Move Slow & Make Things Giveaway No. 5
The launch of my new book, Move Slow & Make Things, is less than two weeks away! It’s like the countdown to Christmas. I know what the present is, but I can’t wait to share it with everyone else. This book was a labor of love and one of my favorite projects to date. As […]
Stories | the time I was lost in Russia
It’s hard to remember how we functioned before smartphones; before we had a map, a full phone directory, Google Translate, and all the information available by tapping a question into an internet browser in our pocket. Well, this story happened before that time. I was supposed to meet my friend Misha that morning. I don’t […]
why you need to buy books & upcoming new releases
The launch of my new book, Move Slow & Make Things, is just over two weeks away! I received my author’s copies last week. Six heavy mystery boxes arrived on the small stoop by our kitchen door, leaving me stumped until I saw they were from my publisher. I had already received an advance copy, […]
New Prints & FrameTV Art
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who shopped my original art sale yesterday. All of the original paintings are sold out! There are still some hand-painted color charts available, as well as blank color charts for those who want to make their own. You can find those HERE. All of the […]
Stories | the unreasonable quest for potatoes
I’m assuming most of my readers have easy access to a local grocery store, and if it’s like mine, you can pretty much buy anything you want there year-round. You might have to hit a few places to find a specific, rare ingredient, but you can probably find almost everything on your list. When shopping […]
Original Art Sale Preview | August 13, 2026
The next original art sale is Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 1:00 pm Eastern (New York) or noon for presale subscribers. If you subscribe HERE, you can shop the sale at noon before it opens to everyone else. (This isn’t a blog subscription. You will only receive emails with presale information for this and future […]
Recent Blog Posts
Live Painting at Lucketts
This post has been sitting in my drafts for weeks! I know some of you must have been losing sleep because I left you hanging about the Lucketts Spring Market. I will not torture you any longer. Here’s how the afternoon of painting went back in May… After my triumphant antique find and a morning of scurrying from shopping the Lucketts Spring Market to selling paintings, I settled into my space to do some live painting. I decided to do
four things | seventy seven
This week started with the loss of power from a storm. It wasn’t really the storm that knocked out the power, but the wall of wind that came right before the rain. It took out trees, limbs, power poles, and made a general mess of our yard and pool. Jeff had just finished cleaning up the curb, only to have it littered with leaves and branches again. Such is life with six mature maple trees! We put our generator to
Visiting Clarkson’s Farm
When Julia (my English friend and host when visiting the UK) and I discussed what we should do with our time in the Cotswolds, we frequently kicked around the possibility of visiting Jeremy Clarkson’s concerns – The Farmer’s Dog Pub and Diddly Squat Farm Shop. Both of us are fans of the show, and we were going to be right in that neck of the woods. Our only hesitation was the tourist attraction factor. Neither of us wanted to wait
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 fountain pens, inks, journals, heirloom gardening tools, antique-inspired small-quantity clothing, handmade pottery, and more. I’m excited to partner with some of my favorite makers to
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 miss appointments, important deadlines, or even mundane weekly chores like putting the trash cans on the curb and changing the pool’s chemical cartridge. (Yes, despite
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 first advanced copy of the book! As an author, there are few things as thrilling as receiving the first copy of a book, holding in
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 also enjoy going to antique stores together. She rarely buys anything, but she likes antiques and is good company. I needed to shop for frames
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 that’s part of my job as an author, but I’m also sharing it because I am so proud of this book. I loved writing it,
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 for May. One of the big projects Jeff took upon himself was edging and cleaning the curb. Our house is on a “peninsula”, so we
May Garden Notes
If you’re interested in following along with how our garden and landscaping efforts are coming along, you can read about my April Garden Notes HERE. Over the past couple of years, I shared more frequent gardening updates here on the blog throughout the spring and summer, but this year has been more about maintenance so far. I would like to plant some perennials to fill in some of the beds, but we’ve mostly focused our attention on the details of
the new fridge
The day of the delivery was bittersweet. After over a month of fetching milk, butter, cheese, eggs, leftovers, and such from the garage fridge, we were going to have a working refrigerator in our kitchen again. That was the sweet part. The bitter part was knowing I would no longer have a built-in fridge that blended in seamlessly with the cabinets. When designing our kitchen, one of the things I wanted most was hidden appliances. Aside from the range, that
four things | seventy five
I had an original art sale yesterday, so I spent the bulk of the day babysitting the sale (answering questions, managing presales, etc.) and packing paintings that sold. I am always bubbling with nervous energy before a sale, so I channeled it into cleaning the house and doing small, mindless tasks, like sprinkling some of the shells I collected over Spring Break around the garden and patio. I was thinking about nervous energy before an event like this as I
Original Art Sale Preview | May 20, 2026
I typically post my previews a few days ahead of an original art sale, but May has been so busy that this sale snuck up on me! The next original art sale is tomorrow, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 1:00 pm Eastern (New York) or noon for presale subscribers. If you subscribe HERE, you can shop the sale before it opens to everyone else. (This isn’t a blog subscription. You will only receive emails with presale information for this and
Lucketts Spring Market 2026
Before I share my Lucketts recap, I wanted to let you know my next original art sale is Wednesday, May 20, 20206, at 1:00 pm Eastern. For those interested in early access at noon, you can sign up HERE. On Thursday night, we packed our van with oil painting supplies, two bins of framed paintings, and a couple of bags. As I looked at the small pile, I couldn’t help but notice the stark difference between packing for this Lucketts
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 just one thing these days, compared to my piles in the past. I think this house feels pleasantly full, and I find myself shopping for
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 drawing, specifically with a pencil or pen. I am much more comfortable working with paint, where I can focus on shapes instead of lines. Charcoal
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 15, from 1-4 pm, to do a bit of painting and be available to say hello. I’m also bringing along some of my original oil
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 for a trial. Well, I never even had to set foot in the courthouse. My number was never called, and then I was released yesterday
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, and you’re not interested in getting the most out of the bells and whistles that accompany the high price tag. So, years ago, I started
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 was done in increments so small they were barely noticed. You hope for it, catch glimpses of it, and feel like you’re making some progress,
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
Stories | the unreasonable quest for potatoes
I’m assuming most of my readers have easy access to a local grocery store, and if it’s like mine, you can pretty much buy anything you want there year-round. You might have to hit a few places to find a specific, rare ingredient, but you can probably find almost everything on your list. When shopping for groceries in Izhevsk, Russia, in 1995, you didn’t make a shopping list. You set out, saw what was available, and then decided what you
Original Art Sale Preview | August 13, 2026
The next original art sale is Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 1:00 pm Eastern (New York) or noon for presale subscribers. If you subscribe HERE, you can shop the sale at noon before it opens to everyone else. (This isn’t a blog subscription. You will only receive emails with presale information for this and future original art sales. And it’s free!) In this original art sale, I have pieces ranging from hand-painted color charts on antique linen for $75 to
Stories | grocery shopping, cooking, and eating in Russia
I need to preface this post by saying that I have always been a picky eater. I wasn’t a picky eater in that I wouldn’t try new things or that I didn’t like vegetables. I actually loved a lot of vegetables that most kids won’t touch. I could eat an entire artichoke by myself at eight. But I’m picky about texture, and I’m not a big fan of meat. (If you’ve followed my blog for several years, you may
Stories | Our Apartment in Izhevsk, Russia
All of our fellow travelers from the US and Canada stayed with Russian families for our summer in Izhevsk. Since I was under 18 and my dad had his own apartment, I would be staying with him. My dad rented this apartment for a few years, so he had his own place to stay when he was working in Izhevsk. You might think it was outfitted with American luxuries and amenities, but it was bare-bones and typical of a working-class
Move Slow & Make Things | Giveaway No. 4
The launch of my new book, Move Slow & Make Things, is just a few weeks away! September 1 feels like it’s far on the horizon, but it really is right around the corner. I’m excited to share our next giveaway to celebrate the book’s launch, showcase some of its themes, and highlight another artisan who shares her creative gifts with the world. If you haven’t already, you can preorder the book HERE. Don’t forget to sign up to receive your
stories | 17-year-old me travels 6,000 miles
If you missed the first installment about my trip to Russia, you can find it HERE. Our first flight was from Orlando, Florida, to Miami. It was a short flight and a small plane that had me blaring music in my headphones, closing my eyes, and gripping the armrests, pretending I was anywhere else. I was relieved when we landed and had some time on the ground before we boarded our first international flight. We would first stop in
Seasonal
Fall
back-to-school supplies for mom
Back-to-school is such an exciting time. We make sure the pants are not high-waters, everyone gets a new pair of shoes, and we get to go shopping for pens, pencils, notebooks, and hand sanitizer. But, we also need to take a minute to acknowledge that it’s such a hard time for moms. The house is so quiet and clean and there isn’t anything to do but sit around and be sad until your kids come bounding home from school, ready
soup recipe round-up
If you follow my Instagram stories, you know that I make soup almost every weekend. We usually have it for an easy dinner on Sunday and then I’ll put the leftovers in jars to eat for lunches and quick dinners through the week. Since we’re heading into soup season, I thought I would do a soup recipe round-up to share some of the regulars in our soup rotation… (Click on the soup titles to go to the post with the
five things | fall decorating favorites
Because I’ve been busy with home and work projects, I haven’t done much fall decorating. I did buy one heirloom pumpkin yesterday and some heather, but otherwise, I’m not going to do too much this year. I may change my mind in a week or two! The temperature was a crisp 40 degrees this morning on my walk and a couple of trees in our yard have turned a fiery red, so I’m definitely in the mood for fall. It’s
easy creamy potato & ham soup jars
We are just in one of those seasons of life when things are really busy. I’m sure so many of you can relate. You get a few months in a row when evenings and weekends are generally quiet and then you hit a stretch when there is something happening every single day. Jeff has a meeting at church, the boys have climb team practice, I have a women’s event or a planning committee meeting, Jeff has a men’s thing, we
decorating a mantel for fall in the living room
Disclosure: This post on decorating a mantel for fall is sponsored by Walmart. As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own. I have resigned to the fact that decorating for fall isn’t going to be a priority this year. Each year, I think I’ll just put out a couple of pumpkins or something, but each year, I’m wooed by the cool temperatures, the crunching of the leaves, and the piles of heirloom pumpkins at the market.
how to dry annabelle hydrangeas
I have been patiently waiting until my Annabelle hydrangeas were just right, so I could cut off the blooms and dry them. I did this last year and I have been so pleased with how long the dried flowers have lasted! I cut them almost a year ago and they still make a nice bouquet. So, for those who have asked, this is how to dry hydrangeas. I’m specifically working with the Annabelle variety. how to dry hydrangeas | when
at home
All Things Home
the new fridge
The day of the delivery was bittersweet. After over a month of fetching milk, butter, cheese, eggs, leftovers, and such from the garage fridge, we were going to have a working refrigerator in our kitchen again. That was the sweet part. The bitter part was knowing I would no longer have a built-in fridge that blended in seamlessly with the cabinets. When designing our kitchen, one of the things I wanted most was hidden appliances. Aside from the range, that
Lucketts Spring Market 2026
Before I share my Lucketts recap, I wanted to let you know my next original art sale is Wednesday, May 20, 20206, at 1:00 pm Eastern. For those interested in early access at noon, you can sign up HERE. On Thursday night, we packed our van with oil painting supplies, two bins of framed paintings, and a couple of bags. As I looked at the small pile, I couldn’t help but notice the stark difference between packing for this Lucketts
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 just one thing these days, compared to my piles in the past. I think this house feels pleasantly full, and I find myself shopping for
A return to Lucketts Spring Market
Quickly, I wanted to highlight that today (April 28) is the last day to join Pup Club Prints as a founding member and receive the beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer fine art print. Pup Club Prints is a fine-art snail-mail print club for animal, art, and analog lovers. It’s just $10/month for a quality 5 x 7 giclee fine art print, and you can cancel at any time. As an inaugural member, you’ll also be entered to win an original 8
April garden notes
Most of my April gardening work has been tidying up the beds, pruning old blooms off the hydrangeas, raking leaves, and weeding. Oh, the maple saplings and onion grass have been prolific this year, so pulling them out of the beds has been my primary objective. Instead of spending a couple of long days weeding, I decided to work in small chunks. Every day, after my morning walk, I put on my gardening boots and gloves and would fill one
styling pet portraits in interiors
I received a question a couple of weeks ago about how to style a pet portrait in a room without it looking like a shrine to your dog, cat, hamster, or horse. Good question! I’m so glad you asked. Let’s talk about animal art in interiors and how to make it work with your decorating. First of all, let me say that there really aren’t rules when it comes to style, art, decorating, or aesthetics. I mean, there are rules
Everyday Moments
A Slice of Life
four things | eighty-one
The weather has turned hot again, which is expected since we’re halfway through July and in the thick of summer. Hot, humid weather means I skip my morning walk, don’t stay on top of the weeds in the garden beds quite as well, and generally stay inside except in the morning and evening. I’ve already been looking ahead to appointments, deadlines, and things that are just around the corner, and it reminds me that each season is short-lived. In just
stories | 17-year-old me goes to Russia
I’ve actually considered sharing some of my personal stories here on the blog before. When I was organizing our house in Minnesota from tip to toe, I came across so many bits and pieces that brought stories to mind. I considered writing a Summer Stories series about some of my childhood summers. But, I didn’t. I was still in the season of my business when my blog felt like something that needed to stay exactly as it was at all
four things | eighty
I hope all of my American friends had a nice July 4th! We kept the day very low-key, but it was nice to have a long, slow weekend, and I enjoyed watching some of the festivities in clips online. I have spent years in the past going to see fireworks displays, but I find I don’t really want to sit in traffic and fight the crowds on a hot summer night. I’d rather stay at home and listen to the
four things | seventy nine
Oh my word, it is hot as the blazes this week. I often joke that I was made for Norway. (Although I have never been there, and the ancestry information I’ve found so far has all led back to England.) I certainly wasn’t made for anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line. I’m fair-skinned, have a sun allergy, turn beet red in the heat, and feel nauseous if I can’t cool off. So, I’m getting my gardening and pool chores done
proof of life & productivity
One of the little tidbits I jotted down in my phone and then in my commonplace notebook (a place where I collect quotes, lyrics, words, poems, thoughts, and such) recently was this: “A clean barn has no oxen.” I am going to confess that, as a pastor’s wife, I didn’t know that little nugget of wisdom was directly from the Bible. Well, it is. It’s from Proverbs 14:4. When I heard it, though, it resonated with me right away.
four things | seventy eight
I realized once I started working on this post that I was chattier than I expected! I only posted twice on the blog this week and twice last week, and I think I’m feeling that! Writing and posting on this blog have been part of my creative process for over 15 years, and when I take that away, I miss the outlet. It’s like when you haven’t called your mom or a friend you usually speak to regularly, and then