A whole new mini world

Do you remember enjoying moulding clay into different shapes as a child Polymer clay is a similarly exciting arts and crafts medium which consists of tiny particles of polyvinyl chloride PVC combined with plasticizer making it malleable like clay It is available in dozens of colours and you can blend them together to create your own unique hues Unlike natural clay that dries on its own firing polymer clay permanently solidifies itKashmira Panchal who runs the page Miniature World on Instagram has been using polymer clay to create almost lifelike food and figurine miniatures ldquoMiniature world is something that I started as a hobby in 2015 I was looking for pottery classes in Mumbai but could not find any and it was during a stationery shop visit that I decided to try my hand at clay modelling I started making cartoon figures using clay dough and thoroughly enjoyed the process However given the nature of clay dough these pieces would crumble easily I began looking for better options of clay and came across its different types air dry polymer paper and the art of making miniatures Initially I would make miniatures out of air dry clay and paint them but I wasnrsquot happy with the overall look and durability I soon started getting orders and decided to give polymer clay a try The best part about polymer clay is that it hardens at low temperatures so you can bake it on the cooking gasrdquo says PanchalThe time taken to create a piece as well as its price depend on the design and size and the level of customisation a client wants ldquoFood miniatures take around two days depending upon what the dish is Miniatures involving human figures take a lot of time since they have to be baked in batches to achieve the right amount of flexibility without burning themrdquo shares Panchal discussing her process that involves sketching clay conditioning sculpting baking painting and varnishing She sells a wide range of polymer clay items like fridge magnets key chains bag charms paper clips figurines frames and food miniatures The magnets start at Rs 400 food miniatures at Rs 500 and figurines at Rs 700_miniatureworld InstagramNature in every sipTerracotta has traditionally been regarded as a mystical material due to its combination of four vital elementsmdashair earth fire and water It has been a mainstay of Indian construction and culture for centuries Claymango a design community platform which discovers unique products from young Indian designers and works with artisans has launched a range of terracotta bottles These bottles are handmade portable and have a minimalistic contemporary design Stages like clay refining and mixing throwing on the wheel drying and firing are involved in the making of these bottlesThe firing is done in the bhattimdasha traditional open furnace within a circular area The terracotta products are dried to remove moisture and then piled carefully and covered with locally available fuel such as dry coconut leaves and wood The kiln is covered with mud and fired to produce a very high temperature with the objects turning either red or black depending on whether smoke is let out through the vents of the kiln These clay pots keep the water cool while also providing healing benefits like improving metabolism virility and curbing acidity and gastronomic pains The price of these bottles ranges from Rs 690 to Rs 1199wwwclaymangocomTraces of buildings forgottenViews of the Shahi Burj in Red Fort Pics Courtesy_citytalesAn Instagram page has been documenting the forgotten unknown and dying heritage of Indian cities with stunning archival sketches and paintings of iconic monuments set against the presentday views of and information about the structures and their surrounding urbanscapes Posts show sights often centuries apart of the Shahi Burj in Red Fort the majestic gateway to Khusro Bagh in Allahabad and the bastionlike structures on the ghats of Mathura ldquoMy explorations entail unprotected monumentsmdashhavelis religious structures a wall or gateway somewhererdquo says Rameen Khan who started the page in May 2019 Khan who studied engineering and had no academic connection with history traces his interest in heritage buildings to a curious start ldquoI am from Lucknow and have always been passionate about street food When I moved to Delhi in 2015 I wanted to document it and began paying visits to Old Delhi I would pass by medieval mosques the Red Fort and Jama Masjid I think subconsciously the interest seeped inrdquo he says_citytales InstagramTo the unsung heroes of the pandemicWith COVID19 taking the world by storm a particular section of society has been paying the ultimate price healthcare workers According to the IMA more than 1400 doctors in India succumbed to COVID19 Sadly this number increases with each passing day Dr Samriddhi Sarkar is a member of Doctors For A Cause a nonprofit and nongovernmental organisation comprising doctors and medical students working for social causes Sarkar felt that there was no fitting farewell for the healthcare workers who died in this pandemic She started The Final Eulogy to pay tribute to these individuals ldquoMost of us are doctors or medical students ourselves or come from a family of doctors and have seen the sacrifices firsthand that are made on a daily basis It seemed only natural for us to provide a platform to immortalise the greatest sacrifice they made for mankindrdquo says Dr Anujeet Paul one of the founders of DFCthefinaleulogy InstagramA floral keepsakeWhat if you could wear a pretty pink rose as a pendant or flaunt a bunch of tiny daisies as a key charm A jewellery store is preserving naturersquos bounty in stunning pieces of pressed floral jewellery Rs 899 onwards Leafy Affair is the work of Supriya Donthi a nature lover We loved the resin locket that encases delicate dried gypsophila flowers which we think would be a perfect gift for a dear friend Therersquos also the frilly flower Victorian necklace that has preserved a wild carrot flower moulded in resin and laid over an oval Victorian cabochon to give it a timeless appeal She also makes personalised pieces You can choose the shape of your bottle colours of the beautiful moss and the charms to go with ithttpsleafyaffaircom