QatART handmade community February 2015

What is your background and when and why did you decide to start your own small business?  I was born in the most picturesque place in Sri Lanka, Nuwara –eliya, “the central part of Sri Lanka”, full of scenic beauty. Ever since I was a little girl, I liked to draw those sceneries, and did all sorts of sewing and crafting as a hobby. However, I had neither imagined that someday I would re-create those natural sceneries of my childhood through embroidery or paintings, nor continuing my hobby as small business. I worked for more than 8 years as an HR and IT professional in Colombo, Sri Lanka. When I got married I resigned from my job and moved to Doha with my husband.

JANITHTHRI PERERA JSP CRAFTLAND

facebook: JSP-CRAFT-LAND

Janiththri is a very valuable member of QatART. She offered her help a while back when QatART was officially starting its community and since then, she is a board team focusing on events coordination. Janiththri is very creative and skillful and we wanted to find out more about her and her art adventure.

QatART handmade community February 2015

Having ample time on my hands, I came up with ideas to re-create my hobby into a small business at the end of year 2011. Back then, I started my journey as a crafter and came up with a name that I love and cherish: JSP CRAFTLAND.

What sort of products do you market? Mostly, my products are related to ribbon embroidery; I tend to add a small touch with a ribbon flower on those products, which are not embroidery pieces. I mainly market embroidered wall hangings, greeting cards, tote bags, gift boxes and other small decorative creations. For the future I intend to broaden my range of products by coming up with new designs.

How does your work differ from others of its genre? Into every design I make, I incorporate an element that springs from own idea, for example, adding a bird to an embroidery piece, a ladybird to a flower blossom or a hanging spider web from a tree. This makes every embroidery piece unique and one-of-a-kind. My ambition is to give my customers the satisfaction that the piece they bought from me is truly exclusive. And my creations don’t have rules - this makes them pieces of art.

How do you stay inspired? I always enjoy walking through flowerbeds being taken away by their beauty. Nature is an endless source of inspiration, especially for those who do needlework and painting.

Where do you buy your art or craft supplies? It is a challenge buying art and craft supplies here in Doha, specially the ribbons I need for specific embroidery pieces. With sup-plies being limited, I sometimes I buy my raw materials online or during trips to my home country.

How does your creating process work? My creating process may differ depending on the craft I do. Basically, I start visualizing the end product in my head. Then – either with or without a rough sketch – I choose colors according to the design I create. Finally my creations come to live.

What's the best thing about setting up your own brand? Self-satisfaction. And it was a good idea to highlight one-of-a-kind creations to your customers and admirers explaining the touch of love that goes into a handmade creation. This allows positioning your talents and skill set in the best way possible.

Who are your customers and where do you sell your work? My customers are mostly expat women and children, and tourists from other GCC countries as well as the rest of the world. So, each time I participate in a market or make a custom order, I enjoy dealing with a broad range of different customers.

Why do you like being a crafter and a designer in 10 words or less? Crafting, happiness and good health go hand-in-hand.

Name something you do in your spare time. Reading, playing badminton and I love to travel.

Where would you like to travel to next? Switzerland is worth visiting, because of its beautiful natural scenery, which is somewhat similar to my birthplace. I feel pure joy be-ing out on a mountain trail gazing at the beautiful Alps and the farms on the mountain slopes.

Any exciting news to share? I am planning to enhance my ribbon embroidery classes and craft workshops.

What recent project have you enjoyed doing? Experimenting 3-dimensional silk ribbon embroidery techniques from a new found book.

What do you love about being a QatART Member? Being around like-minded crafters & designers, it feels like having a second family. It’s great to share information about events, to participate in constructive workshops enhancing ones’ small business and to have fun when getting together.

Do you feel QatART helped your business to grow and in which way? YES, - without a doubt, being a QatART member has helped me to advance to the next level. It gives a podium to get recognized, receive help from one another and offers opportunities for members’ small business to grow.

Tell us 5 words to describe yourself. Kind and honest, calm, and I do love to help people in any way I can, lazy sometimes.

Do you have a motto? Celebrate who you are in your deepest heart. For me this means creating my own sunshine each and every day.

What are your 5 favorite finds at this Katara QatART Handmade Market?

QatART handmade community February 2015