Lucketts Spring Market Wish List 2026
I’ve reached that tipping point in my life where I feel like I probably have enough stuff. No doubt, I passed that point years ago, but hunting for antiques and just the right piece for my house is still so much fun! I have noticed I walk out of more antique stores empty-handed or with […]
learning charcoal
A few weeks ago, I was thinking to myself, Marian, you simply don’t have enough hobbies. You should pick up another one. Okay, not really. I have hobbies coming out of my ears. In actuality, I just found myself thinking about charcoal as an art medium and felt a pull to it. I struggle with […]
Lucketts Spring Market Preview (available original paintings)
As I shared a couple of weeks ago, I’m heading back to the Lucketts Spring Market as a semi-vendor. Since my business has changed so much over the past eight years, I’m just testing the waters to see how my original art will sell at that venue. I’ll be there just one day, Friday, May […]
four things | seventy four
It’s been a full week. I was called for jury duty, so I didn’t know whether I would have a day of sitting at the courthouse or a normal workday until 4:30 pm the previous day. I got ahead on blog posts and worked over the weekend to be ready in case I was selected […]
my first nikon mirrorless camera | nikon zf review
My suggestion when it comes to camera gear (or just about any creative tool) is to upgrade when your skill level outpaces your tools’ capabilities. Basically, you’ll know when you’re ready. There is no need to buy a $3000 camera if you only know how to use a point-and-shoot, you’re not super picky about clarity, […]
growth
Growth doesn’t usually happen in leaps and bounds. It’s something that sneaks up on you; it’s masked by time and embedded in the act of showing up every day. One day, you look up and realize you’ve traveled a great distance, closing the gap between where you want to be and where you were. It […]
Recent Blog Posts
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,
four things | forty-four
This week has been jam-packed! It was the first week of school for the boys, which always feels jarring after the relaxed pace of summer. This year is very different, though, as we essentially have two college students and we’re trying to juggle cars and rides to classes that start and end at different times. I must admit, though, I am happy to be past the ages of school supply shopping hauls and packing lunches. That was never my favorite
A short trip to MN & upcoming art sale
Jeff is usually the one who takes the boys on trips so they can have some father/son bonding time, but he had recently been on a couple of trips, and it would’ve been a stretch to miss more work. So, as we planned a trip to Minnesota for Calvin to visit his friends, it was clear I would be the one to take him. At first, it felt like a minor inconvenience, something I was doing just for him, but
late summer bedroom refresh
The master bedroom was the first room we worked on when we moved into this house. Literally, on day one, mom and I were pulling off wallpaper. We were going to have hardwood floors installed, and I wanted to get the walls stripped and painted before that happened, so that we could have a clean slate. I didn’t want to look at to-dos while I was trying to get to sleep. We worked hard and got the wallpaper and glue
painted gables
We’ve knocked out two more projects on the left side of the house this past week! This was the side of the house that had been most neglected over the years. Even though it does face a street (our house is on a “peninsula” lot), it’s not a side of the house we see very often. It’s opposite the garage, driveway, and side entrance of the house; you don’t see it at all from the backyard because of the fence,
four things | forty-three
Today is a travel day for me. I’m heading to Minnesota, back to our old hometown. Marshall has been able to make a couple of trips to visit friends, and now it’s Calvin’s turn, so I’m taking him for a few days. I’m planning to meet up with a friend or two, but I’ll use this downtime as a mini creative retreat. It will be nice to step away from home projects and my studio to spend some time on
creativity conversations | finding your style
As I was writing in my journal a few days ago, I thought about my handwriting. It started as uniform, traced over block letters made with pale dotted blue lines on exercise sheets. I then reproduced the letters on my own, on printed lines, making sure each hump of an m met the middle line and each mast of an L spanned all three lines. I wrote each letter hundreds of times, copying and practicing the same printed letter that
selecting the right height for nightstands
On Instagram yesterday, I was asked if there was a standard for selecting the right height for nightstands. I thought that was a great question and one I never looked up, but I have typically chosen nightstands that felt like the right height for the bed they were paired with. I like nightstands that are roughly the same height as the top of the mattress or perhaps a little bit taller. This makes reaching for things easy when turning off
Guest room wallpaper removal
When we first looked at this house, I knew the wallpaper was going to be an issue. Most of the wallpaper was at least 20-30 years old. At least. In addition, it was in almost every room. Floor to ceiling. I had never stripped wallpaper before, and I knew it wasn’t a fun job, but I was brimming with optimism and felt like it was doable if I tackled it one room at a time. After removing wallpaper from the
four things | forty-two
The summer is just flying by. I can’t believe the start of school is just around the corner. I always look forward to the return of routine, but I also miss the slower mornings and more relaxed schedule. This year will be different, though, because Marshall is officially in college and Calvin will be taking all of his classes at the local community college for his senior year, except for one. Marshall is already driving, and Calvin will be within
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
replacing more windows | 1970 home renovation
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Window World. I have worked with them as a paying customer twice before, and I am thrilled to partner with them to share more about their amazing brand. I am a big fan and delighted to tell you more about working with Window World to replace the windows along the back and side of our 1970 ranch house. When we first embarked on this home renovation, I thought that replacing windows would be a
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
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
miss mustard seed tees & hoodies
Do you remember Miss Mustard Seed tees and hoodies? We’re going almost ten years back when I used to sell in retail spaces, at markets, and regularly added products to an online store. I loved designing and wearing my own tees and hoodies, and they were my uniform for many years. I finally let go of my last paint-splattered, faded sweatshirt a couple of years ago. I’ve wanted to relaunch tees and hoodies for years, but I always get hung
your creative super power
A question I received when I shared one of my paintings on Instagram earlier this week stuck with me. I posted a picture of a cat painting as an example when someone asked if I only paint dogs. It was this painting… Here was her question… Two of the questions are about method and technique, which I won’t go into in this post. But the second question is the one that hung with me. “Do you actually SEE them that
plein air painting at Hidcote
Let me start by saying plein air painting is not my sweet spot. While I enjoy painting outside and on location, I’m rarely very happy with the results. I prefer painting in my studio in a more controlled environment. The lighting is relatively fixed; I have my easel and chair set to my height, all of my supplies are readily at hand, and I don’t have to worry about bugs sticking to my painting. Whenever I paint outside, I feel
DIY wet panel carrier for oil paintings
In my previous post about traveling with oil paints, I mentioned I would share a DIY wet panel carrier tutorial, and here it is! If you don’t use oil paints, you may wonder what a wet panel carrier is and why it’s necessary. One of the wonderful things about oil paints is that they are slow-drying. This gives you a lot of time to blend and nudge the paint around, or even just scrape it off. I find it’s even
Small Business Spotlight | A Gallo Watercolors
When I first started my business and blog, many creative entrepreneurs supported me along the way. They showed me the ropes, invited me into their community, and introduced me to their audience and customer base. I love that I can now return the favor to other creative entrepreneurs, from small start-ups to established, thriving companies, you may have never heard of. This Italian company, which makes handmade watercolor paints, fits into the latter category. They already have a devoted following,
at home
All Things Home
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
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
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
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
Everyday Moments
A Slice of Life
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
walking through Siena, Italy
On this trip to Italy, I’m glad I got to see a couple more ancient Tuscan cities – Arezzo and Siena. I had been to Barga, Lucca, and Florence, and while there are similarities, each city and town has its own flavor. Once we made our way through the densely packed market crowds of Siena, we had the most spectacular view of the city, medieval buildings with tiled roofs spilling down the hillside. It was almost overwhelming to think we
four things | sixty
I usually write in the morning. It’s when my mind is fresh, and the words flow best. But this morning, as I eyed a ball of cat hair fluff scurry across the studio floor, I decided to get the vacuum, dust cloth, and tidy things up beyond just a quick hit with the vacuum. I moved everything sitting on surfaces (which is a lot of things), and vacuumed every bit of cat hair and dust I could spot. I put