A twist to the mundane

She is a mom, she is also an entrepreneur. A mother of two, Kavitha Arvind, finds joy in making items that are of every day use.

These include bags, lampshades, files, folders and trendy jewellery. Called ‘Nishka Creations’, the venture that was started in 2012, has since become popular with homemakers and young professionals.
Having an MSc degree in textiles and clothing, Kavitha loves what she is doing and uses the social media effectively to make people aware about her crafty venture.

“People these days are always online. I connect with people, talk about my designs and also sell it to them on the online space.This is where I get my orders too and it is easy to work through the internet,” says Kavitha.

Ask her how she started it and she says, “Since, I’m a freelance arts and craft instructor, some of my students and their parents encouraged me to take my passion seriously. I started visiting exhibitions and other events where I displayed a few of my works. People saw my creativity and started purchasing my items and then connected me to their friends and relatives.”

Kavitha makes jewellery out of beads, paper and other raw materials.

“Even though there are some who use raw materials for creative purposes, there are others who don’t care about them. Raw materials such as paper can be used in many ways. I use them to make jewellery and my customers are amazed by how elegant they look,” she says.

She adds, “ Most of the jewellery is made from materials like beads, crystals, paper quills and foams. These materials give me a chance to experiment and brighten my designs. The paper quill jewellery takes a lot of time because it needs to be water-proof. So, most people prefer to buy jewellery sets that consists of necklaces, hair-bands and clips.”

Kavitha’s husband has been a constant support in her journey and helps her with finance and coordination.

“He looks after our children whenever I am busy and has always backed me in everything I do,” she says.

She is quick to add that her parents have encouraged her from childhood and continue to extend their support. “When my husband is at work, they look after the kids and also provide a helping. This helps me concentrate on my work,” she says.

She considers time management as the biggest challenge. She says, “When I get orders, I hardly have the time to look after my kids as the customers become my priority. However, I try and make sure that I spend time with my family too.”