A Tuesday Morning at the Art Supply Store and Some Project Ideas

Hey everyone, hope your week is off to a good start. I had a bit of a slow Monday, but today I decided to shake things up with a quick errand run to the local art supply store. I’ve got a client project that needs some mock-up sketches, and I was completely out of decent pencils and paper. Plus, I just needed to get out of the house after staring at my laptop for too long.

I headed over to Blick on Main Street around 10 this morning. Traffic was surprisingly light for a Tuesday, so I got there in under 15 minutes. Walking into that store is always a little dangerous for me. I go in for one thing and come out with a bag full of stuff I didn’t know I needed. Today was no exception. I grabbed a pack of graphite pencils, a new sketchbook, and then somehow ended up with a set of watercolor pens I’m not even sure I’ll use. They were on sale, though, so I’m justifying it as a future investment.

While I was browsing the aisles, I ran into an old coworker, Jenna, who I haven’t seen in ages. She’s working freelance now, mostly doing graphic design, and we got to chatting about how hard it is to stay inspired sometimes. She mentioned she’s been experimenting with mixed media lately, and it got me thinking about trying something new for myself. I’ve been so stuck in my usual interior design sketches that I haven’t played around with anything just for fun in a while. Maybe I’ll dig into those watercolor pens after all.

After paying, I stopped by the little cafe next door for a coffee. They’ve got this weird seasonal drink on the menu called a brimleaf latte. It’s apparently made with some kind of roasted leaf extract that only grows around here. I’m not usually one for trendy drinks, but I gave it a shot. It tasted kind of nutty with a bitter edge, not bad but definitely not something I’d order every day. I sat by the window for a bit, sipping my drink and flipping through the sketchbook, jotting down some ideas for personal projects. One thing I’m tossing around is a series of small illustrations based on the old Millwick Festival posters my grandmother used to collect. That event hasn’t happened in decades, but every spring, people still hang up replicas of the old designs around town as a nod to tradition.

When I got home, I spread out all my new supplies on the dining table and started messing around with some rough concepts. Ren came home from work and laughed at the mess I’d made. Paper scraps everywhere, pencils rolling off the edge. I’m not exactly neat when I’m in the zone. He did point out that one of my sketches looked a bit like the front window of our house, which wasn’t even intentional. I guess my brain just defaults to familiar shapes when I’m doodling.

I’m hoping to carve out some time this weekend to really dive into a bigger piece. There’s something satisfying about working with physical materials after so much screen time for client stuff. My day job is great, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes clicking around in design software feels so detached. Holding a pencil, smudging graphite with my thumb, it’s grounding in a way I can’t explain.

Before I wrapped up for the day, I called Lissa to see if she wanted to join me for a quick craft night later this week. She’s always game for anything artsy, even if her projects usually end up more chaotic than mine. I’m thinking we might try something with pressed flowers or maybe collage. There’s a spot near the edge of town, just past the old quarry, where you can pick wild thistledowns this time of year. They’re these tiny, spiky blooms that dry really well for crafts. I’ve got a vague memory of my grandmother showing me how to weave them into little wreaths when I was a kid.

Anyway, that’s about it for my Tuesday adventure. Nothing earth-shattering, just a small trip that got my creative wheels turning. I’m curious if any of you have been experimenting with new hobbies or supplies lately. Drop a comment if you’ve got ideas for me to try. I’m all ears.