Newburgh Vintage Emporium Warehouse
On the way home from the Country Living Fair, my mom and I thought we would stop by a few antique stores. We planned on shopping our way up to Rhinebeck, but the GPS routed us on toll roads, so we didn’t see anywhere to stop. I should’ve planned out a route ahead of time, […]
how I use AI as an artist
A couple of years ago, I signed up for a trial to use an AI photo generator. I was curious to see what kind of reference photos I could create with it. I thought it might be a good tool for generating reference photos of subjects I don’t regularly have access to, in order to […]
Shopping at Lucketts Fall Market 2026
As I shared last week, my plan for the Lucketts Fall Market was to shop Friday morning and then man my space in the afternoon. As soon as the gates opened and people wanted to purchase prints and paintings, I knew that plan was folly. I know, as a shopper, I would’ve been irritated if […]
Join the Waitlist | Pet Portraits in Oils for Beginners
As I’ve shared my pet portraits over the years, the question I’ve been asked most is, “When are you going to teach an online class on pet portraiture?” I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I wanted to refine my process and get even more hours at the easel behind me before I […]
Lucketts Fall Market 2026
Mom and I left early Friday morning to get to Lucketts in time to set up my paintings, books, and prints before the gates opened at 8:30. Jeff and I drove down the day before to drop everything off, but we left everything packed in plastic bins under a tarp. Not only was the weather […]
Display Ideas for Selling Art at a Market
I figured the 2017 Lucketts Spring Market, the last market I went to as a vendor before we moved to Minnesota, would be my last one. We had a huge crew of helpers and two 20-foot trucks packed with antiques and furniture I had sourced, painted, repaired, upholstered, tagged, loaded, unloaded, styled, photographed, and written […]
Recent Blog Posts
Newburgh Vintage Emporium Warehouse
On the way home from the Country Living Fair, my mom and I thought we would stop by a few antique stores. We planned on shopping our way up to Rhinebeck, but the GPS routed us on toll roads, so we didn’t see anywhere to stop. I should’ve planned out a route ahead of time, but I didn’t have the time to do that leading up to the event. Our drive home could be a bit more leisurely, so we
how I use AI as an artist
A couple of years ago, I signed up for a trial to use an AI photo generator. I was curious to see what kind of reference photos I could create with it. I thought it might be a good tool for generating reference photos of subjects I don’t regularly have access to, in order to take my own reference photos. I decided to start with traditional fox-hunt scenes. Oh my. The photos created were comically ridiculous and completely wrong. Wrong
Shopping at Lucketts Fall Market 2026
As I shared last week, my plan for the Lucketts Fall Market was to shop Friday morning and then man my space in the afternoon. As soon as the gates opened and people wanted to purchase prints and paintings, I knew that plan was folly. I know, as a shopper, I would’ve been irritated if things were sitting out for sale and no one was there to sell them. I took advantage of a few slow stretches to make quick
Join the Waitlist | Pet Portraits in Oils for Beginners
As I’ve shared my pet portraits over the years, the question I’ve been asked most is, “When are you going to teach an online class on pet portraiture?” I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I wanted to refine my process and get even more hours at the easel behind me before I tackled filming an online course. Well, that time is finally here. While I will always have new things to learn, and I hope I’ll continue
Lucketts Fall Market 2026
Mom and I left early Friday morning to get to Lucketts in time to set up my paintings, books, and prints before the gates opened at 8:30. Jeff and I drove down the day before to drop everything off, but we left everything packed in plastic bins under a tarp. Not only was the weather iffy, but I was sharing the tent with the lovely ladies from Twin Oaks Tavern Winery again, and they hadn’t arranged the furniture yet. We
Display Ideas for Selling Art at a Market
I figured the 2017 Lucketts Spring Market, the last market I went to as a vendor before we moved to Minnesota, would be my last one. We had a huge crew of helpers and two 20-foot trucks packed with antiques and furniture I had sourced, painted, repaired, upholstered, tagged, loaded, unloaded, styled, photographed, and written about over several months. It became overwhelming, and I needed to take a step back and do something different. I’ve sold a few things here
Country Living Fair | Lovely People & Pretty Things
It’s going to sound like a cliché, but I think the highlight of my trip to the Country Living Fair was the people I met. I connected with some friends and acquaintances I’ve known online for years, a few I haven’t seen in a long time, and some familiar faces I’ve bumped into regularly over the years. As I’ve shared before, running a business based out of your home, shared primarily online, can be lonely at times. These events give
Lucketts Fall Market 2026 Preview & Details
Bringing a few paintings to potentially sell at the Lucketts Spring Market was a test to see how my art would do there. Of course, after years of being a vendor at Lucketts, both at the markets and in the store, I had a good grasp of what would do well, but I never showed up with a booth exclusively full of art. The test went well, and I sold all of the originals and most of the prints. So,
Beekman Arms Inn | Rhinebeck, NY
Mom and I left Thursday morning to drive a little over five hours to Rhinebeck, NY, for the Country Living Fair. Our plan was to meander our way up, stopping at antique malls along the way. That plan didn’t materialize because I didn’t have much time before the trip to plan the route and choose stops. I’m usually very organized when planning shopping trips, but the weeks leading up to this event have been full. So, we just followed the
Shopping Wish List for the Country Living Fair
I have become a big believer in sharing my shopping wish lists publicly before going to an antique market. It’s a bit like wearing my “lucky sweatshirt” when the Commanders have a game (which I do), but it often proves to be effective. Remember before the Lucketts Spring Market when I posted that I was looking for an antique portrait painting similar to this one… ….and then I found the exact painting I had photographed two years prior and shared
custom cut plywood art panels
When I first started painting with oils, I bought a smattering of substrates to test. I painted on stretched canvas and linen, canvas and linen panels, oil paper, and gesso board. Over the years, I learned that I didn’t like the bounce and fragility of stretched canvas and linen. I didn’t like the texture of canvas panels, but I’m okay with the texture of a fine Belgian linen panel. I also learned that not all gessoed plywood, MDF, and hardboard
moving fast & moving slow
I intended to share more on the blog over the last couple of weeks, but my days have been busy! On top of a full plate at work, we’ve had to fit car shopping into the schedule. (If you missed why, you can read about it HERE.) I wish I could say car shopping was super fun, but it’s depressing how much a five-year-old minivan with 90k miles costs. We ended up getting a Honda Pilot (SUV), but we hit
Country Living Fair, here I come!
It is not lost on me how cool it is that I get to wake up each workday and decide what I want to do. Some of that is dictated by deadlines and commitments to clients, but since 2008, I’ve been able to jump into working on my house, refinishing a piece of furniture, doing a photoshoot, writing a blog post, or painting at the easel. In addition to getting to do creative work as a profession, I have been
Federal & Black | A gorgeous shop in Middleburg, VA
Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to drive down to the quaint town in Northern Virginia’s horse country for a book signing. I spent a beautiful late-summer afternoon at Federal & Black in historic Middleburg. First of all, everyone who came out to support me, the book, the shop, and Middleburg small businesses was awesome! I brought along my easel and some paints in case it was quiet. Working on a painting live would give me something to do and
little things that go right
Calvin had an appointment last Tuesday, and I debated whether I should go with him. If you can believe it, my youngest son turned 18 this summer, which means he can go to routine appointments on his own. At the last minute, and in a roundabout way, he asked if I would go with him. That was the first in a series of events that went right. The appointment was quick and uneventful, as expected. On the way home, though,
swapping slipcovers for fall
One of my favorite decorating books for over twenty years is New Country Style by Country Home. I remember pouring over one particular room again and again that showed how dramatically a room’s look can change by swapping out slipcovers. The room was completely transformed, and I always wanted to replicate that in my own home. I’ve shared before that I sew out of thriftiness and because it allows me to customize my home, but it’s not my favorite thing to
perfection vs. personality
Most of the time, when I’m working on a project that requires something of me physically, but allows my mind to wander – gardening, painting, cleaning, drawing, walking – I put on music or listen to a podcast or audiobook. But sometimes, I give my mind quiet to see what thoughts bubble to the surface. One day, as I was painting in a quiet studio, I thought about Vincent Van Gogh and his struggle with draftsmanship. He was on my
Move Slow & Make Things x An Acre of Land Giveaway
I was meandering through Instagram one day and came across An Acre of Land. I was immediately drawn to the photography, the styling, and the layers of feminine, generously gathered skirts. I pressed the follow button. For months, maybe even years, I would admire the clothes, which are just my style. It was the appearance of a cyanometer, though, which made me realize the creative minds behind An Acre of Land were my people. A cyanometer is a scientific/art instrument
Move Slow & Make Things | Book Launch Day!
I’ve been counting down the days to September 1, 2026, and now it’s finally here. Move Slow & Make Things is now officially on the market! I cannot express how excited I am that the book is finally available, and I am eagerly awaiting feedback from those who read it. My hope is the book will be an encouragement, a pep talk, and that anyone who reads it will feel pulled to lean into curiosity, to gain a fresh perspective,
Why I take pictures at art museums
When I went to the Louvre in the fall of 2018, it was my first time visiting a museum as an adult who truly appreciated art. Of course, Mom and I sought out the Mona Lisa. It’s just something you need to do if you’re a tourist at the Louvre. At the time, you didn’t have to wait in a line to access it. We simply followed the signs and knew we made it to the right room when we
I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.
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From the very first coat of paint to custom cabinetry, Marian has been slowly transforming her 1970s split-level into a home filled with charm, character, and creative vision. Explore room-by-room updates, clever DIYs, and the stories woven into each renovation project. It’s a work in progress—and that’s part of the beauty.
In the Studio
Artistic Endeavors
how I use AI as an artist
A couple of years ago, I signed up for a trial to use an AI photo generator. I was curious to see what kind of reference photos I could create with it. I thought it might be a good tool for generating reference photos of subjects I don’t regularly have access to, in order to take my own reference photos. I decided to start with traditional fox-hunt scenes. Oh my. The photos created were comically ridiculous and completely wrong. Wrong
Join the Waitlist | Pet Portraits in Oils for Beginners
As I’ve shared my pet portraits over the years, the question I’ve been asked most is, “When are you going to teach an online class on pet portraiture?” I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I wanted to refine my process and get even more hours at the easel behind me before I tackled filming an online course. Well, that time is finally here. While I will always have new things to learn, and I hope I’ll continue
Lucketts Fall Market 2026
Mom and I left early Friday morning to get to Lucketts in time to set up my paintings, books, and prints before the gates opened at 8:30. Jeff and I drove down the day before to drop everything off, but we left everything packed in plastic bins under a tarp. Not only was the weather iffy, but I was sharing the tent with the lovely ladies from Twin Oaks Tavern Winery again, and they hadn’t arranged the furniture yet. We
Lucketts Fall Market 2026 Preview & Details
Bringing a few paintings to potentially sell at the Lucketts Spring Market was a test to see how my art would do there. Of course, after years of being a vendor at Lucketts, both at the markets and in the store, I had a good grasp of what would do well, but I never showed up with a booth exclusively full of art. The test went well, and I sold all of the originals and most of the prints. So,
custom cut plywood art panels
When I first started painting with oils, I bought a smattering of substrates to test. I painted on stretched canvas and linen, canvas and linen panels, oil paper, and gesso board. Over the years, I learned that I didn’t like the bounce and fragility of stretched canvas and linen. I didn’t like the texture of canvas panels, but I’m okay with the texture of a fine Belgian linen panel. I also learned that not all gessoed plywood, MDF, and hardboard
moving fast & moving slow
I intended to share more on the blog over the last couple of weeks, but my days have been busy! On top of a full plate at work, we’ve had to fit car shopping into the schedule. (If you missed why, you can read about it HERE.) I wish I could say car shopping was super fun, but it’s depressing how much a five-year-old minivan with 90k miles costs. We ended up getting a Honda Pilot (SUV), but we hit
Seasonal
Fall
tucking in the garden for winter
This is our fourth fall in this house, and I think we have finally figured out how to best deal with the leaves from the six large maple trees on our property. The first fall, we had just moved in and were completely overwhelmed by them. Our amazing neighbors jumped in and used their two riding mowers to help us out. Since then, Jeff (primarily) and I have been trying to figure out a system to stay on top of
simple, natural fall mantel | autumn decorating
In the very early years of my blogging career, I connected with Layla of the Lettered Cottage. I was smitten with her design aesthetic and eye for styling. We both wrote tutorials for HGTV.com (you can find mine HERE) and wrote and contributed photography for several of the same editors and magazines. We met at a few blog conferences over the years and even partnered on the very first Chapel Market hosted by her community in Alabama. As another fun
fall baking with Walmart
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walmart and contains affiliate links. As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own. As the chilly weather has started to show up more consistently, I find myself in the mood to do some baking. I actually really enjoy baking, but I don’t do it very often since I also like to eat baked goods! But, baking a dozen apple cinnamon muffins seemed like a pretty safe bit of fall baking
fall entertaining with Walmart
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walmart. As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own. Last week was the first week that felt like fall and it was glorious. I mourn that the pool has become a polar bear swimming experience, but that is about all I’ll miss about summer. I love it when cooler weather comes in and I can don my hoodies and slippers. I also love decorating during fall and winter perhaps more
outdoor fall entertaining with Walmart
Disclosure; This post is sponsored by . As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own. I have partnered with many times over the years and I am excited to be working with them in our new home. An advantage to moving into a home in late September is that we are entering one of the most beautiful, outdoor-entertaining-friendly weather of the year. It’s usually pleasant outside, not too buggy, not too muggy, and nature starts to
Bavarian Pretzels (Bretzels) Recipe
For Christmas, I got a cookbook called . It’s an excellent book if you’re interested in learning about or improving your bread baking. As I read through it, I was surprised to see a recipe for German/Bavarian soft pretzels (bretzels.) These delicious soft pretzels spilled over the German border into France and were adopted by the region of Alsace. For those who don’t know, I’m a military brat who spent most of my childhood in Germany and soft pretzels were
at home
All Things Home
Newburgh Vintage Emporium Warehouse
On the way home from the Country Living Fair, my mom and I thought we would stop by a few antique stores. We planned on shopping our way up to Rhinebeck, but the GPS routed us on toll roads, so we didn’t see anywhere to stop. I should’ve planned out a route ahead of time, but I didn’t have the time to do that leading up to the event. Our drive home could be a bit more leisurely, so we
Shopping at Lucketts Fall Market 2026
As I shared last week, my plan for the Lucketts Fall Market was to shop Friday morning and then man my space in the afternoon. As soon as the gates opened and people wanted to purchase prints and paintings, I knew that plan was folly. I know, as a shopper, I would’ve been irritated if things were sitting out for sale and no one was there to sell them. I took advantage of a few slow stretches to make quick
Lucketts Fall Market 2026
Mom and I left early Friday morning to get to Lucketts in time to set up my paintings, books, and prints before the gates opened at 8:30. Jeff and I drove down the day before to drop everything off, but we left everything packed in plastic bins under a tarp. Not only was the weather iffy, but I was sharing the tent with the lovely ladies from Twin Oaks Tavern Winery again, and they hadn’t arranged the furniture yet. We
Display Ideas for Selling Art at a Market
I figured the 2017 Lucketts Spring Market, the last market I went to as a vendor before we moved to Minnesota, would be my last one. We had a huge crew of helpers and two 20-foot trucks packed with antiques and furniture I had sourced, painted, repaired, upholstered, tagged, loaded, unloaded, styled, photographed, and written about over several months. It became overwhelming, and I needed to take a step back and do something different. I’ve sold a few things here
Country Living Fair | Lovely People & Pretty Things
It’s going to sound like a cliché, but I think the highlight of my trip to the Country Living Fair was the people I met. I connected with some friends and acquaintances I’ve known online for years, a few I haven’t seen in a long time, and some familiar faces I’ve bumped into regularly over the years. As I’ve shared before, running a business based out of your home, shared primarily online, can be lonely at times. These events give
Shopping Wish List for the Country Living Fair
I have become a big believer in sharing my shopping wish lists publicly before going to an antique market. It’s a bit like wearing my “lucky sweatshirt” when the Commanders have a game (which I do), but it often proves to be effective. Remember before the Lucketts Spring Market when I posted that I was looking for an antique portrait painting similar to this one… ….and then I found the exact painting I had photographed two years prior and shared
Everyday Moments
A Slice of Life
Country Living Fair | Lovely People & Pretty Things
It’s going to sound like a cliché, but I think the highlight of my trip to the Country Living Fair was the people I met. I connected with some friends and acquaintances I’ve known online for years, a few I haven’t seen in a long time, and some familiar faces I’ve bumped into regularly over the years. As I’ve shared before, running a business based out of your home, shared primarily online, can be lonely at times. These events give
Beekman Arms Inn | Rhinebeck, NY
Mom and I left Thursday morning to drive a little over five hours to Rhinebeck, NY, for the Country Living Fair. Our plan was to meander our way up, stopping at antique malls along the way. That plan didn’t materialize because I didn’t have much time before the trip to plan the route and choose stops. I’m usually very organized when planning shopping trips, but the weeks leading up to this event have been full. So, we just followed the
Federal & Black | A gorgeous shop in Middleburg, VA
Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to drive down to the quaint town in Northern Virginia’s horse country for a book signing. I spent a beautiful late-summer afternoon at Federal & Black in historic Middleburg. First of all, everyone who came out to support me, the book, the shop, and Middleburg small businesses was awesome! I brought along my easel and some paints in case it was quiet. Working on a painting live would give me something to do and
little things that go right
Calvin had an appointment last Tuesday, and I debated whether I should go with him. If you can believe it, my youngest son turned 18 this summer, which means he can go to routine appointments on his own. At the last minute, and in a roundabout way, he asked if I would go with him. That was the first in a series of events that went right. The appointment was quick and uneventful, as expected. On the way home, though,
perfection vs. personality
Most of the time, when I’m working on a project that requires something of me physically, but allows my mind to wander – gardening, painting, cleaning, drawing, walking – I put on music or listen to a podcast or audiobook. But sometimes, I give my mind quiet to see what thoughts bubble to the surface. One day, as I was painting in a quiet studio, I thought about Vincent Van Gogh and his struggle with draftsmanship. He was on my
Move Slow & Make Things x An Acre of Land Giveaway
I was meandering through Instagram one day and came across An Acre of Land. I was immediately drawn to the photography, the styling, and the layers of feminine, generously gathered skirts. I pressed the follow button. For months, maybe even years, I would admire the clothes, which are just my style. It was the appearance of a cyanometer, though, which made me realize the creative minds behind An Acre of Land were my people. A cyanometer is a scientific/art instrument