A bag by Subr | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Known for spotlighting indigenous brands across arts, fashion and crafts categories, By Hand from the Heart returns to the city this weekend with new product categories and experiences. The Popular Makers’ Market, curated by Deepa Sekar and Kshiti Devi, will feature a design-focused AR experience, a hand-embroidered tapestry display, and a drop-off kiosk for women’s clothing and accessories. “There is also a full-day wood crafting workshop by Skillo and a pyrography demo by Visakhapatnam’s Paper Garden, which uses heat to burn designs onto a wooden surface,” says Deepa.
Books by The Little Dipper Publishing | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
This year’s edition saw 24 of the 42 brands appearing for the first time. With Lagom from Chennai by XOtoXO Games & Style, Naomi by Neeha Bhumna from Hyderabad, Naksha from Kolkata, and Underlin from Rajahmundry, visitors can expect a mix of products – publications, food and board games, to name a few. Anusha Veluswamy of Hyderabad-based The Little Dipper Publishing is excited to bring the recently launched independent press for children to the city. “We create culturally rooted, compassionate and representative children’s books. We launch in June 2022 with two books: Where is Mr. Tukum? And Mari – a gift from heaven,” she says, adding that multicultural books for children are the need of the hour as they act as a window into the lives of diverse groups of people.
Soundarya Gottapu of Paper Garden, who is participating for the first time, says how the illustrated products are the root of her brand. “Our first product was an illustrated desk calendar mounted on a wooden holder. We kept experimenting with paper and wood, and soon had a collection of products ranging from wooden plant labels, fridge magnets, stamps, notepads and bookmarks,” she says, adding that garden decor and coloring books are on the market. will be launched.
A Board Game by XOtoXO Games | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Also participating in the event is Firefly Wellbeing, a Chennai-based organization co-founded by Shriya Srivatsan and Priyanka Venkataramani that advocates for mental health and personal development. his self-reflection journal, Who am I, launched in January this year, and Priyanka says that “a book of 365 journal prompts to help you discover yourself and build resilience” will be available for sale. “As psychologists, we carefully asked questions in the sections about you, your family, relationships, friendships, your ambitions and core values.”
On March 18 and 19 at Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park, TTK Road. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.