Crafter in the Spotlight Swathi

Hello arty crafty folks! How I enjoy bringing you the story of talented crafter’s every week. It is a great experience indeed! I am sure you find it inspirational too. Today in “Crafter in the Spotlight”, read about Swathi Srigiriraju, an ardent Hyderabad crafter’s journey down the crafting lane!

Swathi hails from Rajamundry and has been residing in Hyderabad for the past 25 years. She is a full-time homemaker and a mother of two kids. She enjoys decoupage, scrapbooking and paper crafting the most, and loves natural and vintage effect in her projects.

Swathi wishes to make crafting an affordable hobby and would love to have a few extra hours for crafting each day. She urges fellow crafters to learn and to teach crafting with an open mind and an open heart. She believes power comes to those who share knowledge and not just hoard it.

Read further to find out more about Swathi’s journey, her favorite Itsy Bitsy offerings and about her crafting style. Don’t forget to leave behind your best wishes for Swathi in the comment section below.

Rashmi Closepet M.D Itsy Bitsy: Tell us a bit about yourself & your background?

Swathi Srigiriraju: Hello all, I am Swathi. I hail from Rajahmundry and have been a Hyderabadi for the last 25 yrs. I hold a degree in B.com, a PG diploma in interior designing and a PG in finance. I am a homemaker and a mom to two great kids. I come from a family of advocates.

RC: How did you get into crafting?

SS: As a kid, I had a great penchant for sketching. Somewhere down the lane I gave it up for no reason. The world of information and connectivity at my fingertips stoked my passion for crafting. Decoupage, scrapbooking and papercraft never cease to amaze me. That is how I got into the addictive world of crafting!

RC: What is your favourite type of craft?

SS: My forte is decoupage and scrapbooking. If I have to choose my favorite craft form, I would say it really depends on the frame of mind. I vacillate between days of fervent crafting to days of absolutely no crafting.

RC: What are your favourite products at Itsy Bitsy?

SS: My favourite products at Itsy Bitsy are flowers, chipboard embellishments, chalk paints, crackle medium, wooden decorables, decoupage papers and … the list is never ending!!!

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

SS: If I had magical powers, I would make crafting accessible to everyone. I would like to make crafting an affordable hobby. It would feel so good to make people realize the value of handmade. Of course, we all wish for a few added hours in a day only for crafting.

RC: Your prized possession in your craft stash from Itsy Bitsy?

SS: My most prized possession is a thick cork sheet and a set of vintage roses, decoupage papers that I have been hoarding since a long time.

RC: How would you describe your style of crafting?

SS: My style is very laid back and minimalist. All my projects are simple and practical. I love natural wood. I end up doing vintage projects though I start with the idea of making a bright piece.

 RC: How do you organise your time for crafting?

SS: I am a full-time home maker who crafts for the love of crafting. I try to craft during the day and wind up before everyone is home.

RC: Tips for people who want to craft.

SS: My sincere advice to beginners is to first soak in the essence of crafting; don’t be afraid to be you! Try to create your own style. Learn with an open mind and don’t make someone else’s style yours. Chart your own course. Find what excites you.

RC: Your all -time favourite quote?

SS: Power is gained by sharing knowledge not by hoarding it.

Here is a Step by Step project by  Swathi Srigiriraju 

VINTAGE PHOTO FRAME

I chose a chipboard photo frame and napkin from the store. The frame comes primed and ready to work on.

I am a sucker for anything vintage. I set off to make a vintage frame

I applied a coat of gesso just over the area where I knew the napkin would go, just to make sure there were no grey areas , pun intended 😉 .I then adhered the napkin using Itsybitsy decoupage glue -matt. I chose two colors of chalk paint that matched the napkin-Rainy day and Misty fog
Using a sponge I picked up both the colors and coloured the frame . It looked pretty good .

I folded the napkin over both the edges instead of sanding the extra . It gives a sense of continuity and cohesiveness It needed a little something for the vintage look and two step crackle had to do its magic. Applied the base coat let it dry and then applied the top coat.

Hightlighted the cracks with bronze pigment ink.

I covered the area where the slots of the frame assembly are visible with a string of pearls, glued a chipboard embellishment using Itsybitsy silicon glue . A little texture with Mont Marte.

The frame has a nice depth it can hold some beautiful 3D miniatures along with a photo or quote.See ref pic .You could add one of the beautiful chipboard quotes and make it a home decor piece or just add a picture. Hope you like my project .Thanks for stopping by.

Here are a couple of   Swathi’s  other awesome creations:

Many congrats  Swathi  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. Looking forward to many more creations, Happy Crafting!

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