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Artistic Endeavors

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crochet vs. knitting

As I shared last week, I learned to knit over the Christmas break. I’ve been wanting to learn for a while, so I bought a couple of knitting books and supplemented them with YouTube tutorials when I needed to see someone perform a particular stitch. I haven’t knitted anything particularly useful, but have been making squares and rectangles to practice stitches, work on my tension, learn to “see” the stitches, and to play with different types of yarn and needle sizes. I’ve been asked by a lot of people who are interested in learning one or the other to share a comparison, so that’s what this post is all about – crochet vs. knitting! I will share a separate post with beginner knitting resources I’ve found to be most helpful. crochet vs. knitting – which one is easiest? I think this question is a tough one and I’ve had readers

January 12, 2021 80 Comments

All Things Home

Gift-Wrapping Ideas with Walmart

Disclosure: This gift-wrapping ideas post is sponsored by . As always, all opinions expressed are honest and my own. As I shared a couple of weeks ago, I’m feeling extra crafty this year! I know it’s because we’re home more than usual and creating things not only brings me joy, but it’s a great stress-reliever. I put on some good Christmas music and I don’t worry about time or what’s happening in the world. For an hour or two, I can just “be where my hands are” and focus on what I’m making. A few days ago, I decided to use some of that quiet, creative time to wrap some pretty packages for my family and I thought I should share those Christmas gift-wrapping ideas with you! I ended up with some really cute packages and they were all pretty quick and easy. Before I started on this project, I

December 18, 2020 42 Comments

All Things Home

easy chunky crochet snowflake tutorial

I wanted to make crocheted snowflakes this year, but I knew I didn’t want to make little lacy, dainty ones. I didn’t want to get into fine, tedious work with little hooks, but wanted something quick and simple to do while I was watching TV. So, I worked on making a simple, chunky snowflake that would complement the chunky knit elements in my Christmas decor and would also make nice gifts, present toppers, and components for a garland, etc. Here is the tutorial for the chunky crochet snowflake I ended up making! It is so sweet and only takes about 10-15 minutes to make each one. You’ll get quicker as you learn the pattern, and this is a simple project that’s great for beginners. Before I share the tutorial and pattern, I wanted to share some yarn options. My snowflake is chunky because of the yarn I used, but you

December 14, 2020 20 Comments

Art

creative play | handmade brushes & pens

Let me just first put it out there that I don’t need another hobby. I have too many already and not enough time to do them all! I just can’t help myself, though. I get curious about something and then I want to try it out. Honestly, I like the excuse to delve into a new corner of the world of art supplies, too. I would love to get into pottery, but I’m realizing that is very involved, and going to a class (once we’re past this pandemic) might be a good place to start. But one thing that has captured my interest that I can do in my own studio is handmade brushes and pens. I’ve seen some handmade brushes and pens here and there online, but it was the book that gave me the nudge to try it myself. Coincidentally, Jeanne Oliver also offered a class on handmade

December 2, 2020 11 Comments

All Things Home

black Friday art sale & giveaway

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’m still taking some time off, but I wanted to share just one Black Friday sale for those who are interested. If you missed the original art sale I had last week, I have added some of my new paintings to Society6 and they are having a Black Friday sale today! This includes 50% off wall art! Here are a few of the recent additions for the Black Friday art sale… abstract landscape pair 1/2 and 2/2 abstract seascape no. 5 nice view no. 1 nice view no. 3 …and Nice View no. 5, which is the Blue Nose II Schooner I also added some of my older paintings for the Black Friday art sale, like the Pair of Pears and a couple of the barns. I hope you find something you like if my paintings speak to you and you’re looking to

November 27, 2020 391 Comments

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

November 18, 2020 44 Comments

All Things Home

reassessing the art studio

Every once in a while, I have to reaccess my art studio and how it functions. For while, I have felt like I needed more flat work surfaces. My primary work surfaces are tilted (the easel and the drafting table) and I just have the flat surface of my desk. I found myself wishing the back wall of my studio was just about two or three feet wider, so I would have plenty of room to add a generously-sized, counter-height island right in the middle. But, moving walls is complicated and expensive, so that will remain a wish and a note for any future studio. I decided to set my so it was level and used it like that for much of the week. I think I would miss having the table titled, though, which I use for sketching and watercolor. It’s not too hard to adjust, but it does

November 9, 2020 34 Comments

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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