Thank you 2012

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

How do you say thanks to a year that has not taught you by being very kind :) There i said it :) 2012 has not been a year which was sweet and full of things gone right. On the contrary, this is probably the 1st year I probably understood the full impact and import of the word entrepreneur. This is the year I grew up so to speak. Grew up to the fact that as an entrepreneur it pays to expect the unexpected. Grew up to the fact that just being hopeful will not make things go your way. I want to say this here because I have been getting a lot of mails which ask me how do I make it work? And I have wanted to be honest and say it like it is in this space. While positivity and hope has its place, I do realise that it is very important to acknowledge the challenges that are part of the journey.
Early in the year, my main supplier with who I had a great working relationship with decided to shut shop. Going through this whole period of denial that this was really happening to figuring out someone else who would do this specialised kind of work took time. I had moved into a new office and in less than a year I had to move out last month because there was an unexpected water seepage problem that threatened to damage my products if I chose to stay. Decisions had to be taken instantly. But it was also a year that taught me that if I was determined to stick it out, I would get help. I learnt that being grateful and counting your blessings helps, big time, because it shifts your focus from what is not working to what is working. It keeps you grounded and upbeat. 
Sharing with you some of the reasons why the last year didn't seem too bad after all. Counting my blessings and favourite moments of 2012 in pictures. And Thank you all of you who made these and so much more happen for me.
Yes and if this doesn't look like Big Bazaar branding I don't know what does! Jokes apart. Dez & me at the Made by Hand Bazaar. This exhibition though small will definitely make it to this list. I loved my stall sharer, the organisers and the sales were great. Put my faith right back to where it belonged.
Going to the Bangalore Soul Santhe. This had to be the 1st time I met SO MANY artnlight readers in one day. They travelled and came from far to meet me & buy artnlight products. I had my closest friends Bhavya & Shiv help arrange my stall. And for the 1st time I got an Artnlight banner printed and sat under it. Quite a few readers later told me that they didn't know I would be there & that the banner caught their eye. Wow.
Meeting the iconic Shilo Shiv Suleman and her mother Nilofer Suleman in their stunning home. This I count as one of my best blogging-karma happenings.
Spending quality time with my sister, my nephew and my brother-in-law Harikumar Nair. It was inspiring and humbling to see him in his farm. And time spent with my sister is always cathartic. It takes me back to where I come from and we can giggle together endlessly.
 All 4 of us spent the better part of the day at the stunning Padmanabha Puram Palace (Yes, I will be blogging about it. I have hundred's of pictures!)

Sometimes you meet someone and know that they were shown to you to give you strength on your own journey. Meeting the very real and the pioneering artist Sajitha Shankar of Gowry Art Institute was like that for me. There is a whole blog post that is coming up about the dynamic internationally acclaimed artist and about the beautiful Gowry Art Institute that she has founded and runs.
There is nothing like the company of good friends to just make you happy, hold you, just by their presence & nothing else. No discussions are required, just a lot of music, completely random conversations, quietness & you are healed and good to go. And Blue Matsya is a fantastic place to find yourself in for this.
 And how can the shoot for MORA not be part of the list. This one shoot redefined the way I looked in my head. From saying yes, to standing in front of the camera happy & carefree to the stumping appreciation that came my way on FaceBook. This will qualify as an unforgettable event for years to come.
I wanted to try my hand at a styled shoot. And that was precisely when my office got flooded. 2 days before 2 big exhibitions. There was no question of going over to my friends pretty apartment & doing it nicely. So this happened on my dining table in 1 hour flat. With whatever I had at home. Went to show me that at a pinch, even if the only thing you have is your will, things will happen.

 
The Trunk Show was a great way to bring in the end of the year. Met some amazing designers and artists for the 1st time. Sold really well. Happy making. And to wrap it up a happy 2 days at The Blue Frog. 

What made being at the Blue Frog special for me was I met, interacted and spoke to designers I have admired for years and years. And they took home artnlight products. What a privilege. And it completely didn't hurt this really famous music director bought 2 of my trays when I was packing up. How cool was that.
The last week of the year shook us us all up and I really didn't feel like blogging or partying. But it feels all the more important that we remember what happened. And we count our blessings. Wanted to leave you with this. More soon! I'm SO glad 2013 is here.

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