“My soul is happy when I indulge in crafting”, confesses Anuja Singh, a Bengaluru based craft entrepreneur. A Management graduate with a specialisation in Risk and Insurance, she has worked for almost five years with some of the top finance companies, before starting her own venture, Hand Magic Crafts.
Not happy with a desk job, Anuja seized the opportunity to quit in 2009, when her son was born. “He was my top priority and I knew I wouldn’t want to return to this job,” she recounts, adding: “I started Hand Magic Crafts in 2014. I thought it was time to follow my passion. It started out with gift/ return gift wrapping projects. I would also work really hard on my son’s birthday party décor every year. My friends and family kept suggesting that I do this full time. I work on decoupage gifts and decor items. During the festive season, my work involves a lot of traditional products. I also work with ceramic clay.”
Anuja’s decoupage line includes gift boxes, photo frames, office items, tissue boxes, trays, coasters, cutlery holders, upcycled glass bottles and traditional line puja thalis, painted diyas, LED hanging lanterns, glass tea-light holders, gift baskets, etc. Her ceramic work includes wall hangings from homemade, eco-friendly clay. She takes orders through her business page on Facebook.
With so many crafters around, according to Anuja, what sets her apart is her taste for anything uncommon. “This applies to anything I buy for myself, my family, or my home. The same is true of my work. It may be simple and subtle, but unique. Each of my products has a story behind it. I love to work on customised orders too because of the satisfaction it brings me when I see my clients smile. Any request for product replication gives me the assurance that my creativity pleases my customers,” she states.
The freedom that comes with working independently is what has made Anuja’s entrepreneurial journey worthwhile. “It is a blessing to be able to pursue one’s passion as a profession. My parents, my husband, and my son, are understanding and provide me all the support and encouragement I need. My husband would actually take me to far off places to source raw materials. My son, though only six years of age, observes my work intently and takes keen interest in each of my projects.”
She says, “As far as challenges go, since I don’t belong to an arts background academically, many people have not taken my work seriously in the past. Some have the notion that I was doing this to deal with boredom, so proving myself and my work is a huge challenge. Price and costing also pose a challenge. People like me, in the handmade arts field, have to deal with customers who constantly bargain. Thankfully, there are also those who appreciate handmade work and respect our time and effort. Also, with a growing clientele, maintaining the quality and distinctiveness of my products is vital.”
“As creativity is an ongoing process, I look forward to attending a few workshops on bag making as colours, fabrics, textures make me happy and I already know stitching and glass mosaic. I wish to expand my work exhibiting various forms of art,” Anuja wraps up.
Passions is a column that features men and women who choose to veer off the beaten track
