Arden Ellen Nixon
patreon
Waste Not!
🕑 Added 2025-07-10 14:13:30 +0000 UTCFriends and family visited consecutive weeks; my husband's car went out on the side of the road with a plume of smoke from the engine (he's fine!!! Just understandably sad about his ride); related, we're car shopping; and I'm waiting to hear back from a client re: their approval of my sketch for their commission. In short, life happens with a vengeance! Painting updates will resume next week. Meanwhile, please enjoy this glimpse into the ways of my studio!
Frugality is a tool just like a paint brush or a favorite pencil. I've never had much, but I've always had art; I do my best to both give back and extend what I'm given as much as possible.
I've been wanting a tiny standing shelf for a specific corner of my studio. The dimensions needed were so unusual--9" long x 12" deep x 30" high--that I was about to give up and build one, but lo! Habitat Restore came through with a $5 ornate wire shelf the perfect dimensions. It was missing it's original (presumably glass) top, but a piece of pine cut to fit only cost me $2 at our hardware store. Add a little spray paint and contact paper leftover from other projects, and viola!
The stained glass lamp was also $5 from Habitat Restore. Yeah, baby!
When friends gift me free mat board, I cut what I need, then pass on the rest. In this instance, I dropped a curated pile of off-cuts at my favorite locally owned art supply store for them to use and/or give out for free. I held onto these mat pieces longer than I should have--they were such good colors and materials!--but no amount of brainstorming resulted in a suitable use. Time to share the wealth!
My last round of gifted mats came in heavy-duty clear vinyl plastic sleeves with giant pieces of cardboard for stiffness. Cue a painting sale and the need for a custom box!
Pssst! The 5 x 7" black and white rug in my studio was also free, thanks to a friend who was moving. The pink velvet comforter and matching pillowcase was a $5 thrifting find. You get the idea. ;P
I always double-box paintings for their safety, especially when framed with glass. This piece proved an odd size, so after finding the inner box, I built the outer box around it and a generous layer of packing material. Bonus shout-out to the friends who keep me in free bubble wrap!
A full breakdown of my packing process was covered in one of my favorite--and most thorough!--Patreon posts a few years ago: https://www.patreon.com/posts/47537476/
The remaining vinyl sleeves found a second life via an ongoing house project: Double-paning our windows!
Our 1890s windows are in amazing physical shape but on the drafty side in winter. Shrink-wrap is a no-go with our feline trio, so I researched DIY interior storm windows. I've been gradually working my way around the house with thin plexiglass cut to fit the interior panes, but the clear vinyl proved thick enough to finish the kitchen, with the rest destined for the bedroom window. Once caulked into place, you can't even tell it's there.
I hope you've enjoyed this peek into my frugal ways. Here's to less laughing with/at the universe and more art next week!
