Crafter in the Spotlight Shobha Mohata

Hello dear arty crafty folks! How, quickly time goes by, the first month of this year is almost over and in this month’s last ‘Crafter in the Spotlight’, let’s hear it from talented crafter Shobha Mohata, a crafter who celebrates all forms of crafting and calls herself a craft junkie.

Born and raised in Kolkata, the city widely regarded as the ‘cultural capital’ of India, Shobha has completed her diploma in Fashion Designing. She was interested in arts and craft since childhood and her mother has been her biggest inspiration. She loves experimenting with new craft forms and loves playing around with new ideas.

Let’s find out how did Shobha get into crafting, what inspires her, how she wishes to encourage fellow crafters to follow their passion for crafting, her favourite quote, how would she contribute to the crafting world if she had magical powers? Read further, to know about her favorites at Itsy Bitsy and also catch glimpses of a step by step project by her. Don’t forget to shower some love on her in the comments section.

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

Shobha Mohata: Hi! I am Shobha Mohata, from Kolkata – the City of Joy. I grew up in a large joint family. I was always inclined towards arts and craft and since childhood, I have been doing all craft related projects for my cousins, friends and neighbors. This further triggered my interest in crafting, which in turn became a passion. For a couple of years I worked as a freelance designer but took a break after I got married. I travelled to many countries thereafter and different places inspired me to try out new kinds of crafty stuff. Presently I am fully into crafting but occasionally do some designing. Besides crafting, I love singing, cooking and travelling.

 RC: How did you get into crafting?

SM: It all started with the first trousseau packing I had done for my sister’s wedding. I was just ten years old then. Thereafter, I did many more for my family and friends. For the past decade, I have taken up craft professionally. My family has been very supportive throughout the journey. Now I run a venture of my own and prefer taking classes and workshops for the kind of crafts I do.

RC: What is your favourite type of craft?

SM: I love playing with all form of crafts. Basically, I am a craft junkie!

 RC: What are your favourite products at Itsy Bitsy?

SM: It is difficult to pick favourites; I love trying out everything from Itsy Bitsy. My friend calls my home “Mini Itsy Bitsy” because of all the materials that I keep hoarding from the store.

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

SM: I will make all the craft supplies free so that craft crazy kids like me can shop to their heart’s content. Jokes apart, I would love to impart my knowledge and train the less privileged people on how to craft to help them earn a living for themselves.

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

SM: Resin hardeners and Chalk paints are currently my most prized possessions.

 RC: How would you describe your style of crafting?

SM: I love my creative freedom. I love all forms of art and craft. My style is “Free Style” crafting.

RC: How do you organise your time for crafting?

SM: I like to create something new each day. Between 12 PM – 4 PM is my crafting time. I spend this time on experiments, creating new pieces and completing unfinished projects.  Once my kids come back from school, I take a break and before going to bed I try to finish the remaining work.

RC: Tips for people who want to craft

SM: Take inspiration from everyday things around you. Keep experimenting. Do what you love. Instill passion in your craft. You are unique and so will be your creations!!

RC: Your all -time favourite quote?

SM: John Mason quoted this, and I repeat, “You were born an original, don’t die a copy”.

Here is a gorgeous project by   Shobha  & the step by step procedure:

The supplies used are :

  1. Cork sheets (1 mm and 2 mm thickness)
  2. MDF upper case letters
  3. Leather straps
  4. OHP sheets
  5. Double sided tape
  6. Jute rope

Procedure :

Step 1: Cut the cork sheets in the measurements and shapes as shown in the picture. (2 pieces of each size/shape )

Step 2: Stick the leather straps to the base. Paste the MDF Letters.

Step 3: Stick one piece of each on the leather straps.

Step 4: Leave a border, draw a square and cut the inside part of cork sheets (remaining pieces of each )as shown in picture .

Step 5: Cut the OHP sheet and paste on the frames

Step 6: Paste the frames on ready base . Stick on three sides and leave the top open in each frame to insert your favourite pictures.

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

Many congrats  Shobha  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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