Move Slow & Make Things | Giveaway No. 1
Welcome to the first of several Move Slow & Make Things giveaways! To celebrate the book and introduce the themes explored in these pages, we’re going to give away products and gift cards that highlight small creative businesses and showcase analog tools and materials that perfectly complement living a delightfully fulfilling creative life. We’re talking […]
the notesbooks on my desk
I take a hybrid approach when it comes to running my life and organizing my thoughts. I like paper, pencils, and pens for writing down ideas, planning, and managing my day. While old-fashioned notebooks are my preference for most things, I rely heavily on a digital calendar and reminder alarms to make sure I don’t […]
four things | seventy six
It’s been a full, exciting week. I’ve been walking each morning, caring for the garden beds, working on commissioned paintings, packing prints, and recording some test audiobook samples for Move Slow and Make Things. I’ve also been arranging some fun giveaways as we get closer to the launch, and this afternoon (Friday), I received my […]
Antiquing Jaunt
When my in-laws were visiting for Calvin’s graduation, I decided it would be a good opportunity to hit a few antique stores with my mother-in-law. She is happy to sit and read while I work on things, and over the years, she has helped with many sewing and slipcover projects during her visits, but we […]
Move Slow & Make Things Preorder Print Bonus
In case you didn’t hear, my new book, Move Slow & Make Things, comes out September 1, 2026! We’re getting into the final weeks before the launch, so I’ll be releasing more preorder bonuses, running giveaways, and sharing more about it in the lead-up to the release date. Of course, I’m sharing the book because […]
May Garden Notes | Part II
We had a gorgeous weekend, so Jeff and I both worked outside to get some more yard and garden projects done. Jeff has actually been working in the yard almost every day. He’s been a beast this spring! Since we made so much progress, I thought I would share one more update on the garden […]
Recent Blog Posts
Arrival & Burford | “gateway to the Cotswolds”
The first delight of our trip came when we boarded the airplane from Washington Dulles to London Heathrow. As we’re walking through the first-class cabin, it’s hard not to look over the cubicle and wish we had tickets for one. Oh, to be able to lie flat in an airplane seat on an international flight. It would be such a treat. But we were prepared to shimmy down the aisle to basic economy. We passed the next cabin, with wide
the great shutter debate
Some people might argue over politics or what kind of music is appropriate for a wedding reception, but what people who love architecture argue about is shutters. They argue about everything from the proper shutter-to-window ratio to whether hinges and shutter dogs have to be functional. It’s pretty amusing to see the kind of heated dialogue that can happen in comment sections. So, let’s talk about it. We recently installed vinyl shutters on our house, selecting a size and scale
packing art supplies for international travel
I’ve been bringing along art supplies when I travel for the past few years. When I went to China in 2017, I had a vision of standing on the Great Wall and capturing the experience in a sketchbook. I was nervous about it, but I did it! The sketch was rubbish, but I learned that it wasn’t about the results. It was about the process, about being fully present, and taking time to observe. (You can read the post about
building a custom propane tank screen
The only problem with cutting back the abelia hedge on the left side of the house earlier this year was that it exposed all of the work that needed to be done to this side of the house. You could see the staining on the brick from ivy, the trim that was long overdue for a fresh coat, and all of the weeds and refuse that needed to be removed. We’ve been working on it bit by bit, and we
four things | forty-eight
This week has been all about prepping and packing for my upcoming trip to England and Italy. It’s sort of wild to me that I’ve never been to England, given that I lived in Germany as a child. We traveled all over the place, but never made it across the English Channel. I know this will be the first of many visits, because there are so many places I want to see for their beauty and/or historical significance. A branch
Europe shopping list 2025
Before my last two trips to Europe (in 2018 and 2019), I made a shopping list of things I wanted to look for. I thought it would help me focus when I felt like buying everything! It also gave us specific destinations to visit, which is always a great way to get off the touristy trails and experience a city. It becomes like a treasure hunt. And yes, when you travel with me, I will look at my map and
how to install vinyl shutters on brick | tutorial
Over the weekend, we installed shutters on the left side of the house. That was the last side of the house that needed shutters, so I can finally check that project off the list! This home had wood shutters on all the windows originally, but they had rotted and were removed. Before we bought the house, vinyl shutters had been installed on the front and right side of the house, but the windows along the back and left sides were
my capsule wardrobe for Europe
I leave for England in less than a week, and I thought I would share the clothes I pack for a trip like this. Most days, I am a sweats & hoodie girl. It really is my uniform. I often work on potentially messy projects, so I prefer not to wear nice clothes. I also like to be comfortable! I mean, I’m at home, so why not? But when I travel, I want to make an attempt at looking stylish.
four things | forty-seven
I’ve mentioned before that sometimes, around the dinner table, our family shares our highs and lows for the day or week. It’s a good way to get kids talking beyond the typical one-word answer. “Fine.” This week, we have a big high. Calvin, our youngest, got his driver’s license. He was the last person in the house we had to chauffeur. While it’s terrifying and our car insurance is mindbogglingly high, I am so proud of him and excited that
hard pruning a mock orange bush
One of my favorite things in our yard is an old mock orange bush. I had no idea what it even was when we moved in, since it had bloomed months before the home was put on the market. I was surprised our first May in the house when the large bush was dotted with dainty white blooms. It was beautiful and so fragrant. Every May since, I have eagerly awaited the mock orange blossoms to make an appearance. Here
small guest room updates
Painting the guest room is still on the to-do list, and it might be there for a while. As is often the case, decorating the guest room isn’t usually a top priority. I’ve always loved working on the guest rooms in our homes, though. Since I’m not in these rooms daily, I feel I can take a departure from my usual color palette and try something different. The style remains the same, but I step outside my predominantly blue and
how to paint vinyl shutters
When I shared the installation of the new vinyl shutters along the back of the house, several people asked if I could share the specific products, tools, and techniques I used, so here is a post all about how to paint vinyl shutters. When we moved into our PA house way back in 2006, there were vinyl shutters on the front windows that were a faded country blue. Not long after moving in, I took them down and spray-painted them
four things | forty-six
My four things post typically goes live on a Thursday, but with a lot happening in the world, it felt appropriate to press pause on posting content online. I hope that this blog will be a source of encouragement and inspiration to those who read it; that it will be a reprieve from the brokenness of this world in a small way. Here are my four things for the week – A year of travel, tiny perfect things, being
when creative work is about just showing up
Most days, creative work is pretty easy for me. It has always been the kind of work where I’m most at home, most in my element, so I don’t have to drag myself to write or paint, take pictures, or make things. Most of the time, I run to them with eagerness. That being said, I do have lackluster days when I just go through the motions. Today is one of those days. So, I thought I would write about
how to find the right next house
“I would love to have a post about how you find such great houses. You always seem to get such great neighborhoods, lots, “raw material” even when you’re moving across states. Do you have a method? I’d love to hear about it. Thank you.” I thought this question was interesting because I feel like most people are a little baffled by the houses we buy! With our last two home purchases, I received lots of questioning comments, but I think
sweet autumn clematis
I recognized it immediately when we first looked at this house. It was hanging over a rickety fence that would need to be replaced, but my heart lifted when I saw it – sweet autumn clematis. I had planted it in my Minnesota garden in the hopes it would grow up around the porch, adding some charm to our beige suburban house. After a few seasons of nurturing, it finally grew along the porch, just as I had hoped. And
four things | forty-five
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who shopped my original art sale earlier this week. No matter how many times I have a sale, whether it’s antiques and furniture or art, I get nervous that nothing will sell. I appreciate that I don’t take a successful sale in the past for granted, and assume it will automatically lead to a sell-out in the future. I hope I always approach my sales with that balance of confidence and
installing shutters on brick | 1970 home renovation
When the weather first started warming up this spring, I had a long to-do list for the back exterior of the house. New windows, paint, and install shutters, build a custom A/C surround, paint the trim, power wash the patio, and work on the garden beds. We’ve been chipping away at these projects over the spring and summer, and I finally checked the last one off the list – hanging the shutters. They had been sitting in the garage for
ideas from Cheri’s house that I’m stealing
As I shared last week (HERE), I had the chance to stay at my friend Cheri’s house when I took Calvin to Minnesota for a quick trip to visit some friends. The trip was for him, and I was just there to drive the rental car and be the mom if he had any issues with his T1D. But it ended up being a real gift to me as well. It was a chance to step away from home projects
September 2, 2025 | original art sale preview
As always, thank you so much to all my new and returning collectors! It is truly an honor that you would hang a piece of my art in your home. Over the past year, I’ve primarily been working on animal portrait commissions, so I enjoyed shifting gears to focus on still life and landscape paintings. I loved creating these pieces and hope you find one that resonates with you. My next original art sale is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2,
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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More from the Blog
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
Encouraging words from Degas about AI
“Without a heart, can one not be an artist?” – Edgar Degas I heard this quote in Sebastian Smee’s book The Art of Rivalry. It was in the context of Degas’s reputation for being a misogynist and having an aversion to love and marriage. He said and wrote things that seemed to show at least some sentimentality and softness, including the quote above, and an anecdote about when he and Monet argued about who cared for Berthe Morisot more as
As seen on HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous
This summer, I worked on my largest-ever commissioned pet portrait project – a collection of five original oil paintings for Jenny Marrs, to be featured in a home makeover on Fixer to Fabulous on HGTV. It started when Jenny reached out to ask me to write an endorsement for her new book. As much as time allows, I try to say yes to those requests to support other writers and creative entrepreneurs. As I was reading through the digital sample
January 16, 2026 | original art sale preview
I’m so excited to share the latest round of original oil paintings for sale. It is the first of many collections (I’m sure) that include pieces inspired by my trip to England and Italy last fall. The original art sale is scheduled for Friday, January 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern (New York). In this original art sale, I have pieces ranging from 4 x 6 hand-painted color charts on antique linen ($50) up to a 16 x 20 painting
Artists’ Guild Notepads
As I’ve been bouncing around the house, alternating between studio work and decorating the house for Christmas, I came upon a stack of the notepads I had ordered and intended to list for sale earlier this year! You know, when you have an idea in mind, you stick the thing in a closet, and then you forget about it? Well, that’s precisely what happened here. I got sidetracked, and the notepads were a casualty of having my fingers in too
New Society6 Papers, Prints & More
Surface design is something I’ve played with on and off for a few years and this year, I decided to lean into that interest and create some new patterns for wrapping papers as well as other available products on Society6. While only one is specifically designed for Winter/Christmas, I feel like these designs work well year-round, including for Christmas. (Products are up to 50% off at Society6 for their Black Friday event.) I love Society6’s wrapping paper. It comes in
travel journal workshop
I’ll give you fair warning that my posts will be all over the place for a few weeks. We’ll be bouncing around between Christmas decorating, gifting, and crafting, to early October in Italy, and then whatever else I’m working on. Welcome to my life. Today, we’re back in Tuscany at the La Dolce Vita Retreat. While this trip was a vacation, it was also work. I was here to teach a creative workshop for the retreat attendees. I wanted my
at home
All Things Home
oil painting video tutorial | white irises
After working on pet and animal portraits for most of this year, I decided to take a little break and paint some still life and landscapes. First of all, I want the practice. I don’t want to get rusty in those subjects, even though working on one kind of painting informs and often improves another. These are also the most popular subjects for licensing, so I wanted to create some new works to submit and sell in my next original
power washing the patio
This project has been on my list since I did my Spring cleaning of the patio and pool deck in April. The patio, particularly the old part, was so dirty and stained. It’s the sort of project that keeps getting put off, though. Not because it’s hard, but because it’s a pain to get the power washer out and set up and to move all of the furniture and heavy concrete planters. We’ve been having great weather this week, though,
antique purchases with mom
Most of you have my taste pretty nailed down! When I asked which pieces you thought I bought while on my antique trip with mom, you were pretty spot on! (You can read that post HERE.) Truth be told, I wanted to buy everything I highlight, but I’ve hit that tipping point where I need to be very particular about what I buy. Years of antiquing as a hobby and a business has my house pretty well furnished. But, my
antiquing with mom
After visiting the local art museum and grabbing lunch at a bistro, Mom and I went to one of my favorite antique stores. Since purging ironstone and antiques earlier this year, I’ve been disciplined about not bringing a bunch of stuff back into the house. I do love milling about in antique stores, second-hand shops, and markets, though, and I’m resigned to the fact that there will always be some amount of stuff coming and going. It just needs to
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
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
Everyday Moments
A Slice of Life
four things | sixty-three
Our temperatures have been warming, and the snow is slowly melting, so my regular morning walks are back. It feels good to get outside and to get more steps in each day. I used to feel like my days were pretty consistent through the seasons, but I’m starting to learn I have pretty distinct habits and routines for each season. I get more home projects done in the Spring and Summer (both inside and out). I do more painting
the best view in Siena, Italy
One of the best things about traveling with a local guide is that you get to see the non-touristy places. And, if you’re lucky, you might get a personal invitation to one of the best places in the city. After touring Siena on our own, with some direction from Carolyn, our guide, our group met at the famous fountain in Siena’s shell-shaped piazza to go to Paola’s house for tea. Paola is one of Carolyn’s Italian friends and a local
four things | sixty-two
I’ve been sluggish this week, but good and exciting things have still been happening. We finally had a day with temperatures in the low 40s, and it felt so warm after the sub-freezing stretch we’ve experienced. We were used to this in Minnesota, but it’s unusual in the Mid-Atlantic. I like that the snow is taking its time to melt, but it was nice to get out and walk a few days this week. I’ve been marching inside to get
What breed is Rosa Jo?
We toyed with the idea of getting a dog DNA test for Sebastian since he was found as a stray when he was a puppy, and his pedigree was unknown. We were pretty sure he was an Australian shepherd/collie mix, though, and would speculate what other breeds might influence his mild manner. He clearly had other breeds mixed in, which tempered the high-strung nature of that combo. We were curious, but never curious enough to spend the money on the
four things | sixty-one
I went out for a walk yesterday morning for the first time since the late January snowstorm. It was just over 20 degrees, but it was sunny and ended up being a pleasant walk. The temperatures in our area have remained below freezing, so all of the snow is still covering the ground and pushed up against the curbs. It felt a little bit like being back in Minnesota, where the snow falls, and remains until the Spring. As a
Encouraging words from Degas about AI
“Without a heart, can one not be an artist?” – Edgar Degas I heard this quote in Sebastian Smee’s book The Art of Rivalry. It was in the context of Degas’s reputation for being a misogynist and having an aversion to love and marriage. He said and wrote things that seemed to show at least some sentimentality and softness, including the quote above, and an anecdote about when he and Monet argued about who cared for Berthe Morisot more as