born on the fourth of july
For most Americans, the fourth of July is about celebrating our independence. As I was growing up, that was the same for us, but there was an added celebration in our family. It was my Opa’s birthday. And he didn’t shrug off his birthday as most people do when they age. He declared his special […]
number one
On my @marianparsonsart Instagram, I shared my very first oil painting along with this caption… Number one. This was my first attempt at oil painting just over two years ago. You can see my tentative use of the paint. The barely-there stippled cloud declares my uncertainty. The mishandling of the colors and weak composition show […]
a new latch & knob for the pie safe
On Friday, I took care of another annoying project that was so small it hasn’t even been on any to-do lists. The pie safe in our foyer needed a new latch… Ever since I bought it several years ago, it’s had a hook and eye latch on it that was functional, but it looked out […]
options for the master bedroom
Last week, I shared that our master bedroom was not quite finished and I was mulling over some ideas for how to take this beautiful room and push it over the edge. I received so many wonderful ideas, thoughts, and suggestions on that post, so thank you for that. As I read your comments and […]
“cover bands don’t change the world”
I love Todd Henry’s quote from the Accidental Creative podcast, “Cover bands don’t change the world. Don’t be a cover band.” Initially, I took the quote at face value. Right. Do your own thing. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot more lately and getting a little deeper with it. It really is not […]
painting the living room trim
Back in March, my mom and I installed a chair rail and picture frame molding in the living room (along with the basement guest room and 1/2 bath.) You can find the tutorial HERE. Since then, painting below the chair rail has been hanging out on my to-do list…languishing there. It’s one of those projects […]
all things lavender
When I shared my “secret” for making my house smell nice, I received several requests here and on Instagram to share the exact lavender products I use. Well, I aim to please, so here are the products I use in our home… Actually, before I show you the specific products, I’m going to make a […]
What’s missing from your room?
A few months ago, I was writing some content for a potential book project and I discovered that I was talking more to myself than to anyone else. I was saying something to the effect of, “If you’re feeling stuck in a room, the likely culprit is the lack of a statement piece.” As soon […]