Sensing all this, our parents decided to enroll us for workshops conducted at the India Habitat Centre (IHC), but to our dismay all the seats were already booked. As we were coming out of IHC, a poster caught our attention saying Onjus sponsor's craft workshop at Sweet Angel's Nursery, C-15, Green Park Extension, conducted by Deepti Chopra and Vinnie Khanna. Our parents drove us straight to the place and enrolled us for a week even though the workshop was for two weeks.

On the first day we were taught how to make envelopes using the marbelling technique. We also made writing pads and paper bags (say no to polybags, remember!) and decorated the same using colours, ribbons, buttons, mirrors and braids.

The next day we learnt to transform old tiles and melmoware plates into beautiful decorative pieces using old greeting cards. We were also taught the combination of glass painting and kitchen foil to make beautiful Ganesha pictures which gave a three dimensional effect.

We also learnt to paint clay pots with puff-ons, sparkles and enamel paint and let our imagination run wild to decorate them with whatever decorative material we could lay our hands on.

We also made useful items from waste materials which we normally throw away at home. Beautiful candle stands, pen stands, lipstick stands from toothpaste cartons, old bottle caps and discarded wastes.

As a grand finale for the week we were taken to a restaurant in Green Park for fun on video games followed by ice creams.

We thanked our mothers for choosing such a wonderful workshop. We have not only learnt craft items but also how to behave at home, in school and with outsiders, how to look after the environment, look after plants, to sympathise with handicapped and orphan children and to respect our elders, servants and maids. This workshop has inculcated in us the habit of reading and writing. Everyday someone of us would get books as prizes for the best craft work done.

Our cousins found how much we were enjoying, and they also joined the workshop. At the workshop, emphasis was given on making things with one's own hand for friends and cousins, not to buy anything from the market because a thing made by self leaves a lasting impression on the other person because of the effort, time and thought put in.

Within a week the word `bore' had been removed from our vocabulary because at home we practice whatever we have learnt and improvise on that, we have also learnt how to share our things and the happiest person is mummy because there is peace among us, and at home.

The workshop now also plans to hold a cook `n' serve in association with Nestle for our mothers so that we can get yummy food at home. We have already enrolled for the second week because there will be TV recording and a workshop on the joys of reading by Katha.

So friends, if the above agenda interests you, come join the workshop and give a meaning to your vacations.