It’s time to deck the hall! With Christmas just a week away, all hands are on deck to get homes ready for the season. Crafters, artists, home cooks, crocheters, candle makers et al have come up with Christmas-themed decor such as Nativity figurines, candles, decorated garlands, Santa fridge magnets, recycled paper trees, resin coasters and so on.
MetroPlus speaks to some of the artists in Thiruvananthapuram who are bringing the Christmas cheer home .
Christmas yarns
Crocheter Sreeja Renjith’s Santa Claus, Christmas trees, baubles, snowmen, bunnies and more, made by her with hook and yarn, have been flying abroad, to enchanted customers. Some of them — like a female Santa — were made for a client in the US. The cost ranges from ₹250 for gaily knotted balls in red and white to ₹2,500 and more for figurines.
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Meera Radhakrishnan’s instagram account Crochettalesbymeera is a spread of her handmade Christmas baubles and home decor objects. She has been busy caps, baubles, snowmen, trees, snow flakes and so on in bright colours to usher in the season of joy.
“Crochet articles help in personalising your tree and these eco-friendly articles are sustainable too. I also make crochet dresses for children in the colours of the season,” she says.
They are much in demand in Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The cost begins from ₹ 50 onwards.
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Saraswathi Vasudevan’s outlet, Tejas, at Chalakuzhi Road in Thiruvananthapuram, stocks several crochet articles to decorate homes. The most eye-catching is an eight-piece Nativity set. In addition, there are cuddly reindeer, centre pieces in the shape of leaves, cute Santa faces, key chains etc.
“We have a buddy group that I lead consisting of Priyanka Vasudevan and Sankari Manigandan. My student, Sherrin David, a student of engineering, feels that the art of crochet is not gender-oriented. He and his sister Merrin David made the key chains and bag charms. The nativity sets are made by Sankari and Anita D. We begin some three months prior to Christmas to ensure we have enough stock for Christmas,” says Saraswathi.
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Fragrant festive candles
These candles, scented and decorated in red, green, gold and silver, fill homes with the aroma of vanilla, cloves, lavender and rose. Decoupage artist Bindu Joy takes care to decorate every corner of her home in festive colours.
She has created handmade Christmas trees on tables, gnomes made with socks, a beaming Santa on a plate and one riding a bicycle.
This year, she has decorated candles with decoupage and roses in deep reds. The warm flame of the flickering candles complements the decor with its soft glow. The costs range between ₹750 and ₹2,000.
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Anna Thomas makes the scented candles herself. What began as a lockdown hobby has now been honed to perfection. Her scented candles in green apple, chocolate, orange and peach come in different shapes and sizes.
Anna uses paraffin and imported wax so that the “candles have long life and there are no fumes.”
“I make tapered candles and pillar candles in rectangular and cylindrical shapes. They are then decorated with decoupage and acrylics as I don’t use artificial flowers. Most of my candles are customised designs. I take about four days to complete an order,” says Anna. Her micro-enterprise, Candle With Care, has regular takers from Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram.
From 11-inch scented tapered candles that cost ₹80, the cost goes up to ₹650 for pillar candles of about six inches in height and five inches in diameter.
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Moulded decor
Thiruvananthapuram-based artist Harikumar makes works of art as well as home decor objects in resin. His creations for the season include coasters and hangers in red, green and gold embossed with popular motifs of the festival. “They are ideal for gifting or as coporate gifts. I also conduct workshops in resin art,” says the artist.
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Floral delights
Septuagenarian Leena George turned to craft and art when she was recuperating. The self-taught artist has not let the symptoms of Parkinsons stop her as she found her panacea in art. When her artistic oeuvre filled her home, she began selling them online.
“I make all kinds of things. My flower arrangements, made with artifical flowers bought online, are popular. I do decoupage and botanical imprints as well,” says the sprightly artist. She works with multiwood, clay and Plaster of Paris to make home decor pieces.
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Recycled paper art
Parvathi Mayamadhavi’s face is aglow with the success of her first sale of Christmas ornaments in Thiruvananthapuram. What’s special about the Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, baskets and containers in different sizes and shapes is that all have been made from recycled newspapers.
What’s special about the Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands, baskets and containers in different sizes and shapes is that all have been made from recycled newspaper.
“I have a leaning towards sustainable and eco-friendly products. So when I came across the art of turning discarded paper into art, I was drawn towards to it,” she says.
Old newspapers are cut into long strips and woven or braided in different styles to form shapes. While some are painted in different colours, some are left unpainted. Parvathi also makes art out of brown covers, cartons, bill receipts and plastic covers.
“I learned the art in Bengaluru and from online classes. I used to participate in sales there. This is the first time I am participating in one here and the response was motivating,” she says with a smile.
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