In a craft workshop founded by Rhoda Gaikwad Stanley in Pune in July 2025, people gather to learn skills such as embroidery, crochet, and quilting. The goal of these classes is not to achieve perfection, but to find patience, presence, and connection, which is becoming an increasingly rare phenomenon today.
In less than a year, more than one hundred people have participated in this intimate studio—from teenagers and working professionals to elderly women and young mothers. Some come wanting to learn a new skill, others seek a break from routine, a sense of community, or simply a few hours that belong exclusively to them. Many leave with much more than just a finished product.
Raashi Nachnani, a 43-year-old homemaker, started crafting because of her daughter. Her daughter learned to crochet and made items, and Raashi joined her at the Creator's Hands workshop. Initially, she did not plan to study, but the warm atmosphere interested her, and she signed up first for embroidery, then for patchwork, and then for crochet.
The skills surprised her less than what she discovered in herself. She admits that she never thought she had enough patience. The transformation affected her life outside of crafting as well. As a homemaker whose daughter was becoming more independent, Raashi pondered her future. Crafting gave her a new sense of purpose, and now instead of scrolling through social media feeds, she designs patterns and plans projects. She noted that she has become calmer and more patient.
Shweta, a 64-year-old former teacher who recently became a grandmother, discovered Creator's Hands online during a trip to Australia and felt at home upon returning to Pune. She enrolled in quilting, and then in crochet. For Shweta, the classes became therapeutic, offering creativity, socialization, and a revival of enthusiasm. She enjoyed interacting with participants of different ages, which reminded her of her teaching days.
Rhoda Gaikwad Stanley sees teenagers replacing screen time with creativity, and retirees finding purpose and routine. She believes the workshop restores community, reminding her of childhood gatherings when women would sew and talk together. The workshop is positioned as a sanctuary, allowing one to step away from expectations and endless scrolling to simply create.
For Rhoda, the workshop is the culmination of a journey that began more than 40 years ago. Having grown up in a family deeply rooted in social work, she spent many years helping women from low-income communities gain opportunities to develop skills. Her experience included assisting women in Mumbai slums, teaching children with special needs in Saudi Arabia, working with isolated women in Qatar, and teaching tribal women in South Africa monetizable skills.
The idea for Creator's Hands came later, after Rhoda and her husband returned to India before retiring after nearly three decades living abroad. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the realization that many educated women were experiencing isolation and being overwhelmed by screen-related life. Rhoda also noticed that skills previously passed down from grandmothers to granddaughters (sewing, knitting) had been interrupted.
Initially, the space was intended for her son's future dental clinic, but at the insistence of her husband, children, and friends, Rhoda decided to take a risk and turn it into the Creator's Hands Craft Room. The studio is intentionally intimate, limiting groups to four to eight participants, and focuses on the process rather than the perfect result.
Matthew Knowles, former manager of Destiny's Child, announced the upcoming release of previously unreleased remixes featuring Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams.
According to Beyoncé's father, Matthew Knowles, the collection of never-before-seen Destiny's Child remixes is expected within the next month. He shared this information during an interview on SiriusXM’s Page Six Radio, specifying that the forthcoming release will contain tracks listeners have never heard before.
Knowles explained that the collection will be a mix of dance and urban remixes, and will also include collaborations with guest rappers, while Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams will remain central figures in the music.
He emphasized that they possess numerous unreleased Destiny's Child recordings. Knowles hinted at Missy Elliott's participation in one of the tracks before quickly stopping himself. He also informed fans that the project will be available within the next thirty days.
This announcement followed shortly after Destiny's Child celebrated the anniversary of the album 'The Writing's on the Wall'. This 1999 album helped cement the group's status in music history by featuring hits such as 'Bills, Bills, Bills', 'Say My Name', and 'Jumpin', Jumpin'. The news generated significant buzz among long-time fans on X.
Destiny's Child originally debuted in the late 1990s with Beyoncé, Rowland, LeToya Luckett, and Latavia Roberson. After lineup changes, Williams joined the trio, and they became one of the most successful female groups of all time. They released albums like 'Survivor' and 'Destiny Fulfilled' before announcing their transition to solo careers in 2005.
Since then, Beyoncé has become one of the biggest global music stars, Kelly Rowland has achieved success in music, television, and film, and Williams has found recognition in gospel, Broadway theater, and television genres. Despite the trio performing together at special events, including Beyoncé's performance at Coachella in 2018 and the final concert of her 'Cowboy Carter World Tour' in 2025, they have not released new music together since the breakup.
South African residents are celebrating a significant achievement of the local music scene as MaWhoo and Babalwa M featured prominently on Tyla's second studio album titled 'A*Pop.'
This long-awaited project, consisting of 14 tracks, was released today through the labels FAX Records and Epic Records. The album allows the Grammy Award winner to demonstrate to the global community two leading female voices in the amapiano genre. Fans believe that such collaborations prove that South African artists continue to shape the sound of modern pop music.
MaWhoo is featured on the twelfth track, 'Crazy Of Me,' while Babalwa M adds her soulful vocals to the track 'I Don't Care.' It is important to note that both artists participate in the main edition of the album, not just the bonus or regional versions, which was highly praised by fans as a major moment for local talent.
Social media quickly filled with listener reactions who welcomed these collaborations. One user on X wrote: 'MaWhoo and Babalwa M ate! Now that's how you do African pop.' Another fan noted: 'Our queens never disappoint. Wow, Tyla and MaWhoo, what a hit!' A third admirer stated that 'Crazy Of Me' and 'I Don't Care' are magnificent and are in their top five.
Tyla described 'A*Pop' not just as a title, but as a concept meaning Afro-pop. She aims to change the perception of African music worldwide. Instead of fitting into traditional Western pop categories, the project celebrates amapiano, afrobeats, R&B, and other African sounds as independent forms of pop music.
To convey the desired mood, Tyla completed the album recording at the Cradle of Humankind rehearsal facility in South Africa. Musically, 'A*Pop' relies on the signature amapiano sound, blending smooth pop melodies with influences from R&B and the recognizable amapiano log-bass. For many listeners, this album is not only a milestone for Tyla but also a celebration of the place occupied by South African women on one of the largest music stages.
The Parisian museum Louvre has resumed public access to the Apollo Gallery nine months after the high-profile robbery incident. However, the jewelry that was stolen has not yet been returned to the hall.
Museum management decided to place famous historical jewels in a more secure location within the Louvre to prevent similar incidents in the future. At the opening ceremony, Culture Minister Catherine Pegar stated that the restoration of the hall marks the beginning of a new chapter following the tragedy, and also promised to increase the level of security measures in all museums across the country.
Previously, last October, criminals managed to enter the gallery in just seven minutes. They used a construction lift to access through a window, then broke open the display cases with an angle grinder, and left the premises, taking a collection of jewels valued at approximately $102 million. In connection with this incident, four people were detained, but most of the stolen items have not been found to date.
The only item recovered was a damaged crown of Empress Eugénie, which is currently undergoing restoration. The robbery itself caused significant public outcry, leading to criticism of the Louvre's security system and accusations of inefficient use of financial resources. Following this scandal, the museum director, Laurence de Car, resigned from his post in February.
