The Indian Weave

A shared love for travel, a need to explore and eye for art led Jean and Puneet create a label called The Indian Weave which is popular among all décor lover and collectors. Their passion for great craftsmanship has led them to handpick products straight from the craftspeople to bring dignity of ethnic and vintage craft to the world through their online store. As I browsed their online store I could sense Jean and Puneet’s commitment to discover timeless classic pieces. Each piece that are collected reflects the legacy of the craftspeople and the charm of their work.

This is what Jean and Puneet had to share about their journey with Indian Weave in their own words

“With a passion for textures and great craftsmanship, our vision is to bring lesser known Indian crafts to the forefront by curating a collection of well crafted, beautifully designed lifestyle and home accessories that stand out and capture the heart, color and life of our country.

Each piece is personally chosen by us personally. We travel across India from time to time visiting artisans and finding authentic sources for our products that you see in our store. 

All products are handmade; hand crafted and is sourced most often from the artisans themselves who are making them as per age old traditions / practices.

In this New Year, we shall be featuring a festive collection which shall include art and décor items, handicrafts, a selection of batik and handblock printed stoles and scarves plus bed linen not forgetting exquisite brass vintage collectibles.

No matter which state we visit, we find local handicraft which is unique to the state / tradition. We try and identify what will be appreciated by our customers especially Indians living abroad which will make them feel closer home - India. And not forgetting foreigners who love everything Indian. We understand the process and the history behind each item, meet with them one to one and since it is not possible to travel back each time, we correspond via WhatsApp which is the most preferred form of communication with them to get updates on new products / ordering / etc.

We ship through India International speed post which is most reliable and economical and delivers practically all over the world India post normally take 12 to 14 days for delivery to anyplace across the globe. One can track the shipment through India post site.”

So let’s browse through some of my handpicked products from their gorgeous store and get ready to just sigh away…

 

Kum Kum Box 9 compartment

 

Brass Peacock for Arti

 

12" Red Kavaad Wooden Story Book... isn't this interesting?

 

Brass Incense Holder

Tribal Men Door Handles

Jaipur Quilt with Elephants and Floral print

Kutch purple Stole with mirror work and Block printed cotton silk red scarf

Framed wooden printing blocks

Telegana Blue Yellow handmade rug

Indigo bedcover and pair of black & white cushions

Vintage Iron with emedded stones

There is good news for my readers …The Indian Weave has offered 10% discount for all your purchase from their store!!! All you need to do is enter the code TBI10 at the time of checkout. And this is limited to one time use, so readers please make the most of it.... Excited??? … yes so am I !!! This offer is valid from today – 15^th February to 28^th February. So hurry up and grab your favorite before they run out of stock!! Have fun shopping!!!

Click here to stay tuned to their updates on Instagram and here on Facebook. And click here to browse and shop through their website.

Thank you Puneet and Jean for this wonderful offer to my readers!!! Wishing you both a fabulous journey with The Indian Weave.





Images via The Indian Weave





 

Choti Moti

Today we speak to a sister duo that launched their venture on a whim and for their sheer love for lifestyle products, design and décor. The Choti Moti sisters, Shalini and Saveen, based in Munich, recently launched their unique online store that caters to lifestyle products. Their products are funky, quirky, boho, chic and ethnic. And they provide a platform for different labels with a curate collection that ranges from accessories and home décor products. I personally love the distinct mood they have created with their collection. It is more like a celebration of good things in life.

Let’s hear more from the beautiful duo

How did it all start?

Choti Moti is an online store showcasing modern Indian lifestyle designs. We currently stock handmade jewellery, textiles, stationery, bags and footwear. We have consciously chosen partners, whose design process is creative as well as sustainable and helps keeps the traditional art of handmade alive.

We have always been passionate about design and decor and working together on something we both felt inspired by was a long cherished dream despite our comfortable corporate jobs in Dubai and Muscat, where we both were based for the last decade. An opportunity to move back with our families to Munich last summer was the first step in realizing our dream and a year later, here we are. 

 

What inspired you both to this venture?

The inspiration to start Choti Moti came from annual visits home to India, where we realized the indian design scene was buzzing with creative talent and amazing lifestyle products from both budding and established designers. Apart from a few renowned names that are known in the international market, there are a plethora of Indian brands that remain undiscovered beyond the local or national retail scene. We also realized that with Choti Moti, we could cater to a niche in the German market, where people, while familiar with India, its cuisine and the ever popular yoga, are largely unaware of how much India has to offer in terms of design and sustainability; something that they care deeply about. 

 

Why the name Choti Moti?

We wanted a name that had an Indian origin but at the same time would be easy for a non-indian audience to pronounce and remember. We also wanted the name to represent the range of lifestyle products we were looking to showcase; from elegant to vibrant, retro and quirky, which is why we chose "Choti Moti", a Hindi term denoting knick knacks. The words are easy to say, playful and as proven time and again, a definite conversation starter with our German customers, who are invariably curious about its meaning. Just ask the UPS guy, who delivered our first shipment of products! 

 

What is the product range that you deal with?

We have an interesting mix of handmade eclectic as well as delicate silver jewelry; some of which are set with precious and semi precious stones, block printed and hand stitched cotton duvets, table and cushion covers, recycled and upcycled stationery and a vibrant range of custom print bags, wallets and footwear. 

 

What are your dreams for Choti Moti?

We once read it's a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together and with Choti Moti we are truly living our dream. We hope to grow our brand organically and include more product categories, such as crockery, furniture and apparel. The ultimate dream is to have our own boutique store with a small cafe within, where we can offer our customers a complete Indian lifestyle experience through a seamless blend of tradition and modern Indian design. 

 

There are so many things that has caught my eye and here are a few of my favorite things

Bags and coasters

Silver Dragon fly Pendants

Love this wallet!

Beautiful Silver Necklace

 

Block printed "Royal Sultana" quilt

Funky Sandals

Beautiful Cushions

 

Wishing the Choti Moti sisters a great success in their journey!! More power to this duo!

Please click here to browse through their products, here to access their Facebook and here to follow them on Instagram.

Images via Choti Moti







 

Scarlet & Mint and Win a give-away

Scarlet & Mint is a sophisticated and chic Indian brand appealing to the modern woman, to suit her each day with a varied range of shoes, bags, clutches and funky accessories. Their collections are colorful, sophisticated and glamorous and bring the latest global fashion to India. Their shoes, bags and accessories are absolutely divine!

 

In conversation with Scarlet and Mint to know more about the fashion brand

First of all – what a cool name!

S: (laughs) I’m glad you like the name! It took us a while to come up with it, but we both love it and think it’s really representative of our style.

M: That was certainly the aim of it, at any rate! And psst... they’re our initials as well!

 

So how did Scarlet and Mint come about?

S: I don’t feel like there is a fashion brand that speaks to me in India! Like most women today, I’m quite busy – and what I was really looking for was a brand that curated the best stuff out there for me. This is when I reached out to M...

M: ... Yes, S always comes to me with her fashion woes! J I’ve worked in a number of global fashion brands and have wanted to start my own brand. At the moment I am based in Shanghai, where I see a lot of the latest global trends – from the traditional fashion centres of Europe and US, to Asian fashion influences like Japan and Korea.

 

That’s interesting – tell me a bit more about your individual styles.

M: I’d describe my style as “classic”. I have a big collection of vintage dresses from the 50s and 60s and, of course, I have a massive collection of heels! For me, shoes make or break an outfit.

S:  Generally speaking, I am a bit of an understated dresser, but I do love to give my outfit a bit of an edge with a pair of studded heels or something. And of course, M gives me makeovers every so often, which I love!

M: Oh, and I love Deepika Padukone’s style! She really nails the “classic with a modern twist” look!

 

So is that what Scarlet and Mint is about? Classic with a modern twist?

M: That’s pretty spot on! I’d describe our brand as: colourful, sophisticated, glamorous and sexy.

 

What can we expect to see in your launch collection?

M: Our launch collection has shoes, handbags and jewellery. We’re looking at a lot of warm tones: reds, fuchsias and some orange. We’ve also got some gorgeous prints in there. We have tried to keep the heels clean but in bright colours, while the flats are more playful with studs and crystals.

 

And how do you see Scarlet and Mint evolving over the next few years?

S: We’ll certainly extend our product range, but we want to be more than just another fashion brand and really engage with our audience. So that would include things like style tips for different events, getting a makeover and giving like-minded people a community board to interact with each other in.

 

Sounds exciting! What’s the best way to keep abreast of your progress?

S: Keeping checking out our Facebook page and our website www.scarletandmint.com!

Exciting News!!!! We have a fabulous goody to give away. The folks at Scarlet & Mint are giving you a chance to win a gorgeous woven crystal clutch. Click here for more details.

 

 

And as always we’re keeping it really simple.

To win,                                                              

1. Click here to check out our collection on our website.

2. Like Scarlet and Mint on Facebook

3. Fill in the blank, Scarlet & Mint's collection is _________ . You can leave the comment below this post. Please log in to your Gmail account while leaving your comment below, anonymous entries will not be valid

 

Easy!

Contest closes on the 26th of May and is open to all readers with India shipping address. So hurry!!

 

 

Thanks Scarlet & Mint for hosting this lovely give-away. All the best everyone!! Stay tuned on my Facebook page to find out the winner.

 

 

Images via Scarlet & Mint

 

 

India Circus and Give - Aways

India Circus, a premium brand that offers lifestyle products with a combination of inspiring designs and colours represents renowned designer Krsna Mehta’s stylish journey. Each product of India Circus offers his meticulous artwork. The brand is inspired by a delightful eclectic mix of colour, themes and lush flora and fauna of rich Indian heritage with a twist of quirkiness giving the product a contemporary look. Krsna Mehta’s eye for details makes the India Circus products brim with sophistication. I personally love the prints used which are influenced by Indian palette of motifs like lotus, paisleys, peacocks, palaces and ikats. Their product range consists of colourful bright cushions, exquisite crockery, bags and i-phone covers with quirky designs and many more lifestyle products. And one my favorites are the beautifully designed premium crockery or dinner set that includes dinner plates, bowls, tea cups and coffee mugs.

India Circus is partnered with groups like WestWing, Fab.com, Haute Look and many other big names with buyers all over the world. And it continues to aim department stores that specialises with home décor, accessories and interiors.

 

Let’s get to know a bit more about India Circus from designer Krsna Mehta himself

Krsna Mehta

Why the name India circus?
When I was deciding the creative path that we were going to take with India Circus, it occurred to me that the absolute diversity from which I draw inspiration is so vast that once they are all under one roof, it would be nothing short of a Circus... an Indian Circus. Thus the name was born.

And how did it begin?

Being a person who is highly interested in good Home Décor, I often found that there weren’t any designs. The idea and concept was born out of the lack of great Indian designs at great prices! I wanted to make and promote Contemporary Indian design and culture. A larger section of middle income Indians couldn’t afford to have well designed products. Thus an idea was born and from a simple concept it grew and has become what it is.  

 

Where do you draw your inspiration for your designs?
I am inspired by all things Indian. I get inspired by things like the road side chai-wala and also India’s rich historical heritage. Thus, I incorporate all of my India based inspiration in my work and translate that inspiration into a design philosophy that is contemporary India.

 

How would you describe your design style and do you have a signature touch with your designs?
My style could be characterized as Indian Contemporary. The defining element would be my use of colour in the designs. The use of colours is very integral to my designs.  

 

What is your big dream for India Circus?
To become an affordable fashion brand with a global presence.

 

What décor tips would you like to give my readers?
When doing up your home try to stay away from the predictable. Experiment with different textures, paint and fabrics such as smooth, rough, matte and so on. Sometimes even the smallest of details can help transform a room. Instead of investing in a completely new look, just get some colourful cushion covers, wall art and other accessories which will definitely liven up the space.

 

Here is a glimpse of my favorite picks




Colourful Cushions



a beautiful coffee mug

 

Premium Crockery

Rustic Candle Votives

A beautiful artwork of a Begum in her garden

 

Coasters with lotus prints

 

Trendy Bags

Click here to browse through India Circus web page and shop online. At present they have some amazing offers going on and trust me browsing through their products is like an array of colourful eye candy.

 And for some exciting news!!!! Participate in the following contest as India Circus has offered two give-aways for two winners!! And this contest is open to everyone!!!! Each winner will win the following:

• a candle votive
• a cushion cover
• 1 set of coasters



India Circus Give-aways!!

 

 Just perfect to add that extra touch to your home. Excited????

To win this give-away all you need to do is:

1. Click here and browse through India Circus site and tell us the name of your favorite product and why you love it. Leave the comment below this post, in the comments section. (Please log in to your Gmail account while leaving your comment below, Anonymous entries will not be valid)
2. To double your chances of winning click here and tell us what is unique about India Circus products. (you need to log in to face book while doing this step). The last day to participate is  2nd May.
3. Stay tuned on my Face book page to get updates on winners. Your give-away will be shipped to you by India Circus. Spread the word people if you want your loved one to participate as well.

All the best everyone!!! Thank you India Circus for hosting this beautiful Give-away to my readers.


Images via India Circus

 

Artist of the Month: Alicia Souza

Doodling is a fun way for expressing yourself and everyone can do it and is definitely a form of art. Thankfully it acts as a remedy from all the mundane day to day routine. Alicia Souza, a banker turned passionate illustrator, based in Bangalore, creates vibrant doodles that is bold, fun, funny, quirky and colorful. She has her own online store that sells prints, greeting cards, fridge magnets, coffee mugs and other customizable items.

Have a look at her doodles and get ready to giggle!

 

 

 

 

 

Alicia from her workstation

 

I haven’t met Alicia yet but I can vouch that her personality is as vibrant as her doodles, who cannot talk without giggling, full of life and leaving you energized and inspired to draw!!

Click here to browse through her online store and here to access her Facebook page and for customization you can email her at alicia.souza@gmail.com

Images credit/copyright: Alicia Souza

 

 

Countrykraftz

I came across this great online store called Countrykraftz bringing handpicked home décor and lifestyle products. It’s a joint venture started by Ninu Thomas and Nitha based in India. If you still haven't finished your Christmas shopping, why not visit Countrykraftz virtually and shop for your loved ones and save time.

Over to you Ninu Thomas to learn a little more about yourself and Countrykraftz

How did Countrykraftz begin?

Countrykraftz is a joined venture of me and my close friend Nitha, who is based at U.S. Both of us are interested in home interior and lifestyle products. So we decided to do something related to this area

What inspired you to start an online store?

Nitha came up with the online store idea, because we could operate it in our comfort zone. Both of us have children and we do not want to deviate from our priorities. Opening up a physical store needs lot of time and dedication when compare to online store. When we realized the possibilities of the E commerce market in India we ended up with this idea. However, we certainly have plans to open up local store in the near future.

Where are you based?

We are based at Kochi, Kerala.

What kind of products do you cater to?

We are purely into Home interior products. We offer a wide range of crafts collection from various parts of India. Our range of handpicked curios includes Photo Frames, bottle holders, wall decor, Planters, Home Décor, Gifts, tribal crafts, handmade pottery, handmade cutlery and much more. Apart from these, we are introducing our own line of products. We want to include a little bit of contemporary style too. Functionality and design are taken care when it come our designs. We are meticulous about the decorative and utility aspect of our products. We will introduce our products soon.

Do you ship outside India as well?

No, we do not ship outside India. However, we have plans to undertake international assignments in near future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to browse through their product range and here to access their facebook page. Happy Shopping!

Images via Countrykraftz