Artistic Endeavors Archives | Page 46 of 58

Artistic Endeavors

All Things Home

studio flooring options

In my post yesterday, I shared that we’ll be installing some new flooring in the studio. Well, not in the entire studio, but a corner of it, so I can use that area for photo shoots. The corner we’ll be installing it in is this one… You can see that the flooring is a bit of a mish-mash; some of the old pine and some plywood, so I haven’t used that corner for photo shoots despite the nice light and big, blank wall. So, I’ve been planning to float some flooring in that corner, so I can create “rooms”. Rooms that I can design, put together, photograph, and ultimately, sell everything in them. Doesn’t that sound like fun?! So, I was looking for a few specific things. First of all, I wanted a floor that would be neutral and wouldn’t cast any sort of hue, specifically red, orange or yellow. (The floors

August 15, 2016 22 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

behind the scenes | producing videos

I have been asked several questions about the videos I make, so I thought I would answer them all in one post, for those who are interested. Videos have been an on-again-off-again thing for me over the past few years. I started them initially when I wanted to share how I made slipcovers. I tried to write posts detailing how, but once I got into the thick of “pin the inside arm piece to the side piece…” it just got overly complicated. Some things are just easier to show. I also like video, because I can really talk to you, my readers. I write the way I talk. I have a running conversation going on in my head and I just type it out. But when I can talk directly to the camera, you’re getting to know me even more. I often leave in mistakes and when I crack myself

July 27, 2016 10 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

prove yourself wrong

I have some things to share tonight, but I’m going to do something I don’t usually (or ever) do. I’m going to ask you to watch this video first and then read the post. The reason is that I’m going to talk about the video and I don’t want you to read all about it before you watch it. Okay? Deal? Did you watch it? Okay, now you can read… So, Saturday morning, I was showering to get ready for the day and I was thinking about the landscape dresser that I just finished. I was smiling at the fact that someone was coming to buy it that morning, despite all of my doubts and struggles as I worked on it. I was intimidated by that piece and I told myself that. You’re going to mess this up. You aren’t good enough to pull this off. But I pushed through it and,

July 6, 2016 183 Comments

All Things Home

cross-stitch patterns | B & I

Before I get to the cross-stitch patterns, I wanted to share that I actually scheduled some milk paint workshops at the studio! I get asked about it a lot, so I finally pinned myself down and put some on the calendar. Friday, July 15, 2016, is a Milk Paint 101 Workshop from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. In the past, my 101 workshops have been learning to use the products on sample boards, but I’ve mixed it up, so we’ll work on three small projects for you to take and use in your home or give as gifts. Slots are available to purchase HERE. Saturday, July 16, 2016, is a BYOF (bring your own furniture) Workshop from 10:00 am – 3:30 pm. These are so much fun, because you can bring a piece to paint and we’ll work on it together. You learn while you finish a piece. You can purchase a

June 26, 2016 28 Comments

All Things Home

cross-stitching on linen

I have fallen in love with an old-school craft…cross-stitching. I know it has a reputation for being dated, but that has a lot more to do with the patterns and the cross-stitch kits available than it does the craft itself. So, this renewed interest in needlework came about when I noticed that my favorite antique textiles were those that were monogrammed. And then I noticed that most of those monograms were simple cross-stitching, using the natural “grid” pattern in linen to make the X’s. And then I had the thought that I usually have before tackling a DIY project… “I can do that!” So, I did… …and the results looked so authentic that it had me giddy with excitement to stitch some more. I have been looking around at various cross-stitch letters online to find the style that will look original on antique linen. I found a “P” that I liked and

June 17, 2016 70 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

styling tips | for photo

Welcome to the third and final part of this “styling tips” series – styling for a photo. If you missed the first two parts and want to catch up, the links are below… styling tips | for home styling tips | for retail In this part, we’ll talk about styling for photography. This is the one that I do most. I think even when I’m styling for retail or in my house, I’m thinking about how photogenic it will be! I think, when you are a photography enthusiast, professional or amateur, you start to see most things through the lens of a camera. You can find all of my camera gear, lenses, lighting, and accessories HERE. Photo styling is a pretty broad topic, but I’ll focus on the kind of styling I do, which is to show a product, a project “beauty shot”/vignette, or a room. photo styling | products

June 15, 2016 15 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

behind the scenes | online shop

Since the online shop has been a big focus in the studio for the past couple of weeks, I thought I would share a little bit of the “behind the scenes” for those who are curious about our process. Our process has been a bit all over the place, since we don’t do this regularly, but we’re getting into a groove and are becoming more efficient. In fact, Kriste and I spent the majority of the day cleaning, purging, and organizing in order to make better use of the space. There have also been a lot of things just hanging around the studio that we really didn’t need to keep. We ended up hauling 5+ contractor garbage bags full of stuff to the dumpster, packed Kriste’s little car with a load of fabric rolls, home accessories, and craft supplies to take to the thrift store, and we have a

June 8, 2016 35 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

back to work & other things…

I hope you enjoyed your long weekend. My three day weekend was actually an eight day weekend, since I took a week off to recover from the Lucketts Spring Market (and months of work leading up to it!) I still did computer work…e-mail, blog posts, social media, etc., but I took a break from going into the studio. I really needed that time to step away and recharge. I had some appointments. I got a massage. I spent one entire day in my jammies. And I started to do a bit of gardening. When the weeds in your window boxes are dying, it’s time to do some gardening! I also put together some plans. I tend to be a bit unfocused after a big push towards a deadline, so I decided to put together a clear list of priorities and to-dos to keep me on track. Most of those plans were

June 1, 2016 26 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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