Wherever I go, whatever I do- I find connections. Most of the times,I’m looking but alot of the times it just happens! Each time it happens, I get excited- to find out a complete stranger sitting with you in a cab knows your father or your friends room mate and you share the same aunt is fun! It just strengthens my belief we are all interconnected on so many different levels.
Aisling saw a photograph of mine via Twitter and we got chatting and though we aren’t directly connected, India connects us. Isn’t it obvious from her business name-Rangoli??? We are happy to have her do a guest post on The Unreal Bride and think she and her hubby should make another trip to India soon for more inspiration!
Hi everyone and thanks to The Unreal Bride for inviting me to guest-blog! The story I’m going to tell involves a curvy career path, adventure as well as a passion for design. I love how blogging and tweeting in particular have allowed me to connect with so many interesting people around the world! So for starters, I ‘met’ Kismet through the TWIPS community – an International network of bridal suppliers who tweet…and that’s just my introduction!
I am an Irish bridal jewellery and hair accessories designer and I have an Indian business name – Rangoli. I got chatting with Kismet and she was interested in my Indian connection. So here is my story…
In 1993 I spent six months travelling around India with my now hubbie. India captured my heart – it was like nowhere I had ever been. My strongest memories are of the vivid colours, the elaborate ornamentation as well as the energy of the people. There were also such wonders as Hanuman the monkey god and masala dosa breakfasts!
I have always loved pattern so India was a wonderland for me. In South India I learned how to draw Rangoli or Kolam. These are drawings which are done by the women and girls of the household. They are usually drawn outside the doorsteps using rice powder. During festivals they are coloured in using brightly coloured powders.
When I returned to Ireland, I decided to go back to college to study jewellery design. (I had previously trained as a graphic designer and illustrator). Many of my jewellery collections were made from fine crochet and the designs reminded me of Rangolis! So when I set up my business in 1998, it seemed like the perfect name.
Now I design bespoke jewellery and hair accessories for weddings and other special occasions. I think you can still see the Indian influence in my designs, in particular, the crochet headpiece above which is worn across the forehead. Simply put, I love ornamentation and find it difficult to produce ‘minimalist’ pieces!
I hope you enjoyed reading the story behind my business. I think in my next life, I’ll come back as a Bollywood accessory designer…
If you’d like to see my designs you can visit http://rangoli.ie/ or follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
*Fresh Inspiration Every Thursday!!*
