

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  12. thats so nice of you dear to write down everything. Your kindness reflected everywhere. cherished while reading this. Hugs to prisha molu. she has grown tall :)

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  13. Beautifully written post Dr.Sonia ! I think this is nothing as compared to the love you have showered on many of us through your kind words,RAKS n encouraging comments ! Thanks you for the appreciation ,Its more than enough for me to be on cloud nine for Days :D !

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  14. Such a heart warming post ma'm.. & yes am so happy & proud to say that ur blogsite is what opened the doors for me to be part of this beautiful, kind & talented community :)
    Thank you for the awesome posts & inspirations.. Best wishes for the New year to u & ur family :)

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  15. What a beautiful post and so well written ..Thank you for the mention Dr Sonia ..Was really glad to be of help...W & W is one of my fave company and their generosity is amazing !!

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  16. awww you guys look so nice!!! <3 love and hugs to you!

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  17. Beautiful post ..you are such a sweet person Dr Sonia.. :)

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  18. So well written Sonia

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  19. Happy new year! Glad you have met sweet and like-minded souls in the crafting community!

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  20. You have been very lucky with all those wins. So much crafty goodness. All of that will surely bring you many happy crafting hours

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  21. OMG!! So many awesome goodies and so glad to see you all!! LOVE our craft world!! <3
    Suchi xx

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  22. Fabulous post Sonia. It is fantastic to receive an unexpected gift or prize..Loz

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  23. Wow, you have received some wonderful goodies! Love your photo, such a pretty group of gals. :)

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  24. What a beautiful post Sonia !! I believe that most of the times we attract our kind of people...no wonder you attract so much of love and support !!

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  25. What a wonderful crafty year you have had!! Such amazing goodies you have gotten! I love it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  26. Really beautifully written. It was really wonderful discovering your blog. All your posts are so informative and well written. I'm very sure you'll surpass the Visitor Count of 5 million within months. Wish you a crafty year ahead.

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    1. Oh you noticed that I am nearing 5 million views...I am hoping it reaches that landmark in March...and then I can plan a grand celebration!! Thank you so much for your kind appreciation...means a lot to me Shilpa !!

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  27. AWE!! What a special post!! Love your photo and you've received so much happy goodies from crafty friends!! Crafty friends ARE the best, right?!! Thanks for sharing this! Happy New Year! HUGS

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  28. A well written post Sonia .. I always loved reading through your blog along with Rupa's .. The selfless way you put everything in up here :)
    Thanks for the mention here.. That was very kind of you !!
    Wishing you a very happy new year ahead !!

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  29. What a beautifully written and grateful post, and what wonderful prizes and gifts you have received. Glad to know you and your beautiful projects through Blogland.
    Faith
    x

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  30. Congratulations for winning the blog challenge and getting all of those crafty supplies. Love the photos and beautiful picture of your daughter and you. Always enjoy your e-mails and being a follower of you. Happy New Year 2016 and keep crafting! Nancy Hill

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  31. Great post Dr Sonia!! And you have had a lot of beautiful gift and present! Your post and your kindness made me smile and I agree totally with your words: Craftworld is just amazing, full of beautiful souls that are always so generous and helpful!!! Another world is possible! :D And one sequin can be the thing that does a day bright!! :)
    Hugs

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  32. Wow, what an awesome post!! All of your gifts/winnings are so fabulous!! The crafting world is so incredible and generous!! What a beautiful picture of the three of you!! Have a great day :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  33. Your daughter is growing up so quickly. What gorgeous gifts you have received. hugs Mrs A.

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  34. What a beautiful post Sonia, your kindness and generosity shines through

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  35. You are a great crafter....so dedicated....I love all your work! So nice that you got to meet the talented Rajni
    And really nice to see you and your cute little princess:)

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  36. Oh Doc, you are such a special lady and these are so well deserved. You bring joy to a lot of over the world.xx

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  37. WoW !! What a glorious selection of goodies you got and amazing to meet Rajni :-D
    Thank you very much for giving me a 'shout' here :-D I hope you have a fabulously crafty 2016 :-D
    I am busy collecting more stamps for your Daughter :-D

    Hugz
    IKE xxxx

    My Challenge Blog
    My Shop
    My Blog
    FB Fan Page
    Cat Lovers Challenge Blog

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  38. OMG..OMG..so thoughtful..beautifully penned down ur emotions..
    Love this.. and thanku too for mentioning us in ur blog post as well as in ur FB post too..

    Hugs
    Sudha
    sudha-kalra.blogspot.in
    crazycrafter-craftsuppliesshop.blogspot.in

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  39. Beautifully said Sonia!! We are so blessed to have wonderful crafters as friends even though we've never met most of them!! And meeting them would be an awesome experience!! Glad you were able to meet up with some fellow crafters :) I'm very glad to see The crafting industry growing in India with many quality products. It's amazing!!

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  40. Wow..beautiful post Sonia..

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  41. lovely post and yeah I agree crafting is a stress buster. A couple of months back I did not even know anything about card making and scrapbooks. I am yet to start crafting!! Looking through all the sites for the tools and stamps and all the goodies. Thanks for the artistry review. Will buy some.

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    1. Glad this write-up touched a chord in you Deepti!!

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  42. this is an amazing post Doc... soo true. i entered card making wen my son was born and i needed a break from all the baby stress (he was a cry baby, crying thru out the nite) so wen ever lil time i had i used to make a card instead of sleep. this kept me going for months. Ur post brings back all the memories

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    1. Sujana we all need a little bit of me time to stay sane. I guess now that nuclear families are the norm and meeting family and friends is challenging we all need to find something to relieve us of the daily stresses life throws us!!

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