Christmas decorations, homemade for your home

With all the time spent at home this year, it’s inevitable that Christmas 2020 will be synonymous with homemade treats and artisan decorating. Small businesses run by women across India have created a mosaic of media, ornaments, table decorations and linens. From vintage embroidered baubles, to upcycled kitsch, tamarind twine stars, to DIY Christmas scenes, there is something for all tastes and budgets.

Meraki by Malini

Malini Richard is a wood artist based in Chennai. “I work in a small studio and I handcraft my own recycled wood designs, personalizing them for my clients across the country.” Wall hangings, nativity scenes, Christmas cottages and personalized keepsakes are all carefully crafted and priced between ₹ 500 to ₹ 2,000

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @merakibymalini

Tangle

Pauravi Shah quit her corporate job in 2015, to fulfill her artistic destiny. Stumbling over tons of fabric ribbon at home, she used the Japanese Kazanshi art form to form intricate designs using ribbon petals. His Bengaluru-based brand Tangle sells wire candles, orb lights and a constellation of fun and festive Kazanshi ornaments in reindeer, snowflake, fir, candle and angel designs, from 50 ₹ to ₹ 750.

Instagram: @pauravi

Call: +91 8884088600

Little Flower

Based in Kochi, Ammu Chacko is a fashion designer by profession, but also delights in the ordinary with her range of table and wall decor. Whether it’s turning old cake boards into bells, making placemat angels, or using dried tamarind fibers to create rustic stars, Ammu credits his childhood handmade projects with his current design aesthetic. Its candles and table arrangements can be personalized; prices range from ₹ 90 to ₹ 4,500.

Instagram: @littleflower_ammuchacko on Instagram

Call: +91 94460 37978

Paper and pixels

Kruthika Nataraju, a doctor by profession in Bangalore, became a creative entrepreneur during her maternity break. “I wanted to bring my digital illustrations to the physical world through works of art cut on paper,” she explains. In association with The Color Company, she created a card stock Christmas scene kit, providing families with a lot of festive fun. Custom-cut paper ornaments and holiday-themed lightboxes are also available.

The DIY Kit – ₹ 649 + shipping.

Paper-cut shaker ornaments ₹ 269 + ₹ 30 for personalization, or a set of three for ₹ 749.

Instagram: @ paper.and.pixels and @thecolourcompanyin

Call: +91 9886992192 (Kruthika) and +91 9384871266 (The Color Company)

Silaiwali

Afghan refugee women sew beautiful dolls from fabric scraps from Delhi’s fast-paced fashion industry. Their range of handmade and recycled ornaments – ₹ 500 for a set of two – come in earthy shades of brown with embroidered details, celebrating the cultural significance of the horse, camel, elephant, the cow, the snow leopard and the deer.

Website: www.silaiwali.com

Instagram: @silaiwali

The needle maker

Bengaluru-based Maitrayee Shukla’s Christmas collection features vintage-style ornaments, adorned with traditional Zardosi embroidery. Cross stitch embroidered hoops, cocktail / dinner napkins, napkins, cushion covers and masks are also available, between ₹ 250 and ₹ 1500.

E-mail: [email protected]

Instagram: @theneedlecrafter

Call: +91 7844888277

Oh Scrap Madras

Oh Scrap Madras is unveiling its second Christmas collection, from ₹ 250 for a plush snowman to ₹ 1,300 for a festive garland. Ohscrap also offers electric print embellishments and cushions, all recycled from fabric waste.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @ohscrapmadras

Call: +91 97899 81712

A bee in the garden

Based in Bengaluru, Soumya Thomas-Joseph runs a local brand where every product is handmade and created with care, using handpicked Indian cottons. Its product line includes stockings, tree skirts, wall decorations with copper bells from rural Gujarat, reversible fabric bins, curtain ties, kitchen towels and buntings. Its style marries Indian sensibilities with traditional Christmas decor, and its prices range from ₹ 150 to ₹ 1,750.

Email: [email protected]

@a_bee_in_the_garden on Instagram

Asone embroidery

Nagaland embroidery artist Ason Tinye offers a range of handmade wall decorations with exquisite detailing, filled with shimmering strands and beads. “My work is mainly inspired by the culture in which I grew up. As an embroiderer, I find more reasons to do what I love this Christmas season, ”she says. Hoops start at ₹ 650.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @ asone.embroidery

Kraft people

This Bengaluru brand Christmas decorations are made entirely from fabric scraps accumulated from different production runs. Her repertoire includes mini Christmas buntings, jute and twine balls, and ornaments stuffed with junk. Asha Scariya, Creative Director, says, “Sustainability should be a way of life and even more so at a festival, when it’s common to buy unnecessary decoration.”

₹ 149 on the rise.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @peoplekraft

Call: +91 7676546288

Littleheaven Decor

Designer duo Vinitha George and Minu Mary Zachariah in Bengaluru conceptualize, design, create and sometimes co-create sets with their clients. In the wide price range from ₹ 95 to ₹ 1,300, the duo’s Yuletide collection includes party buntings, cross stitch cushions, table linens and coffee table candles – all handcrafted with a pinch Christmas spirit.

Instagram: @littleheavendecor

Facebook: Littleheavendecor

Call: +91 9900956842

Divya innovations

Suman John, CEO of Diya Innovations, Bengaluru runs a social enterprise with a team of artisans born with intellectual challenges. “They bring a strong work ethic and attention to detail, and earning a salary helps them feel included and accepted into their family,” says Suman. The Christmas catalog includes cribs and tree ornaments made from recycled wood, candle holders, coasters and platters, fabric gift bags, colorful scented and Advent candles and an assortment of dark chocolate in festive packaging. Gift options start from ₹ 60.

Website: www.diyainnovations.com

Instagram: @ diyainnovations2013

Call: +91 9886013270