Sandhya Sharma Of Bahari Blossom On Handmade Bathtime Delights

Bahari Blossom is one of my all time favourite Etsy shops.

It is stocked with a tantalising array of beautifully handcrafted bath and beauty products... 

...a rainbow of colour, each one a work of art.

I looooooooove shopping there and the prices a very affordable, starting at just £2.50 for one of these adorable lip balms, so i don't have to feel guilty about it! :)

With all products made from natural ingredients, this shop is a real gem. What's more, Sandhya Sharma, the talented lady behind these gorgeous products is just the loveliest person... but you don't need me to tell you that, you're about to find out!

Q and A with Sandhya Sharma of Bahari Blossom

What do you love most about your work?

I love creating and making products, it's always exciting to see your products come to life. Most of my products are made from raw materials such as oils and butters and to make them into something solid is always very exciting! And to see someone enjoy your finished product is the best part :) Especially when they can't believe you made it yourself! :)

What led you into this line of work?

Having suffered which excema and sensitive skin ever since I was a child, I found there was a very limited selection of products I could use. And for someone who loves beautiful colours and fragrances this made me quite sad, so I decided to create my own products for people like me with sensitive skin. That were not just plain, uncoloured and unscented but were pretty, fun to use and safe for sensitive skin.

What inspires your creative process?

Having a art background I always loved colour and decorating things. I find inspiration everywhere from my travels, scents, colours, books, flowers and the seasons.

Tell me a bit about your products...

All my products are handmade with love, care and attention to detail.
The ingredients in my products are sourced from all over the world from natural organic, sustainable, fairly traded ingredients. My brand is all about mixing exotic with classic :)

What's new in your shop right now?

New in my shop this month is the 'Watermelon Cooler soap'

and the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream Bath Bombs'

Where would you like to see your business in five years time?

I would love to have my own boutique shops in 5 years time and possibly in a few other countries around the world like New York, Paris and Rome :)

I hope you've enjoyed finding out a bit more about Sandhya's gorgeous products and i'm sure you'll join me in wishing her all the best with fulfilling her dreams for Bahari Blossom - i know i'll be shopping at those beautiful boutique stores!

You can visit the Bahari Blossom Etsy shop to view the current range - its one to add to your favourites list!

And why not 'Like' Bahari Blossom on facebook to keep up with new products, special offers and behind the scenes glimpses of the magic at work :)

Thanks for visiting! x

Making A Living From A Passion For Craft - Featured Artisan Candace of Paper Polaroid

"Do you think we could do this and sustain a living?" "Yes!" Candace and Erik of Paper Polaroid

Yesterday i came across something wonderfully inspiring which i thought i share with you today - its the story of how Candace, owner of three Etsy shops, turned her craft passion into a home business that supports her and her family. She tells it beautifully, so here, in her own words, is how it happened:

"I was so convinced that I needed to share my love for paper crafting with the world that I signed up to be a teacher at JoAnnes(the craft shop). I think I only had three students total, but that did not make me stop going. The students that I did get to teach were so pumped up after the class, it got me even more thrilled about paper crafting . I held craft classes at my home. When I visited my mom out of state, I asked her to invite a few ladies over to craft. I would spend hours at night, too excited to sleep, dreaming up ideas and concepts I could teach. I remember my husband, who has always been supportive and on board with my sometimes 'wild' ideas asked me one night, 'Do you think we could do this and sustain a living?' and without hesitation I quipped, 'YES!'" 

"We were not making any money at all from my crafting classes, the money that came in went right back to purchasing materials for the next gig. Having an etsy shop was on my bucket list of things to do, so one day I just did it! I had $10.00 in my pay pal account and I decided to make that grow without dipping into my family's budget. And it began to grow...and grow. It grew into something that could sustain a living." 

"Last summer we decided to close our restaurant and Erik (my hubby) and I now work from home running our 3 etsy shops:

Meadow Tea

Matrykoska Dolls Set Of Four Italian Stone Coasters by Meadow Tea

Sideshows

Fox Bottle Cap Necklace By Sideshows

Paper Polaroid

Set Of Seven Gingham Mini Pinwheels By Paper Polaroid

"We have been amazed to see the response our pinwheels and garlands have gotten. We've been featured in Shape, Good Housekeeping, Brides, Cosmo Australia. We have had celebrities purchase our party decor, been in the shop front window of Ralph Lauren NYC store." 

Custom Pinwheels By Paper Polaroid For Ralph Lauren NYC

"Companies like MAC cosmetics and Coldwater Creek have purchased our items to be used in photo shoots. We've even been in a commercial (well our pinwheels have)."

"One of the full circle moments for me came when I got a message that a few of my heart garland photos were to be purchased to be used as craft ideas in shops around the country like JoAnne's and Michaels."

Birthday Banner Children's Vintage Storybook Pages by Paper Polaroid

"We have sold items to every state in the country and many countries around the world. I am convinced that God answers prayers and honors dreams. My number one dream has always been to be a stay at home mom and my husband made that happen at the birth of our first child. I have never had to leave my children to pursue my other dreams. God has blessed Erik and I to be able to do what we love and do that from home. We are grateful and would tell anyone who is interested in a craft business to be original, be prepared to work hard, and to follow your passion!"

Wow, A truly beautiful story and one i'm very glad to have read as it has boosted my belief that i too can turn my crafting passion into a successful business. Thank you so much Candace for allowing me to share it here today, and for being such an inspiration!

As i'm sure you will have noticed Candace has an infectious enthusiasm for her crafting and is also a very talented lady - two things that i'm sure have played no small part in creating the success she enjoys today. If you would like to keep up with her crafty news she has a FACEBOOK PAGE and also a BLOG (with lots of lovely free printables!)

Her three fabulous Etsy shops, Paper Polaroid (gorgeous paper pinwheels, garlands and favours for every occasion), Meadow Tea (beautiful Italian stone coasters), and Sideshows (delightfully quirky bottle cap necklaces) are full of wonderful fun filled creations and well worth a visit.

I'll leave you with one of my favourites... :)

A Tree For All Seasons, Set of Coasters By Meadow Tea

Thanks for visiting!

Lindsey Harris On Garden Collage Photography And Her Etsy Shop 'A Peaceful Leaf'

"I never noticed the beauty of leaves before... Now i'm having so much fun being amazed by nature." Lindsey Harris, 2012

White Mum and Maple Leaf Composition

How I Found 'A Peaceful Leaf'

The name of Lindsey's Etsy Shop 'A Peaceful Leaf' caught my eye one day as i was busily skimming the Etsy forums - the serenity of nature has great appeal for me so i clicked... what i discovered in her shop was a mesmerising array of photographs featuring beautiful compositions of flowers and foliage the likes of which i'd never seen before.

Cheerful Pink Rose 

Lindsey combines a gift for artistic display (she has a Bachelor's degree in interior design) with an appreciative eye for the intricacies of nature's own beauty to create her photographs which are not only exquisitely beautiful but also rather magical.

Love Letters

Lindsey's Story

In her own words, this is the story behind 'A Peaceful Leaf' and Lindsey's beautiful photographs. (All image captions are clickable).

Finding 'Garden Collage'

"Out of nowhere, at the end of last summer, i started taking pictures of flowers from my garden because I knew they would soon be gone. My husband collected flowers as well and he put some different things together; like one flower inside another. And, with that, he inspired me. I couldn’t stop taking photos… I was having so much fun!

Spring Blossoms In Tulip Petal Vases

Leaves In A New Light 

"I never noticed the beauty of leaves before. Leaves were always just a chore to rake, etc. Now I am having so much fun being amazed by nature. No two leaves are the same, just like snowflakes. Last autumn when I saw leaves fall and get moldy or turn so many different colors, it was like a new awareness. It’s exciting to see so many shapes and textures. I enjoy assembling beautiful gifts from the universe in different ways. There is no right or wrong and all nature works together perfectly!The photos just happen. Actually, it feels like I’m not even the one creating them."

Pink Sweet Pea With Leaves And A Ribbon Of Burrs

Inspiration

Love Spelled With Natural Elements

"Life with my husband is beautiful, fun, and a great environment where I can be myself...Since I lost my job (a blessing), I have more time to notice and be thankful for the beautiful things on earth. I love when my rescued pug, Ruby Ann, walks me and I collect things along the way. During our walks, we feel happy about how everything has worked out for each of us!"

Etsy Shop

As many of you will be aware, creating beautiful things is only a first step towards establishing a successful business selling them, and on the 1st of January this year (2012) Lindsey took another important step in this direction by listing her photographs on Etsy. She chose this beautiful image for her Etsy avatar and shop banner...  

Orange Daisy With Brown Leaf

...and gave her shop its lovely name...

"I have a peaceful life now and take many photos that include leaves. So, i decided to call my Etsy shop 'A Peaceful Leaf'."

If you have a moment to spare i highly recommend taking a stroll through the wonderland that is A Peaceful Leaf. I am sure that she would also love to hear your thoughts on her work (which you are welcome to share by commenting on this post).

As for the future of this wonderful artistic enterprise, this is what Lindsey had to say when i asked her about her ambitions:

"I want to continue being surprised by nature, have fun creating with all the beautiful things around me, and hopefully make people smile with my photos. Love is everywhere!"

Heart Leaves

Thank Yous!

I'd like to say a big thank you to Lindsey for taking the time to share her world for this feature, for brightening my day with her exquisite photographs, and for opening my eyes to the beauty of leaves which i will never look at in the same way again!

And thank you to you for visiting my blog today, it is always so lovely to see you :)