All Things Winter

As winter arrives and the world transforms into a snow-covered wonderland, we welcome you to experience the enchanting world of holiday magic. Marian’s winter and Christmas blog posts are a treasure trove of inspiration, where we celebrate the joys of this special time of year. From festive decor to heartwarming traditions, creative DIY projects to delectable holiday recipes, our winter wonderland is a place where we share the beauty and warmth of the season. Come, explore, and embrace the spirit of winter and Christmas with us.

1970 Kitchen Renovation

Explore insights, inspiring design ideas, and transformational tips as Marian breathes new life into her kitchen. From vintage charm to modern elegance, follow her blog posts to uncover the art of creating a timeless and functional culinary haven. Discover the beauty of every step, from selecting appliances and countertops to incorporating unique elements that make this renovation a true masterpiece.

Miss Mustard Seed Wrapping Paper

Add a personal touch to your gifts with Marian’s custom-designed wrapping paper, now available on Society6. Explore her exquisite collection of unique patterns and illustrations, crafted with love and creativity. Elevate your gift-giving experience and make each present truly special with this one-of-a-kind wrapping paper. Shop now and bring joy to your loved ones with artful and personalized packaging.

Find Inspiration & Encouragement

Welcome to the Miss Mustard Seed’s blog, where creativity, vintage charm, and farmhouse elegance come to life. Explore inspiring DIY projects, furniture makeovers, and curated vintage finds that infuse warmth and personality into your home. Discover budget-friendly ideas, painting techniques, and creative inspiration that will elevate your living spaces with love and creativity. Welcome to a haven of creative possibilities where you can create a home that tells your unique story.

to customize your house to feel like home

to nurture your creativity & artistic growth

to find new favorites & never stop growing 

Original Art

Commissioned Paintings

Miss Mustard Seed’s

Most Recent Posts

the card room green living room

the card room green living room

Last week, I shared about the fireplace mantel we built for our living room fireplace and you can read about that HERE.  While the room is still in the works and I'm in the middle of decorating the...

read more
how to make a dried orange slice garland

how to make a dried orange slice garland

For the past few years, I have used dried orange slices in my Christmas decorating in various ways.  I've tucked them into garlands, swags, and wreaths and made them into ornaments to hang from the...

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Kitchen Christmas wreath

Kitchen Christmas wreath

I have been gathering materials to make a wreath to hang on our kitchen range hood since October in the hopes that I could make a tutorial and share all of the exact materials for those who would...

read more
antique-style fireplace mantel reveal

antique-style fireplace mantel reveal

Earlier this week, I shared about the antique-style fireplace mantel we built to replace the simple mantel shelf.  You can find more details about how we built that mantel in THIS POST.  I really...

read more
the race vs. the pace of Christmas

the race vs. the pace of Christmas

I have loved Christmas for as long as I remember.  I have been blessed to have happy memories of Christmas with my family and it's always been my favorite time of the year.  I love the food, the...

read more

Feels Like Home

Marian’s new book on customizing your home is
now available!

Miss Mustard Seed’s YouTube

This channel shows a progression of my business from my early years of painting and refinishing furniture and dealing antiques to my current passions of art, painting, and design. I just love all things creative and I love encouraging and inspiring other to discover and use their creative gifts.

Free Art Classes

While most of the world was under stay-at-home orders in the Spring of 2020, I connected with my online community by offering live art classes every Friday for a few weeks.  It was such a pick-me-up for me each week!  I received wonderful feedback from the class participants who joined me live or have taken the classes since, so I decided to put them into an online course format and offer them for free.  Sign up and learn to paint with oils in nine classes that cover everything from making a color chart to painting a grazing cow…

Recipes, projects, and decorating ideas for Fall

Embrace the beauty of autumn with our fall-inspired posts. From cozy home decor to delectable recipes, we’re here to celebrate the season of crisp air, warm colors, and pumpkin-spiced everything. Join us as we share the best of fall and inspire you to create memorable moments this season.

Marian’s Home Tours

Maryland Home
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Marian shares her journey of transforming her new 1970s Maryland home into a modern marvel. Discover inspiring renovations that marry vintage elegance with contemporary flair. Explore her latest blog posts, featuring DIY projects, interior design ideas, and budget-friendly tips that breathe new life into this charming abode. Delight in the art of renovation and witness the magic of infusing every corner with personality and timeless allure. Join Marian on this exciting chapter of her Maryland home transformation and uncover a treasure trove of creativity and inspiration.

Latest Posts by Topic

All Things Home
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the card room green living room

the card room green living room

Last week, I shared about the fireplace mantel we built for our living room fireplace and you can read about that HERE.  While the room is still in the works and I'm in the middle of decorating the house for Christmas, I wanted to show a bit more of the room.  I made...

Artistic Endeavors
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the patina of practice

the patina of practice

I saw this post a few weeks ago on Instagram...     View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Araminta Sainsbury (@minty_sainsbury) And I just loved it.  I love that the artist saved all of her pencil nubs, 272 of them created and collected over 8...

Creative Business
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Lucketts Spring Market 2023

Lucketts Spring Market 2023

I feel like I'm going home in a way!  The Lucketts Spring Market was a big event in my business for almost a decade and it's so fun to be back.  I'm just going as a shopper on VIP day, which is a lot less work than being a vendor!  In case you have never heard of...

Furniture Makeovers
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adding a new shelf to an antique pine hutch

adding a new shelf to an antique pine hutch

When it comes to knocking projects out, I have learned that it helps to pay attention to the tools and materials I have out and try to hit projects that need those same tools and materials.  For example, while the sewing machine is out and threads are all over the...

Slice of Life
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the race vs. the pace of Christmas

the race vs. the pace of Christmas

I have loved Christmas for as long as I remember.  I have been blessed to have happy memories of Christmas with my family and it's always been my favorite time of the year.  I love the food, the music, the baking, the decorating, the presents, the surprises, the...

Tutorials

I love learning and sharing what I’ve learned with others.  Since 2009, I’ve been writing and filming tutorials on everything from furniture refinishing and slipcovers to woodworking and crochet.  What would you like to learn to do today?

Try Something New

Refinishing Furniture
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Fine Art
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Upholstery
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Knitting & Crochet
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Sewing
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