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Art Supplies

All Things Home

organizing the art studio | brushes, pastels & rearranging

One of my goals when organizing the art studio was to greatly simplify the amount of stuff that’s sitting out in the open.  I waffle between wanting to see all of my supplies, so I don’t forget them and because they are beautiful, and wanting to have completely clear surfaces.  The former usually wins out and the studio ends up feeling messy to me as a result.  Now, you have to understand that my mess-tolerance is pretty low, so a mess to me probably looks pretty normal to some people!  But, I do like stuff and can let things get a little too cluttered.  Tidy, but cluttered. In order to tackle the clutter, I needed to clean out the drawers to make much better use of them and be honest about what I use most and what really needs to be at-the-ready.  I also have to be honest about what

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Art Supplies

Organizing & Purging the Studio | Paints & Papers

[et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text] Well, I’ve spent the better part of the last three days going through my studio with a fine-tooth comb.  I’ve organized the studio before and have cleaned out a few things, but nothing compares to the thoroughness of this most recent endeavor.  As I’ve been working in my studio over the past few months, I’ve realized that the quantity of supplies, instead of being inspiring, has been overwhelming.  It doesn’t look out-of-control because everything is in neatly labeled drawers, but it’s a lot of stuff and I realized the full extent once I started pulling it all out! Having all of this choice might seem like an artist’s dream, but I found it to be more of a hindrance.  It reminded me of when my boys were younger and, after a successful dentist visit, they were able to pick a prize out of the treasure chest.  The experience

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All Things Home

charcoal, a glass dip pen, and a Victorian watercolor box…

It’s time to share some more antique and vintage art supplies!  Obviously, I haven’t bought any this month because of “no-spend February”, but I bought an antique Victorian-era watercolor box with some Christmas money in January and I received a few little things last week as a gift. An antique dealer from PA who used to buy things for me to resell sent me a few art supplies she picked up as a part of an auction lot.  It was a total surprise and so sweet of her to think of me! She sent me a box of vintage Flair vine charcoal… I love the label on the box, but was even more delighted to see it was full of vine charcoal sticks!   And she also sent a glass dip pen!  It has the most interesting nib.  I haven’t had the chance to use it, but I’m looking forward

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a slice of life

cleaning a set of antique pastels

When I shared about antique and vintage art supplies in THIS POST, I also did a bit of window shopping to share some listings on Etsy and eBay.  Well, my window shopping turned into actual shopping when I found this set of antique pastels listed for a great price.  It was purchased by the seller at an estate sale in Scotland and it just spoke to me.  I snapped it right up! Unfortunately, when it arrived, it wasn’t packaged as well as it could’ve been and one of the pastels (it looked like black or close to black) was pulverized and made quite a mess.  It was all over the inside the of the box, the bubble wrap and the interior of the box.  I receievd a partial refund from the seller for the damage to the set, which I was happy with.  I now had to go about cleaning

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All Things Home

five things | antique & vintage art supplies

Antique and vintage art supplies have become one of my favorite things to shop for and collect.  As I’ve hunted for them, I’ve learned that they are not the easiest thing to find!  I think that makes the hunt even more exciting, but it can also be frustrating when you’re hoping to find something specific.  I have managed to acquire some beautiful pieces recently, so I thought I would share those as well as five things I’ve learned about shopping for antique and vintage art supplies. Warning: If you’re an art supply addict, as I am, prepare yourself for some gorgeousness… one | look often & everywhere I think this philosophy is true any time you’re shopping for antiques.  You just have to look everywhere and look regularly.  You never know when you’ll trip across some antique paint box that someone dropped off at the thrift store or an estate

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a slice of life

the antique french paint box

One of the things on my shopping wish-list when I went to Europe last fall was a paint box.  Most of the items on my list were, in fact, art supplies…  a silver ink well, a blotter, a tabletop easel, a fountain pen.  As you may have noticed, antique and vintage art supplies have been a favorite of mine lately!  I was really hoping to find a wooden artist’s pochade box in France or Italy, and I did come across a couple, but just not the right one.  I almost talked myself into buying one particular box, but it really was too new.  It didn’t have the soul and patina I wanted. So, I’ve been browsing Etsy and eBay now and then for antique and vintage pochade boxes.  I’ve gotten so far as to put one in my cart only to abandon it.  After all of my years of buying

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All Things Home

Sue’s Ironstone Palette

A few weeks ago, I spotted these amazing palettes on @whiteflowerfarmhouse feed and my heart started fluttering.  It was a little hard to believe that I was looking past all of the ironstone pitchers, but my eyes made a beeline for those beauties.  I immediately sent a message to inquire about purchasing one.  As I was making the inquiry, Lori informed me that it wasn’t just a vintage palette, but it was made of ironstone!  An ironstone paint palette!!  Are you kidding me?  It’s like it was made just for me. It’s unfortunate that The White Flower Farmhouse store (and so many other businesses) have to be closed, but I love that I’ve been able to shop from them online.  I’ve been drooling over Lori’s shop for a long time! Anyway, I was able to claim the palette before anyone else and it was mine.  I was over-the-moon. Let me

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All Things Home

a new love for dip pens & other found art supplies

I have found a new favorite thing…  dip pens.  Yes, they are completely impractical by modern standards and you have to get used to the rhythm of stopping to dip your pen every couple of lines, but there is something about the scratching sound on the paper and the grace of the delicate nibs that captivate me. I recently bought the D Leonardt & Co Drawing & Mapping set and it comes with a nice wooden nib holder, a small tin for storing nibs, and five nibs made for drawing and mapping (as opposed to calligraphy nibs.) It’s a great set and I’m hooked.  Now, I’m on the hunt for antique dip pens, inkwells, and nibs. I actually had an antique inkwell with a sterling lid that belonged to my great-grandmother.  I didn’t know it was a inkwell until I started searching for antique ones on Etsy and eBay.  I

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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