Kaya Shewakramani, Founder, Kreating Keepsakes Design Studio

Pulling together the unforgettable memories is Kaya Shewakramani who founded Kreating Keepsake Design Studio, a one of its kind studio in India to create personalised photo collage and build memory album. Established in 2007, this Mumbai-based studio offers everything you need for your photo projects, scrapbooks, school projects or even memory albums. It provides scrap booking kits, embellishments, and personal consultations and also hosts workshops to help you complete your family albums using scrap booking techniques. 

It all started while Shewakramani started scrap booking to minimise the piles of photographs in her cupboard. She loved the three-dimensional appeal of the scrapbook. “It transports you back in time, helping you relive your memories,” she said. “I was sorting out a few pictures with my friends, adding one liners and tags to some of our vacation pictures. That trip down the memory lane felt like a joy ride,” she added. 

Kreating Keepsake was initiated shortly thereafter when she realised that sharing this pastime could spread a lot of happiness to other people too. Shewakramani became all the more determined about her venture when she realised that the growing enthusiasm among people for preserving memories through scrapbooks had increased dramatically in the last three years. This stands true not only for India but for people across the world, including UK and Europe. 

At the studio, this young entrepreneur helps people customise photo albums and create innovative wall and memory journals. “It is time consuming,” she admits, “But a beautiful gift for someone dear.” It’s a great way to preserve your family legacy and memories.  

She puts together simple theme-based colour coordinated kits, which facilitate the creation of a photo collage or album, which, in turn, can be gifted or framed in the house to keep memories of the bygone days alive. Photo memories not only help preserve the past for the future generation, but also enhance the creative quotient. Shewakramani, who believes in sharing ideas and inspiring consumers to be creative with their photo memories, has created a consortium of suppliers, consumers, and publishers involved in scrap booking.            

“Through our workshops and pre-packed themed, colour co-ordinated kits, we help people learn the art of making stunning scrapbooks much quicker. Making scrapbook pages that effectively flaunts your favourite photographs is fun, and easier than you may think,” explained Shewakramani.

The studio’s creative team has put together colour-coordinated album kits to simplify the album and enable learners to complete a scrapbook page in less than 30 minutes. “From making simple page designs with a single photo to elaborating one with many photos — we are full of ideas. Besides, there are many layout resources available for scrap bookers, so you don’t have to be on your own when you sit down to create your first page,” she reassured.

Until Kreating Keepsake happened, India lacked any indigenous enterprise specialising in scrapbook kits. Although scrap booking products were available, they were not branded. Shewakramani endeavours to fill this gap and aspires to popularise brand scrap booking products. The studio is a place for production, distribution and promotion of scrapbooks, scrapbook kits, journaling strips, embellishments and various other ancillary products that make an attractive and unique scrapbook layout.

Apart from providing the ready to use scrap booking products, Kreating Keepsake Design Studio also hosts a series of five workshops, especially designed for the children. Each item created at the Studio has an option for photographs, journaling (giving captions) and embellishing. Over the sessions, children can acquire various scrap booking and paper craft skills. Then, of course, sky is the limit to what one can create. These skills help kids create their own scrapbook and manage their school projects independently. 

 Ask Shewakramani why she chose to become an entrepreneur over a comfortable 9-5 job and she says, “This kind of work offers flexible timing and ample scope for creative work.” Of the umpteen hurdles, the only two things she finds challenging are publicity for the company and promotion of its products. But outweighing these are the achievements, which she believes was when the studio was featured in national dailies like Hindustan Times and Times of India.