A few years back I met a girl on the first day of college who went on to become my best friend. Although we had a lot of ups and downs, I found, in her, the madness that complimented mine and the appreciation of little things in life that I hardly found in anyone else, which I found really strange.
One such thing that we also shared was her love and appreciation for making things and she was big on it, much like me. She would plan these huge ideas and big surprises but would never be able to keep it from me for too long because she was too excited about the project. Another drawback was that she was new in my city, Baroda, so eventually after many failed attempts she would have to come to me to find an odd carpenter, glass cutter, polisher, etc.
Although there is a LONG list of things that she has made for me over the years, one of the things I still use is a beautiful lamp she made for my birthday.
She got the glass bottle cut in Delhi, made the wooden frame in Baroda,
got the socket attached, but sat with me in college to paint with me on
my birthday because I just HAD to be a part of it :-)
Anyway, the reason I write about this is because I have suddenly taken to making lamps and I don't know where it stems from. The furthest my anchor goes is to Ayesha (the best friend) and her antics for making this lamp for my birthday on time, so I think its her attempt that inspired me.
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A long time ago, I had told my friend Adeel that I love making gifts for my friends but that you have got to be really special for me to take the effort (I'm lazy, you know). Last December, our very own Adeel Khan became the first one, out of all of us, to get married. There was a lonnnnng discussion about what I was going to get him. Ideas were thrown, discussed with friends and unceremoniously eliminated. I suddenly remembered the smartass statement I had made some three years ago. And it was sorted. I was going to make him something for his wedding.
So, I took an old Old Monk bottle....
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The first step was to outline every little ridge that is there on the bottle. I used separate colors to make it more catchy. And then painted every little square in a different color (very tedious, yeah!) It took a long, long time but I couldn't even think of giving up as I was too eager to see what would become of it.
The biggest question in my mind was what I was going to do with the clear space in the middle of the bottle where originally the logo goes. I though of a portrait, a married couple (cheesy) and then though of writing their names and the wedding date. I wasn't too sure about that but then my friend assured me that this was the BEST idea possible as it would become a memoir of their wedding.
And so, their names and the wedding date, it was going to be.
Hours before my train to Goa, and yet to pack, I sat down to do the centre piece. And this is what became of it.
One such thing that we also shared was her love and appreciation for making things and she was big on it, much like me. She would plan these huge ideas and big surprises but would never be able to keep it from me for too long because she was too excited about the project. Another drawback was that she was new in my city, Baroda, so eventually after many failed attempts she would have to come to me to find an odd carpenter, glass cutter, polisher, etc.
Although there is a LONG list of things that she has made for me over the years, one of the things I still use is a beautiful lamp she made for my birthday.
Anyway, the reason I write about this is because I have suddenly taken to making lamps and I don't know where it stems from. The furthest my anchor goes is to Ayesha (the best friend) and her antics for making this lamp for my birthday on time, so I think its her attempt that inspired me.
---
A long time ago, I had told my friend Adeel that I love making gifts for my friends but that you have got to be really special for me to take the effort (I'm lazy, you know). Last December, our very own Adeel Khan became the first one, out of all of us, to get married. There was a lonnnnng discussion about what I was going to get him. Ideas were thrown, discussed with friends and unceremoniously eliminated. I suddenly remembered the smartass statement I had made some three years ago. And it was sorted. I was going to make him something for his wedding.
So, I took an old Old Monk bottle....
.jpg)
The biggest question in my mind was what I was going to do with the clear space in the middle of the bottle where originally the logo goes. I though of a portrait, a married couple (cheesy) and then though of writing their names and the wedding date. I wasn't too sure about that but then my friend assured me that this was the BEST idea possible as it would become a memoir of their wedding.
And so, their names and the wedding date, it was going to be.
Hours before my train to Goa, and yet to pack, I sat down to do the centre piece. And this is what became of it.
The text was later filled with color and the lamp, as the last measure, was filled with fairy lights or Christmas lights as they are known. I chose fairy lights because it would make it easier for the person to change or replace as and when required.
I picked up the fairy lights on my way to the station after I rushed into packing. Sure enough I was carrying a box of paints and an extra pair of fairy lights just in case the fresh paint chipped off on my 12+ hour journey.
I finally got to give it to them after the reception and I was glad to know that they loved it :-)
