Some are just blessed with a creative streak. And they love exploring and doing something to keep the creative juices flowing. Namrata Navalkar from Sultan Palya, who makes bookmarks out of wedding cards, is one such person.
“With weddings happening all the time, there are always wedding cards lying around. Even if you keep them with you for a month or more, they end up in the waste-bin later on. It was heart-breaking for me to throw these pretty and expensive cards, and that’s how the idea came into being,” says Namrata.
“I’ve always had a creative touch and have been making something or the other from what is considered scrap,” she adds. Namrata, who has learnt the art of paper quilling, and has been using this skill to make bookmarks and other things, says that she started this hobby as she feels the reading habit is still alive in people. “I’m a member of a reading club, and whenever I go for book-reading events, I see a lot of people buying books. Otherwise too, people seem to have got back to reading because of online options.”
She adds with a question, “A pretty bookmark in your book, who wouldn’t want that? It’s much neater than a doggy ear, isn’t it?”
Being a very ‘green person’, Namrata tries to go by the three Rs, which are reduce, reuse and recycle. Explaining further, Namrata says, “I feel I’m reducing the content that goes into the garbage can when I make something out of trash. I am recycling the wedding cards to make these bookmarks.”
From ornate and beautiful bookmarks in different shades of red, blue, black and other colours, each one of them is dear to Namrata. Her collection has now gone up to 100, of which some has been given away to friends and family. Namrata says, “It’s hard for me to part with these, since they’re so dear to me. But I just don’t know what to do with so many of them.”
The raw materials that she uses for these bookmarks include the core materials — the wedding cards, and kundans chosen from either the cards itself, or bought ones. She also uses glitter to add colour, strips from other paper or cards that are leftover, and strings from old rakhis.
“I try my best not to waste even a bit of cut paper in the house. My maid has been strictly ordered to let me know if she sees paper around, before sweeping them off to the bin,” says Namrata.
She adds, “My bookmarks are on an average of 4 cm x 16 cm in size. I first cut the wedding card into the respective size, and colour co-ordinate it. Then I paste them together to make the bookmark, punch the hole in, and string the thread in. With the adding of colours or kundans and the finishing touches, the bookmark is ready. This process also includes feedback from my daughter and husband.”
Namrata’s daughter who is her best critic and inspiration, has talked about her mom’s creativity to her friends, and they love to come home, to pick up some tricks to make bookmarks and more. “I would love to teach this art to anyone who is interested and pass it along. It also helps spread the concept of recycling and being eco-friendly,” Namrata is quick to add.
She often retrieves Ganeshas from these invitations and uses them to make bookmarks. “On a personal note, I believe that remembering Ganesha before doing anything helps a lot. A bookmark with the Ganesha symbol makes the reading of the book more special.”
Namrata, who is an MBA graduate, does counselling for teenagers who are involved in drug addiction and other such issues. She feels that this hobby helps her to unwind. “Since I handle a lot of pressure at work, making these bookmarks helps to relax and bring the stability I need,” she says.
“I started this hobby by chance, and there was no external inspiration behind it, but now it has turned into a passion,” she adds.
source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> Supplements> Metro Life / by Tini Sara Anien / DHNS, January 07th, 2013