Hello and welcome to Blue Thistle Studio!



      I'm so happy to have you here!  You probably want to know a little more about me, and I hope this answers any questions you may have about what I do and my background.

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       My name is Mary, and I offer a unique line of handmade special occasion and blank note cards through Blue Thistle Paperie, a tiny subdivision of Blue Thistle Studio.  Many of my handmade cards are one of a kind, and I continually strive to showcase beautifully patterned papers, fabrics, and eye-catching embellishments.  In my vintage-inspired greeting cards, I try to evoke a nostalgia for the simpler days of the past.  And as an unabashed tree hugger, my limited edition birch bark cards speak to the nature lover in all of us.  I also create limited edition gift tags and cupcake toppers.  A selection of my handmade paper goods are available for purchase at Flourish Market in West Stockbridge, MA, by visiting flourishmarket.com, and at local craft fairs in the Berkshires.

     

       Non-paper items, like my line of hand-poured, scented soy candles in a curated selection of vintage container vessels and my seashell guest soaps wrapped in eye-catching patterned papers can also be found at Flourish Market in West Stockbridge, MA.  They can also be purchased by shopping online at flourishmarket.com, and by shopping at local craft fairs in the Berkshires. 

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       A selection of personalized, hand-stamped wedding & special event drawstring favor bags (made from neutral muslin fabric), along with a small selection of vintage home decor are available for purchase online from my Etsy shop under the shop name BlueThistleStudio2. 

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​      Years of visual merchandising and photo styling in various retail settings have instilled in me a deep love for the art of photography, and I offer photo greeting cards as part of my collection.  I draw inspiration from my background in the decorative arts as well as the enchanting and ever-changing landscapes of the Berkshires and Northeast in all of my photographic pursuits.  For me, the intersection of botanical subjects with vernacular and well-worn details, be it the peeling paint of an old barn, a stack of old books, or the weathered patina found in coastal New England are endlessly fascinating.  A small sampling of my photography can be found under the Gallery tab at the top of this page.  

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     After three years of writing my blog, Cottage B at Home ~ Vintage Country Living, I have made the decision to put it to rest so that I can spend less time writing content and more time creating handmade items from the heart.  For those who followed along with me on that journey, I thank you for your interest!

 

      I'm a graduate of Parsons School of Design, where I earned my Master's Degree in the History of Decorative Arts.  In addition, I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree during my undergraduate studies, where I studied ceramics and metalworking.

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      I reside in the beautiful Berkshires with my husband and our rascally golden retriever, Aspen, shown below relaxing on her favorite rug.

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        Dreaming of my next project,

                 Mary

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