King Louis & Sky Miles | IOP Dog Reunions
Each morning, as we walk and collect shells on the beach, there is also a dog party happening. At Isle of Palms, dogs are allowed off their leashes to run free for a few hours each morning, and both owners and dogs take advantage. Dogs are running in the surf, chasing balls, playing with each […]
shelling diaries 2026 | part two
While we’ve all been getting lots of steps from walking on the beach. Jeff has been the grand champion with over 24,000 steps each day. (I’ve been clocking in 15,000-20,000.) Since he’s been covering so much ground, we asked him to do some shell reconnaissance for us. He found some gray olives and whelks for […]
four things | sixty-seven
It’s Four Things: Isle of Palms edition! We’ve been at the beach since last Friday, so we’ve been going for lots of walks, eating great Lowcountry food, preparing for the annual shell-collection competition, doing puzzles, playing Bananagrams, and visiting family. We always have a grand time, and it’s been a great week. Here are my […]
the top three questions about shelling
Every year, when I’m sharing our shelling adventures on social media, the same three questions pop up, so I thought I would share the answers all in one place. Where are you shelling? We are at the Isle of Palms in South Carolina. We’ve been coming here for Spring Break for several years, and […]
shelling diaries 2026 | part one
We are back in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, for Spring Break. We love coming this time of year because it’s still “off season”, so it isn’t crowded, and it’s rarely overly hot. We can still have some warm, sticky days, and we do risk having gloomy, cold days that aren’t great for the beach, […]
revisiting a special place in Florence
On our last two visits to Florence, Mom and I tried to find a specific place: a piazza where my brother and I each sat for a pastel portrait. We even described it to the private guide who led us around the city in 2019, and she wasn’t sure where we could find it. We […]
Recent Blog Posts
four things | thirty-nine
I decided I would take a few days off from posting here on the blog next week to be gentle with myself. I have some due dates for other work projects fast approaching, and I need to acknowledge that it’s okay to set a few things aside so I can get the work done while still having margin. I knew losing Sebastian would be sad, but it’s affected me more than I anticipated. I think a part of it is
the saddest day
While this blog is primarily about my creative work, it has always been, in a small way, my story. Many of you have watched our boys grow up, even if I don’t feature them here very often. You’ve followed us through moves, through Calvin’s diabetes diagnosis, through difficult seasons, and through some of the best of times. I shared here on the blog when we joined the ranks of dog owners almost nine years ago, and now I’m sharing the
proper heights for wainscoting
I don’t usually care for “decorating rules.” They are typically preferences and gimmicks more than actual rules. “Blue and green should never be seen.” is one rule that I threw in the garbage bin pretty quickly when I started decorating. I want to ask the person who came up with that adage if they ever stepped outside with their eyes open. The dominant colors in nature are undeniably blue and green, and it’s one of the most harmonious and beautiful
four things | thirty-eight
It was a slower week for me, but sometimes we need those slow weeks. Life can be a constant flurry of work and activities. Sometimes I enjoy those slower weeks, but this week of forced rest felt like an interruption. My body appreciated it, though, and I’m ready to hit the projects again. My four things this week – Thatched Roofs, pondering, the beautiful idea, and little things. what I’m reading I got a new book in the mail last
options to improve a drop ceiling
Since it comes up every time I show our basement here, on Instagram, or anywhere on the Internet, let’s discuss the eyesore that is drop ceilings and some of the available options to improve them. Let me first declare that I am anti-drop ceiling. I understand their practicality, affordability, and necessity in some circumstances, but I am still not a fan. And, in my house, I strongly dislike having a drop ceiling. I would say hate, but I don’t think
Amazon Prime Day Deals
I usually don’t do shopping/sale posts, but as I was checking out Amazon Prime Day Deals, I noticed several items I own, love, and have shared in previous posts over the years are dramatically discounted, so I thought it was worth sharing. While I do provide links to products here on the blog (I learned years ago that people almost always ask), I never want to push shopping and consumerism. We are all consumers to some extent, but I hope
painted basement paneling
When I shared the basement last week, the wallpaper was primed and painted, and it was already looking worlds better! I have learned that when I have momentum, it’s best to let that carry me into the next thing, which was priming and painting the paneling, trim, doors, and shelves. The doors and shelves were going to be the biggest pain, so I decided to work on those over a couple of days, making the rest of the painting relatively
four things | thirty-seven
As I type this blog post, new LED panel lights are being installed in our basement! I can’t wait to see that space properly lit and bright. I put off my painting until the new lights were installed so I could see better. I hope to have that done next week. My four things this week – Restoring Williamsburg, Alone Africa, regret & gardening overalls, and hiring out annoying jobs. what I’m reading My research of Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at
sometimes you just need to do the thing…
Let’s rewind a few weeks… I planted a boxwood hedge in the front garden too close to the house and porch, and after a bunch of advice from seasoned gardeners, I moved everything. Feeling like I was sure to make more rookie mistakes, I froze. I had containers of English lavender in a plastic holder, as well as more pots of unplanted boxwood, sitting around the front garden for a couple of weeks. I would put on my overalls, head
removing english ivy two ways
There was a time when I thought English ivy was charming. I mean, it is. When you see it growing up old brick homes, there is something beautiful about it. Now that I have lived in a mid-century brick home that was half-eaten by English ivy, I no longer find it charming. It stains the brick, it grows in windows and screens, it chokes out bushes and trees, and it’s incredibly hard to remove and control once it’s gone unchecked.
painting wallpaper | 1970s basement makeover
Let’s talk about painting wallpaper. In most cases, I am not in favor of it. Painting wallpaper bonds the wallpaper to the drywall in a way that makes it almost impossible to remove down the road. Some wallpaper will bubble and crease when dampened by a fresh coat of paint. It’s a shortcut that will almost always require more work at some point, such as replacing the drywall entirely or covering it with paneling. But, there are times when the
four things | thirty-six
I usually enjoy the summer because of the slower pace, but this week has been busy! We’ve just had a lot on the schedule. Things should quiet down next week. In all of the busyness (and the suffocating heat), I’ve still managed to get some good things done. Here are my four things – My Jeffersonian period, borrowed light, toning down the crazy what I’m reading I’ve been enjoying my book on Monticello’s garden so much (A Rich Spot of
a love affair with card room green
My love of Card Room Green started when we first moved to Minnesota. I had a Farrow & Ball paint deck as part of my paint deck stash, and while I would occasionally pull it out to look for a particular color, I had never used their paint or one of their colors in my home. If you were reading my blog when I first shared our house in Minnesota, you might remember that it was a celebration of beige
painted garden obelisk
When I decided to make custom lattice for our DIY A/C surround, I measured and counted out how many 1 x 2s I thought we would need for the project. I estimated that we would need 85 1 x 2s and figured I should round it up to 100 to have some extras in case some were warped or in bad condition. I was confident in my math, so Jeff and I primed and painted all 100 pieces, even though
DIY custom A/C surround reveal
Jeff and I noticed a stretch of stifling days in the forecast, so that gave us the push we needed to get the DIY custom A/C surround installed and finished this weekend. I shared the progress we made on building the surround a couple of weeks ago HERE. Since I had all of the pieces painted and two of the panels of the A/C surround built, it was pretty quick and easy to install. We had a general plan of
four things | thirty-five
Well, between thunderstorms and hot, sticky afternoons, summer is in full swing here in Maryland. I’ve been spending mornings and evenings working on projects outside and staying inside for the heat of the day, working at the easel and writing. While I’m not a “summer person”, I do love the longer days and the slower rhythm of summer. I don’t have to get up early and rush the boys off to school, more of our evenings are free from obligations,
facebook marketplace find | vintage oak desk
If you followed my blog during our move to Maryland three years ago (can you believe it’s been that long?!), you probably remember that I sold a ton of stuff. One of the pieces I sold was the vintage oak teacher’s desk I used in my studio. Oak teacher’s desks turn up pretty regularly on the used furniture market and are generally not very expensive, so I figured I could find a replacement pretty quickly. Three years later, I was
photo tips for pet portraits
I have been drawn to portraits for years, so it was only natural for me to explore portraiture once I started drawing and painting. Painting portraits of living people can be tricky, though. Winston Churchill famously burned a commissioned oil portrait capturing his appearance in his retirement years because he hated it. It was a good likeness, but he was wounded by how the artist viewed and portrayed him, to the point that he threw a high-quality piece of original
what happened to my willow projects
If you were following along last summer, you might remember my obsession with weaving willow cloches and plant supports. (You can find that post HERE.) I went on a deep dive, sourcing willow branches locally and online, watching tutorials and reading articles, searching for inspiration, and then testing out what I learned. It involved setting up a baby pool in my driveway to soak the willow and experimenting with several weaving styles and methods. It was a thorough effort, and
four things | thirty-four
I must say, I am pretty proud of everything I’ve accomplished in the week since my last Four Things post. I turned in my book manuscript, primed more pieces for building a few more panels to screen the A/C unit and propane tank. I built another garden obelisk and completed a few commissioned paintings. Jeff and I also worked together over several days to get the garage organized, and now I feel even more motivated to get projects done now
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
March 28, 2025 | original art sale preview
My next original art sale is scheduled and happening this Friday, March 28, 2025, at 1:00 pm Eastern. In this original art sale, I have pieces ranging from 5 x 7 ($75) up to 12 x 16 ($500.) Animals, landscapes, seascapes, still life, and a couple of master studies are all included in this collection. I’ve also included vintage frames on a couple of pieces. There are two pieces I painted in acrylics for a painting workshop I taught
free oil painting paint along | geraniums in terra cotta pot
I filmed this oil painting tutorial over a year ago and, for some reason, never edited it! I think it felt a little overwhelming at the time and abandoning it seemed to be easier than getting it ready to post. I’ve had more requests for painting tutorials and paint-a-long videos, so I decided to finally dust this off and post it. In most cases, the painting videos I make have been and will continue to be tutorials with instruction and
#indexcardartproject 2025 | free oil painting tutorial | index card “D”
If you’re just joining us for the #indexcardartproject of 2025, you can catch up in these posts… Details & Materials for the Project Inspiration and References Oil Painting Tutorial | Card “C” In this post, I’m sharing another oil painting video tutorial. Instead of using an Edward Seago painting as a reference, we’ll be painting from one of my own reference photos. It’s available for free on Artist Reference Photos (and all of the photos are royalty-free if you want
#indexcardartpoject 2025 | free oil painting video tutorial | card “c”
For those who have been waiting for another paint-a-long video, this post is for you! I am going to film painting a few of my index cards since they are great little studies for beginners, those new to oil paints, or those who want to do a little painting exercise with me. For this card, card “C”, I’m painting a quick and loose study of an Edward Seago painting. If you’re just hopping into the 2025 Index Card Art Project,
Index Card Art Project 2025 | Inspiration & References
For those joining me in the #indexcardartproject (or those who are just interested in following along), I decided to walk through my inspiration for this project along with some of the reference photos I’m using. I’m going to stick with landscapes as I did for the previous two Index Card Art Projects, primarily because I haven’t worked on landscapes lately and would like to give them some attention. Little studies are a great way to practice color mixing and composition.
how to clean up artists’ oil paint
I wanted to work with oils for a long time, probably years. I set out looking for different kinds of paints to try, to experiment with. As intrigued as I was with oils, I was also terrified of them. What about the fumes, the clean-up, and the slow drying time? I had used oil products when we built and refinished butcher block counters and on a few other projects, but I always bought brushes specifically for the purpose and I
at home
All Things Home
tell me you’re doing home renovations…
…without telling me you’re doing home renovations. Just look in their garage or any other storage spaces. They will likely be a jumble of materials and tools used for projects looking something like this… Yes, those are still boxes that have not been unpacked since our move into this house almost three years ago. Yes, this space is embarrassing. Yes, I watermarked the photos. When we first moved in, Jeff built some simple garage shelves to provide some storage. Before
power washing the front walk
We have done so much work on the front of our house over the last couple of years. After all of the painting, planting, and updates, there was one glaring thing that needed to be addressed. This front walk desperately needed to be cleaned. We bought a power washer a few years ago, so we just needed to get it out and put it to use! (The pressure washer we purchased is no longer available, but it’s similar to THIS
progress on the custom A/C surround
When I last shared about the custom A/C screen/surround we’re building, it looked like this… My dad came over on Thursday to help me with turning those primed and painted pieces into finished panels. My dad and I are a good building team because we have a similar approach – done is better than perfect. Several times, we said something like, “We’re not sending anyone to space in this thing, so it’ll do.” Even Jeff, who usually brings more perfectionism
DIY Custom A/C Screen
After having the lumber on our garage floor to season for a few months, we are finally building the DIY custom A/C surround. I am joking about letting the wood season. I bought the material without consulting my building partners, and we were not all on the same page regarding starting this project in the fall. That meant we were stepping over it and tripping on it for a few months because I put the cart before the horse. Now,
summer simmer pot recipe
A couple of weeks ago, there was an unfortunate accidental popcorn burning incident in our kitchen. If you’re familiar with the smell of burnt popcorn, you know how unfortunate that can be. Not only did it stink up the house, but it we had to clean out the entire cabinet that houses the microwave and clean everything the burnt popcorn smoke wafted through. I even had to buy new air filters for our Dyson air purifier that we moved from
opening the pool & back patio
Yesterday was the kind of day that I love. The weather was just to my liking: overcast, dry, breezy, and warm enough to work outside, but not too hot. And everyone in our family worked together to get things ticked off the to-do list. Marshall power-washed the front walk, Calvin mowed, and Jeff and I worked together to trim hedges, weed, mulch, and tidy up the back yard. Since the temperature is still to my liking today, I’m going to
Everyday Moments
A Slice of Life
four things | fifty-six
I cannot believe we are a week away from Christmas! When I was a kid, I felt like December would last forever. It was torturously long. As a middle-aged adult, it flies by. I blinked, and over half of it is gone. Such is life, though. The hours are long and the years are short. I’m looking forward to the quiet, slow days between Christmas and New Year’s, though. I think that might be my favorite week of the year.
straddling creative fences | creative business
In my creative work, I’ve often straddled fences. One foot in refinishing furniture and another in writing a book. One foot in managing a paint brand, while the other is in freelance articles and photography. I have always enjoyed the flexibility and stimulation that comes with hopping from one side of the fence to the other. I have also learned over the years that one creative endeavor often speaks to another. I get writing ideas when I’m working in the
four things | fifty-five
It’s been a cold week here in Maryland, and even as I write this, flurries are gently falling. We’re not having any sticking snow, but it’s been nice to watch little flakes flutter out of my studio window this morning. I wish we had more snow! When we moved here from Minnesota, everyone commented on how happy we must be to leave those winters behind. In truth, I mourn Minnesota winters. I loved having snow on the ground all winter,
four things | fifty-four
Between Thanksgiving break spent with family and trying to get my gift guides posted, I didn’t share my four things last week! It’s that time of year when I start feeling a little crunched to post everything in a timely manner. But I really love writing this post each week. It gives me a catch-all place to share bits and pieces of my work and life. Here are my four things for the week: Art & Fear, Dickensian, “they call
plein air painting in italy & podere tour
After a late night of travel followed by two full days, touring Arezzo and teaching a creative workshop, I was feeling run down and decided to skip the group activity planned for the next day. It was a tough call, but I wanted time to slow down and soak up our beautiful surroundings. I didn’t want to feel rushed to go to the next place and do the next thing. I also wanted time to catch up on my journal
small business Saturday
As a small business owner myself, I love supporting other small business owners. It takes a lot of work to turn a vision into a reality and a lot of faith to take that big scary step. While I’m not a huge fan of the post Thanksgiving gauntlet of sales (although it is admittedly good time to start your Christmas shopping), I love that there is a day to celebrate and encourage support for small businesses, so I thought I
Explore painting at your own pace—no experience needed
Free Art Classes for the Creative at Heart
While the world slowed down in the spring of 2020, I found connection and creativity by offering live art classes each Friday—just a simple way to share something joyful during uncertain times. What began as a small spark turned into something truly special. After receiving such kind and encouraging feedback, I decided to turn those lessons into a free online course. Inside, you’ll find nine beginner-friendly oil painting classes covering everything from mixing colors to painting a sweet grazing cow. It’s a gentle, joy-filled place to start (or continue) your painting journey.