Tag: art challenge

No Buy 2026: What, Why and How

~ Ari October ~ Leave a comment
Small poster made from an index card reads: NO BUY 26 Jan 15 2026 through Jan 15 2027 Clothes If you need it sew it you have plenty already. Art supplies Markers, pens, pencils, paint use up your stash pan it. Fabric Get it for free at the library Books use the library, Libby Dolls and toys Appreciate what you already have
This is a mini poster I created for my closet door as a constant reminder of what I’m doing and why. Also makes a good TLDR for this post!

What

This year I will not be buying anything from the following five categories:

  • Clothes
  • Art Supplies
  • Fabric
  • Books
  • Dolls & Toys

Why

First of all, it just so happens to be convenient timing that I am starting this challenge at the beginning of the year. It could have been the middle of August and I still would have chosen to do a 365 day No Spend Challenge given the circumstances I had put myself into. This No Buy started on the 15th of January and will continue until the 15th of next January.

Let’s talk about the circumstances that led to me taking on this challenge:

I realized that I had prioritized buying little plastic women over my physical needs, when it occurred to me how much trouble I was having sleeping on my old mattress. With no money left to address this issue, I hit a rock bottom.

Debt is something I have feared for most of my life after seeing my parents struggle under the burden of it. So the fact that I got into even a small amount of debt in order to pay for a DOLL of all things absolutely baffles me. Retrospectively I really can’t believe I did that!!

One shouldn’t use pay-in-4 for a piece of plastic. Going into unsecured debt for things we can objectively live without, especially novelty items, is honestly ridiculous. I am really glad I realized this before I had done even more damage.

And while I do love many of the dolls I purchased, I could have purchased them slower and more sustainably. It would have been wiser to spread out my purchases in order to fit them into the confines of my small budget, instead of stretching my budget to fit my voracious appetite.

Not to mention how spoiled this was making my daughter, since I share my collection with her. I saw it affecting her too. She got used to frequent shopping trips and would influence me to buy even more. I’ve had to explain this No Buy to her and apologize for my behavior. I’m grounded, I told her! Surprisingly, she has taken this quite well.

My goal is to deprioritize shopping and no longer have it be a hobby for me. I am sick of feeling like anything short of prowling through thrift stores is boring, and I’m running out of space for more stuff anyway!

Most importantly, I want to embrace an abundance mindset and appreciate what I already have.

How

Not buying things isn’t always as simple as it sounds, so I had to make a plan of action. Each category has its own plan so I will break this part into five chunks.

Category #1: Clothes

Not only do I have more clothes than I actually wear on a regular basis, (despite having a notably smaller wardrobe than practically everyone I know,) but I’ve also spent much of the last year learning machine sewing and the basics of garment drafting and construction. If I am truly in need of something I can ask around or sew it myself.

I believe this category will be extremely easy. I will also not be needing any new bags or accessories. Shoes likely won’t be an issue either because I already have a backup replacement of my everyday shoes waiting in my closet. My hardcore minimalist phase taught me I need significantly less clothes than I had originally thought.

Category #2: Art Supplies

I’ve done this before. I only made it to the end of October, but 10 months of not buying is still a big deal and a huge victory in my books! However, I am confident in my ability to stick it out through the whole 12 months this time.

In my opinion I have not been using what I have enough to justify how much I own. In fact I’ve actually been continuously on a Low Buy since that initial No Buy, and I still feel like I have way too much, even after many rounds of decluttering.

I feel like I make more art when I’m limited to just one art supply, like a single ballpoint pen, which is kind of what I’ve been doing lately. I tried Inktober again this year, and for fun I decided to make it Pinktober. I was only allowed to use pink art supplies. This mostly resulted in me only using a pink ballpoint pen. I am still working on that challenge and that sketchbook!! It might take me all year but I will get it done eventually.

I am going to count jewelry making supplies in this category as well. Findings can be purchased if necessary to complete a project, but any beads or charms will have to wait. I have plenty already. And I have polymer clay, as well as resin, to make my own! It’s even more gratifying to make something completely from scratch anyway.

Category #3: Fabric

This one is a little more complicated, because I am still very much allowed to acquire fabric, I just can’t be spending any money on it. This is because my local library has a fantastic fabric swap, apparently we have a huge local quilting community! There is so much fabric I can acquire for free, there’s really no good reason for me to spend money on this category.

Notions can be purchased as necessary to complete a project. However, I’m required to shop my stash first and see if there isn’t a suitable substitute.

Category #4: Books

Quite simply, I do not read physical books enough to justify buying any more, and I am running out of room to store them!

Thanks to the ADHD I’m far more of an audiobook person, I process books better and remember them more clearly when I’m listening and doing something simple and repetitive with my hands. Like drawing, or hand sewing!

I have a fantastic library system at my disposal, that comes with a large catalog on Libby as well. This is a privilege denied to many. It’s not like I don’t use it though, more than half of the books I’ve purchased come from my library’s book sale!

Considering my very limited income, it’s silly that I’m spending any money on books that I don’t even read when I could just check them out instead. Libraries are awesome!

Category #5: Dolls and Toys

Ah yes, the category that started this whole thing! It was really hard for me to add this, everything else is so easy in comparison, but it is probably the most important category for me to tackle. It sounds so silly because mass manufactured toys, mere fancy pieces of plastic, are not at all essential.

The fact of the matter is that I was being influenced into purchasing more than I really needed to. I have noticed it has been quite easy not to buy dolls because I have significantly cut back on my doll related media consumption. When it comes to dolltube, I only watch restoration and crafting videos now. I am not allowed to watch shop-with-me, hauls, unboxings, or review type content anymore.

Even though my YouTube channel about my doll hobby originally started with thrift haul restorations, I have decided to change my focus but keep making videos. I am going to make the kind of content I want to see, doll appreciation videos that do not center around buying and accumulating.

Primarily I will be restoring dolls I already own, sewing them clothes, and crafting accessories for them. I will also openly discuss my No Buy whenever it feels relevant. I have stopped calling myself a doll collector and moved towards the label of doll enthusiast instead.

In conclusion

I really just need to de-center shopping as a hobby and pastime. I already see the benefits and it hasn’t been that long. At the time of writing this, it has been 21 days since I’ve made any purchases in any of these categories. I’m past the acute withdrawal stage, I no longer feel a burning desire to go to the mall or hit up a bunch of thrift stores. I blocked eBay and Mercari on my phone as well, so that I would not be tempted by scrolling. In fact, I have these websites reroute to the shopping addiction subreddit using a site blocker add-on for Firefox!

Place your bets now! Will I succeed with a home run? Absolutely no purchases in any of these categories? Will I have just a few slip-ups here and there, getting right back on the horse every time I fall off? Or will I throw in the towel before Spring is over? Only time will tell!

Wish me luck, and hold me accountable, I’m going to need it.

Art Supply No Buy: Mid-year check in!

~ Ari October ~ 1 Comment

Last week I let you all know that I had made a mistake and broke my No Buy rules. I never really laid my rules out in a list, so I’ll give that a go now:

  • No purchasing new art supplies, duh!
  • Replacements and refills ONLY and only when genuinely necessary.
  • Borrowing is only okay occasionally, prioritize using owned supplies.
  • Buying things that aren’t necessarily art supplies with the intention to use them as art supplies is NOT allowed.
  • Upcycling trash is allowed, but buying something you wouldn’t have bought with the intention of upcycling the packaging is NOT allowed.
  • Trying free digital art programs is okay, taking free traditional art supplies is not.
  • Organizational items (such as pencil pouches, desk organizers) don’t count as art supplies and are okay to buy if there is a genuine need.
  • Art supply gifts should be discouraged, but if given by someone ignorant of the No Buy may still be accepted. Don’t use gifted items until 2023 unless they would become unusable by then.
  • Buying art merch from fellow small artists, such as stickers, prints, or pin buttons, is ok and actually encouraged.
  • Don’t look for loopholes, if it feels like it would violate the rules then it would.
  • If you stumble or fall just pick yourself back up and keep going. You haven’t failed unless you give up entirely.

(All instances of the word “you” in that list are referring to myself, but feel free to follow my rules if you like them and think they would apply to your own No Buy!)

Now that I’ve laid down the rules, we can see that I have violated the first rule once by buying a phone stylus that doubles as a ballpoint pen. Since this is my first and only slip-up this entire year so far I am actually quite proud of myself! This whole thing is turning out to be a lot easier than I expected.

Since I am not buying any art supplies until 2023 I started a shopping list for when the No Buy is finally over. Only items I think would truly benefit me made this list, there have been many temptations but these all feel like logical purchases!

  • Pentel pocket brush pen
  • Magnetic drawing board toy
  • Top coat for acrylic painting
  • Base coat for acrylic painting
  • Button press machine

The Pentel pocket brush pen is something I’ve only heard good things about and definitely suits my art style. I love using brushes, I love refillable things, and I love things that are very portable. It would definitely be great for limiting my supplies for my travel sketchbook. I have had black brush pens before, such as the Sakura Pigma brush pen, but never ones with bristles and never refillable. This may actually be the item I look forward to most, though it is small and simple I think it will be a game changer.

The magnetic drawing board will be perfect for my daughter and I to get creative together as she will be just the right age to start doodling when the No Buy is over. I also just want one for myself to revisit childhood memories and make some low-effort art without the guilt of “wasting” paper!

Painting rocks is something I’ve really wanted to get into for a while now, especially because a local park we go to actually requests you paint rocks and leave them there! It doesn’t feel right to start now though, as I have so much paper to get through, and it really is advised to use a top coat to seal the rocks so they will last longer outside.

The button press machine is a big pricey investment, especially since I don’t plan on selling pins for profit, but it is something I have wanted for over 5 years. The first time I got to use one was at a pride festival and since then I have always thought it would be awesome to make my own pins and help others make some too!

The shopping list definitely soothes my anxiety about things I think I “Need To Have” because I know I can survive another 6 months without them and I won’t forget anything important. I can always add or remove items as my needs change as well. It gives me lots of time to think about the item and I won’t make any impulse purchases. I really think this shopping list is probably the thing helping me the most through this challenge so far, otherwise I may have slipped up (in a more serious way) by now!

I don’t really consider buying that stylus pen a true slip up because it was a genuine accident. I was rushing to get in and out of the Dollar Tree as fast as possible, I didn’t take time to look at the item thoroughly, and honestly my No Buy was the furthest thing from my mind that night. Accidents happen and there’s no point in dwelling on something so silly. Nonetheless I still found it important to hold myself accountable, I can learn from my mistake and avoid doing the same thing again in the future.

Recently I have decluttered even more art supplies that I haven’t touched the entire first half of this year, many of which suited my mom’s needs so they went to her. Anything else went to the local charity that will give them away for free to families in need. I started my minimalism journey in 2019 and since then I have come to believe if I am not using something it is selfish of me to hold on to it when someone else could be using it. I still tend to hold onto things for quite a while before deciding to get rid of them, because sometimes things do come in handy later on.

I find it incredibly rewarding to pass an item on to someone who will value it so much more than I do, especially because I understand exactly how it feels to be on the receiving end, I grew up very poor and the same charity I donate to now served me and my family back then. The markers I regretted buying probably made a huge difference in a child’s life, and because of that I no longer regret buying them. When I end up donating something I regret purchasing. I just keep in mind that it’s like buying a gift for someone else, and that puts my mind at ease. I won’t let the sunk cost fallacy keep me prisoner any longer!

In summary, so far so good. I look forward to finishing this year out strong, hopefully with no more accidents! I will not let one tiny mistake ruin all the progress I have made over these last 6 months. I hope the lessons I learn from this No Buy will stay with me through the rest of my life, and maybe I won’t have the need to do No Buys in the future. I already feel that I have learned a lot about myself, my art, and my shopping habits through the first 6 months of this challenge.

My next No Buy check-in will be in a few months, probably around the beginning of Autumn. There should be plenty of new posts between now and then, so I’ll see you in the next one. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Art supply “No Buy” 2022?!

~ Ari October ~ 2 Comments

Recently I was gifted a pack of 60 acrylic paint markers from my partner, and a box easel from her dad! I’ve always wanted an easel, and I really love paint markers, so obviously this made me very happy.

I also bought myself the 320 pack of Ohuhu bullet/chisel duel tip markers (HUGE splurge, wow that was expensive!), 2 sets of 16 count 2oz Craft Smart acrylic paints, and a pad of Canson Oil & Acrylic paper.

I have a LOT of art supplies. I have decluttered them a few times, but I always end up buying more because my brain wants a shiny new thing. I have more unfinished sketchbooks on hand than I want to admit, and a whole cabinet of art supplies just collecting dust. In a lot of aspects I’m a minimalist, but art supplies are my weakness!

Quite simply, I am an art supply hoarder. No surprise there, I used to hoard everything, not just art supplies! It’s just a lot easier to talk myself into thinking I need a new art supply rather than the other random junk I used to accumulate.

So I’ve decided to take on a new challenge to hopefully make far more use of the things I already own… a No Buy year. Can I truly commit to not buying any new art supplies for a whole year? Only time will tell. I’m sure it can be done, but I have to be responsible and disciplined.

I’m not sure if I will allow myself to buy replacements for things I run out of. Maybe if it feels genuinely urgent for some reason. My Molotow liquid chrome marker is something I might consider getting another refill for if I were to somehow go through the entire refill I already have, as it’s my absolute favorite art supply. But maybe I shouldn’t!

I have so many things I need to use (or realize I’ll never use and thus donate) so it might be a good thing to run out of my favorite things! I do have a drawing tablet (an older Wacom, none of those fancy ones with the screens haha) so technically even if I ran out of ALL my traditional supplies I could still make art.

Since my problem is specifically hoarding and not just finances, I will also not allow myself to aquire new supplies for free unless I have a genuine need. If I completely run out of paper I may use scraps from the recycling bin for example, but otherwise, no free supplies from the charity, and I’ll have to tell people not to get me art supplies as gifts either.

Maybe in the future I can make a post where I catalog ALL of my art supplies. Maybe seeing it all in one place, KonMari style, will help me realize how bad the problem really is! And maybe I’d be able to declutter some things right away, things I know I truly do not need.

I’ll try to keep y’all updated with this challenge, as a way to hold myself accountable. Wish me luck!

An art challenge that did not go as planned- a successful failure!

~ Ari October ~ Leave a comment

Armed with my new monogrammed lidded mug and fresh home-made poppyseed bread, I made a feeble attempt at filling 9 pieces of marker paper in 24 hours or less.

I only accomplished one piece in 5 hours, most of that time spent researching references or procrastinating, and now I’m mentally exhausted!

I’ve had this idea floating around in my head lately- “wouldn’t it be fun to try to fill an entire sketchbook in a day?” And since I haven’t touched this Strathmore marker paper pad in over a year, I asked my partner if she’d like to partake in a silly challenge with me.

There were 18 sheets left in the paper pad, which I divided into 9 sheets for each of us. I thought that if we really gave it our all we could definitely get this done in 9 hours or less… Oh how naive I was! Sure, it’s only been 5 hours since we started, but I can tell for certain there is no way we will successfully fill all 18 sheets in the next 19 hours.

For starters my partner and I are both perfectionists. Part of the point of this challenge was to overcome our perfectionism, but to the surprise of absolutely no one: that’s easier said than done. Second of all, we both have ADHD! That part speaks for itself. It’s probably hard for anyone to dedicate a whole day to one activity, but it’s especially so with ADHD in the mix. And lastly… Making art takes so much mental energy!! I was hoping we would really let loose and just do some really bad doodles… and my partner was attempting to do just that… She still ended up calling it a day after two sheets full of thumbnail sketches. I got totally sucked into wanting to make something that looked good, so in the same amount of time I only accomplished one piece. At the very least my partner got down several different ideas!

Despite all of that, I’m so happy we decided to take on this silly challenge! It got us to draw, it got us to start using up materials that have just been collecting dust, and it got our creativity flowing. We probably won’t fill up all 18 sheets in 24 hours, but even then the challenge still accomplished exactly what I hoped it would!! A very successful “failure” from my perspective.

I went into this challenge with very low expectations, knowing full well that this exact scenario might occur. I accepted the possibility of failure in advance and gave it my all anyway, and in doing so I was able to do more than I probably would have today otherwise.

It’s better to quit 15 minutes into the race than to never pass the starting line in the first place! Trophies for participation might be unnecessary, but I find that participation and the experience that comes with it is it’s own reward.

We will still try to fill up this paper pad as quickly as we can, perhaps modifying it to another “fill one page or more a day” challenge like we’ve done in the past. Definitely more manageable and a lot less pressure!!! Maybe one of these days I’ll be able to succeed at a sketchbook-in-a-day challenge, but I’m content with today not being that day.