Introducing "Champa Qali"

hey..............long time!
I have been busy .................shop,business,kids,home!
Did I tell you about my new business venture?
I must have...............I have started with handmade jewelery in addition to my bags,I am pretty sure I am going to venture into uncharted territories soon!..........I started with brand name FUNK-Q but that was taken ,so I have reverted to the name I always wanted!-CHAMPA QALI

It means the bud of flower Plumeria...............I tease my daughter calling her Champa Qali & the name just stuck:)

Have a look at my FB page HERE & my jewelery collection.....PLEASE,I will say it with a cherry on top................{PRETTY PLEASE}

New Beginnings!

This week I have started off with some new ventures & intend to have fun with the new beginnings!
First of all I decided to have a separate brand for my jewelery business.....................it just didn't go well with "Arm Candy For You" as I am not making any bracelets yet!

So drum-rolls please as I introduce you to my brand new jewelery business~ Champa Qali

My line of jewelery will be available on Craftsvilla soon.....ish.................like within this week!

Made these fun pieces in crystal yesterday & I call them Angoori which literally means Grapes:)

I am also scheduled to have my online shop on another venue but its too soon to let the cat out of the bag on the details of the site;)
Am in talks to retail my stuff in a store too............if all goes well,this will be the first time I sell my stuff in an actual B&M store! Exciiiiting:)

Hmm.........what next.............ah yes!
I am developing a new fun line of totes made in organic linen/burlap with some fun prints on it.................things like this

Oh boy..............am I excited!............you bet!
Stay tuned:)

My Dream!

I have a dream...............to have my own B & M shop!
ONE DAY...............I don't know when & if this will happen,but if it does,THIS is my dream,my visualization of how my space will be!

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 I want an informal ,fun,eclectic space............it will not be just a shop,I want it to be a place where people WANT to go & fall in love with things & pick them up!

The display will be such that my guests will just stumble across goodies in all nook & corners,it will be a like a treasure hunt!...............LOL not a hunt where they have to try too hard,but I am not a fan of organized display either!

It will have comfortable colorful bean bags thrown around,a coffee machine is a MUST!
Fun music flowing around, a mix of Bollywood & Western Music!

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 One thing I definitely want are large decorative mirrors strategically placed all around,women love to admire themselves while shopping ,ain't it;)

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 My shop will have lots of Indian handicrafts as part of decor:) Terracotta pots in all shapes & sizes,fabrics flowing out of them artistically,a few mannequins.................Buntings are a MUST!...........it just lends a cheerful,festive aura.

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I will have a small lil nook for myself with my sewing machine where I will churn out goodies right in front of my customers  & put them on display.............nothing like that personal touch right!

And I know, whenever this happens,I will pour my heart & soul into it.............it remains a dream for now,but knowing myself ,I KNOW,I don't leave dreams alone................I go after them & chase them to transform them into reality!

So watch this space...........you never know:)

AMEN to that!

A BIG buy finally!

I have FINALLY decided to invest in a DSLR camera......................with a thriving online business & a blog,I really really do need good pics & I have been itching to get my hands on a good DSLR camera!

Actually I don't NEED it but I WANT it:)...........................so I have zeroed in on Canon 550D....................went to the store & ordered it & will be buying it tomorrow morning:)............YAY!

 

I am already looking at tutorials to make the camera strap..............LOL.............once a crafter,alwayz a crafter;)

Here is the tutorial to make it.

Next I will probably make the camera bag/camera cover.I will obviously be making mine,but here are a few I liked!

All images via Priti @ pinterest

I am SOOOOOOOOO excited!

Any ideas,advise??

What do you do to your Business Cards?

If any of you is into some kind of business I am sure you have your business cards too!....................you must be slipping a few into your packages & handing them over locally..............is that right?
What do you think the customers/friends.people do to your business cards!
What do YOU do to the cards you get.....................I'm sure 99% of them go into trash!

These are my cards (my mail id & phone number is starred out:)................I didn't want to get the expensive MOO cards for the above mentioned reason,so I got mine printed locally on gorgeous handmade paper in Red....................red makes me happy:)

Even though these turned out cheaper but being thrown away is still wastage of my hard earned money, I decided to make something out of them so the customer just doesn't chuck it away!

You must have noticed my first step,I got mine laminated & then punched a hole in a corner

Then I pass a cute ribbon/lace /trim depending on what I have through it & add a pearl or n inexpensive charm to the other end of the ribbon!

And an ordinary business card is transformed into a book mark just like that!

And hopefully every time my customer is reading a book/magazine hopefully she/he is reminded of my shop & bags!.....................& hopefully that happens when she/he is in a shopping mood;)

Etsy Coupon Code

All those who don't like a deal raise your hand!
Umm....................none,that's good cuz everybody likes a good deal!

The times are tough,but does that mean a gal has to stop craving for good stuff!
No.............that means you have to get smart & do intelligent shopping coz shopping is a must;)
Nothing works better than some retail therapy!

So what do you do.................I look for coupon codes!
I know lots of businesses offer coupon codes from time to time,I do.........so it makes sense to purchase with a coupon code rather than paying the full price....................so do I hop from shop to shop searching for coupon codes............No silly................I simply go to Etsy Coupon Code & find what I want!
Its wonderful........tons of great coupon codes listed at one place!..................the best part is they are listed by categories,so I can straightaway go to the category I want to & decide where I want to make my purchase!

It works for me as  a seller too!
I list my own coupon codes here....................it gives lots of visibility to my coupon code increasing the chances of sales plus the backlinks are precious!
They also tweet & FB your coupon codes EVERY SINGLE TIME.....................how cool is that!
so now you know where to have a look before shopping or starting your own coupon code:)

My new Biz Cards........

arYAY.............here are my new shiny Biz Cards,can't wait to show them off!

Aren't they pretty?
They are printed on hand made paper (go green:)..................I chose a rectangular shape over the regular shape & the back of the card has all the info!
Can't wait to start using them:)

Packaging!

What I love the most about shipping out packages is gift wrapping them!
My USP is my Indian-ness & I always wrap my bags in traditional Indian papers in vibrant colors like red,purple,green,blue .They have Indian elephants,diyas(clay lamps),om..............etc on them:)

I also love adding handmade messages.I write the message in calligraphy on a tracing paper & then stick it on a piece of handmade paper.I have gorgeous thick handmade papers in plenty of colors

Then I tie the note with a cute ribbon around the package:)
This is the package that went out today.................still haven't gift wrapped it though.............it goes in a protective plastic sheet first

See my calligraphy skills...............ain't I multi- talented;)

Then it goes in a thick cloth lined envelope &  finally in a cloth bag,sealed with a sealing wax & posted :)
I have got many a compliments on my packaging & that is thrilling!

Well,I am beginning my new year with a holiday.................tomorrow we drive off to the beautiful desert state of India...............Rajasthan,I am super excited about it & the supplies I can buy from there other than the gorgeous sarees & jewelery I will definitely buy!

Will be back in 10 days or so & will come back with an update then:)
Till then stay safe ,happy &
                                          HAVE A BLAST THIS NEW YEAR

Got my new machine:)

So YAY!!!!
I went ahead & bought this

This is my brand new Usha Janome.............it's so pristine & clean,I don't want to use it!
So now I have 3 machines............my sparkling new janome,my industrial leather sewing machine & my mum's oldie in the servant quarter:)

Please ignore the scribbled walls.............I didn't do it,my brats are responsible for the art!
So this is my craft room:)

Actually the room is pretty big,but this is the corner with all my machines:))))
So the first project I have decided on the machine is................NO it's not a purse:)

This is a pattern from the Ottobre magazine I won................I am making this for my son................just right for the winters which have already started!
I plan to make this for my daughter from the same magazine

I also went ahead & bought this beautiful tweed fabric enough to make the coats for both my kids............they can wear matching coats on Christmas/new year party:)

I am super excited & tonight I am going to read the manual of the machine & hopefully get cracking on the coats tomorrow:)
will be back with more updates later.

What's in the mail?

Remember I told you about the contest I won in "Sew Mama Sew"...............the prize was a subscription to Ottobre magazine.............they finally arrived!

I am SUPER excited!!!............there are tons of amazing patterns for kids,I don't sew much for myself but I absolutely adore making things for my kids.These are winter editions with lots of coats & jackets patterns,my son is really really happy as I don't really know what to sew for a boy!
Now I have tons of ideas & accurate patterns!....YAY............the detailing is exquisite!

Other than my industrial machine I have an OLLLLLD sewing machine,my mom's wedding gift!
It works wonderfully but it is very slow plus I have to operate it with one hand!................yeah,it's really old,so I have FINALLY decided to go in for a new jazzier machine....................this is what I am investing in:)))

I hope to make many more purses with the additional speed & flexibility this will allow me:)

Speaking of purses,I finally got tags for my purses done,here they are.Got them done in 2 color combinations,ain't I smart;)

These thingies are super cheap in India,I got 2000 tags done for 66$!!

So I am off to buy my new machine & will hopefully make a clutch today & come back with an update tomorrow:)