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Artistic Endeavors

Art

15 creative exercises to fill your sketchbook

Last night, I said it out loud.  “I am finally starting to really see myself as an artist.”  I have put the title on my profiles and have reluctantly used it in introductions, but I didn’t really feel it down to my bones.  I don’t know what shifted or what gave me permission to internally embrace it, but it happened recently.  I’ll have to think about it a bit more…about what changed and why.  But the result is that I feel freer and more willing to make a mess and create something I don’t like.  I feel more accepting of what comes out of my hands.  And I feel more excited to draw and paint.  I am hoping to share some of that enthusiasm with you by starting at the simplest, most honest, and forgiving place an artist can start – a sketchbook.  I’m going to share 15 sketchbooks exercises

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Art

impressionist still life series

After over a decade of creating as a profession, I’ve learned that I have creative seasons and that suits my generalist approach to business and creativity.  I like to dabble, explore, learn, and “have my fingers in a lot of different pies” as my friend Shaunna puts it.  And those seasons are shared here on the blog – a virtual space that has always been more about my story and less about one specific topic.  Sometimes I’m hip-deep in working on my house, other times I’m stripping down and upholstering a parade of French chairs, or getting crafty for the holidays.  Recently, I have been spending more time in my studio at the easel painting, which feels good after largely avoiding my brushes since late last summer.  And I have gotten back to the basics, working on a series of still life paintings in an impressionist style.  I have been

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Antiques

antique travel dip pens & pencils

I have loved writing supplies for as long as I can remember.  Shopping for school supplies was almost better than Christmas.  Almost.  (I even still do back-to-school supplies for mom.)  I loved picking out just the right pens and pencils and zipper pouches to put them in.  One year, we did some of our back-to-school shopping at Breuningers, a German department store, and I remember picking out this sketching kit with pencils, an eraser, a ruler, and a few other drawing tools.  I loved the set so much that I wanted to just open it up and look at it.  Using it seemed like a luxury I wasn’t going to indulge in until I had admired it enough. All of this to say that writing supplies are my jam and I have enjoyed diving deeper into the world of pens and pencils over the past couple of years.  Recently, I’ve

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Art

a collection of the best art books (over 300!)

If it isn’t completely obvious to you already, I’ll just lay it out there plainly… I’m a collector. I don’t know if it’s genetics or upbringing or just a personality trait, but I have that drive to hunt, find, collect, and curate things of interest.  It doesn’t matter if I’m taking a walk on the beach, looking for shells and sharks’ teeth, or scrolling online to score an antique that will fill a hole in a growing collection. What I collect has changed over the years.  While I am an avid collector of whatever currently excites me, I have gotten better about curating those collections more intentionally and knowing when I have enough and can just pick up a rare find here and there.  And then I move on to the next thing.  Art books have been my fastest-growing collection in the past couple of years and I have amassed

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Art

oil paintings & studies from my break

During my winter break, I really wanted to get back into the habit of oil painting most days if not every day.  In the late summer, early fall, I didn’t have very much time to paint and I found it difficult to make it a priority.  Even when I had the time, I would sit in my studio, aimless.  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to paint and the negative self-talk about my abilities and the potential end result of the painting were strong.  I wish I could always say that I’m confident and inspired, but there are seasons when I’m not.  There are seasons when certain creative endeavors feel like a slog.  I think that’s one reason why I’ve delved into so many things.  When I feel a little wobbly or unsure in one area, I slide over to another until the confidence and inspiration return. You can tell

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Artistic Endeavors

embroidery workbook

While getting lost down an internet rabbit hole a few months ago, I found some lovely examples of .  For a time, every school girl had an embroidery workbook to learn basic necessary sewing and mending skills.  In a time when people just had 2-3 outfits and most items were handmade, these were as essential as typing is today.  I actually remember, even in the 1980s, making a cross-stitch sampler in school.  Although, at that time both boys and girls did the project and it was more of a craft than a life lesson. I was able to purchase a series of three antique sewing books from 1902 to1905, all completed by the same school girl.  They are fairly simple, but some of these books can have miniature dresses, aprons, lacework, monograms, etc.  You can see how women in the 1800s turned out such beautiful sheets, tea towels, and other

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Art Supplies

bits & pieces

This is a post that’s been sitting in drafts since the beginning of October!  Between October and Christmas, I ordered three boxes from my friend Julia of , so I have a bunch of fun English antique finds that I have yet to photograph and share.  For some reason, all of the best antique art and writing supplies seem to be found in the UK and Europe.  So, I love having a dear friend who looks out for things for me.  Anyway, since I have a lot figured I would spread out sharing all of those goodies so we can all enjoy them in small helpings. In this post, I’m sharing a few of what Julia called “bits and pieces.”  Of course, she says it in her lovely English accent.  “I’ll just add some little bits and pieces to your next box.” Some of those bits and pieces included old

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Uncategorized

making knitted Selbu mittens | tips for beginners

One thing I wanted to do this winter was to make a pair of Selbu/Norwegian-style mittens.  I’ve always loved the style of them and have been drawn to knit colorwork for years.  Over the winter break, I decided it was a good time to learn.  When I started knitting last winter, I thought I might try making a pair of mittens, but I was initially discouraged by the “experienced” label on the mitten patterns in my book.  I am definitely not an experienced knitter.  I’ve made a few hats, a pair of ill-fitting socks, some potholders, and dishcloths.  Certainly not enough to consider myself experienced.  But, I have also learned as I try new things that you just need to learn the principles and then your options expand greatly. My mom taught everyone in our family and hundreds of other people how to play the guitar.  She always starts her

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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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