shell collection competition 2026
The jokes, comments, and ribbing about the shell collection competition started happening the first afternoon we arrived at our rental house on Isle of Palms. I walked out to the beach for our first visit of the vacation and found a small pale gray whelk at the base of the sign at the beach entrance […]
shelling diaries 2026 | part three & “whelk graveyard” map
You can read my 2026 Shelling Diaries Part One HERE and Part Two HERE. Jeff jokingly said we should bring shovels to dig in the whelk graveyard, but then he actually found some decent sand shovels in the garage of our rental house, so it wasn’t really a joke anymore. We were going to visit […]
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 […]
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Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire
After our morning in Minchinhampton and Winchester, we headed over to Chawton, Hampshire, to walk around the village and arrive in time for our scheduled unguided tour of Jane Austen’s House. This is the home that Jane lived in during the final eight years of her life (aside from the months of illness just before her death, when she lived in Winchester to be closer to her doctor). It’s also the home where she completed all six of her novels
Minchinhampton & Winchester
With some degree of sadness that it was our last morning in the Cotswolds and our last day together, Julia, my mom, and I packed up our belongings, tidied up the thatched cottage that had been our temporary home, and set off to see more of the English countryside before heading to the airport to catch an early flight the next morning. We had a bit of business to take care of before we could start the sightseeing. My camera
Handmade Christmas Garland Round-up
The past few Christmases, since our move back to the East Coast, I have been behind on sharing holiday and Christmas posts. After years of working way ahead on Christmas for retail, articles, and blog posts, it felt good to decorate, shop for gifts, and share in real time. I realized, though, that I was often sharing too late for people to make handmade decorations, or that all the products I was using were already sold out! So, I’m going
four things | fifty-one
It’s our final few days before it gets dark ridiculously early. I’m already feeling the darkness creeping in as I’m sitting at my easel in the afternoon. I love winter and all that comes with it—soup, Christmas, hoodies and wool socks, football games, and snow—but I wish it came with more sunlight. I know you can’t have one without the other, though, so I’ve pulled some extra lighting into my studio so I can continue to work a full day
Daylesford, holding history, & dinner at The Village Pub in Barnsley
After visiting Cotswold Farm Park and taking my fill of photos of rare breeds—cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and more —we went to meet Julia’s sister-in-law, Carol, at Daylesford Organic Farmshop. Even after spending only three full days in the Cotswolds, I feel confident recommending this shop as a destination to add to your itinerary when in the area. It’s not just a farm shop, but a beautiful store with lots of inspiration and eye candy, local British specialties, a garden
cotswold farm park | rare breeds farm visit
In case you haven’t ascertained this for yourself, I basically traveled across the ocean to take pictures of sheep and cows. Not really, but that was a highlight for me. Animals are among my favorite subjects to paint, and I couldn’t help but pull out my camera whenever we came across a cow, sheep, horse, dog, cat, quail, or pigeon. Julia knew this, so she arranged the perfect field trip for our third morning in the Cotswolds: Cotswold Farm Park, a
Broadway & Dover’s Hill
We spent most of our second day in the Cotswolds at Hidcote Manor, touring the house and gardens, eating cake for lunch, and plein air painting. It was late afternoon by the time we headed to our second destination – Broadway. After visiting several villages the day before, I started to understand that while each village is comprised of historic buildings, made from the same honey-colored Cotswold stone, they each have their own feel and flavor. Broadway was mostly flat,
four things | fifty
Autumn is in full swing here in Maryland, and we are in the thick of our yearly battle with the leaves falling from our six 50-year-old maple trees. Jeff takes the lead on the leaves, and I’m working on garden chores to give ourselves the gift of a tidy yard over the winter, and garden beds ready for spring mulching and planting. I plan to work more on that now that the pool is closed and I don’t have to
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
Hidcote Manor | National Trust Home & Garden
We had a slow start on day two in the Cotswolds. Mom and I were feeling the effects of being awake for over 24 hours and didn’t want to spring out of bed early for a long day of sightseeing. Over a breakfast of fresh bread, butter, and raspberries, we made plans for the day while a load of laundry cycled through the small washer in the kitchen. After village hopping on our first day, Julia suggested visiting a National
meet Rosa Jo
This post was going to happen eventually. Both mom and I have been combing shelters and rescues for dogs since we lost Sebastian in July. I told my mom it’s her turn to be the primary owner of our shared dog. I have two cats and teenagers, so she needed a dog more than I did. She talks to every dog she sees on the streets, and it became a bit of a running joke during our trip in England
four things | forty-nine
I had planned to write Four Things posts while traveling, but that didn’t happen. Our days were full and, when we did have downtime, I didn’t want to spend it pecking away at my computer. Instead, I wrote in my journal to record all my experiences, thoughts, and observations as close to the moment as possible. I wandered around the villa’s grounds where we stayed in Italy. I painted, sketched, and soaked it all in. But now that I’m home,
the thatched cottage
As our first day in the Cotswolds was waning, Julia drove us to Chipping Campden to check into our Airbnb. Just a few weeks earlier, Julia and I were on a FaceTime call, looking at potential places to stay during our trip. She had sent me a few vacation rentals and National Trust properties, and I had done some browsing as well. We hadn’t settled on anything, though. We were looking for a place that was historic, which isn’t too
Cirencester, Seasalt Cornwall, & Bourton-on-the-Water
Well, I am back home in the US, but I have over 2,000 photos to go through and edit, and I wrote so much in my journal that I went through three ink cartridges in my fountain pen! I recorded it all for my own sake, but also so I could share what we did, what I loved, and what inspired me here on the blog. I hope my travels will inspire you as well. This is my third post
My Favorite Local Antique Stores
I have been asked several times since I moved back to the mid-Atlantic region if I would share some of my favorite antique stores. I will start by saying, there are a plethora of fantastic antique stores, markets, co-ops, barn sales, consignment shops, and thrift stores all within about an hour from me. There is no way I can give an exhaustive list, but I wanted to share the places I regularly check out that are either in Hagerstown or
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,
Bibury, Barnsley, & The Pig
The next stop in our jetlag-countering Cotswold tour was Bibury. (You can read about our first stop in Burford HERE.) As an American, you might be tempted to say Bi-berry, but syllables are dropped by the English (or added by the Americans) as in straw-bry and rasp-bry. It’s Bi-bry. Now that we have the pronunciation sorted, I will tell you that Bibury is known as “the most photographed place in the Cotswolds.” I’m not sure how you can measure that
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
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.
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Artistic Endeavors
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,
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
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,
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
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
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
Seasonal
Fall
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
A fall dessert using a fall favorite comes to life in this cookie. I don’t often think about cooking with pumpkin, but there is a lot of goodness pumpkins can bring to the culinary table! I was in the mood for something chocolatey and cookies are always a winner at my house, so I made a variation of a Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe I found on Taste of Home. I made a few tweaks to the recipe, like
marinated skirt steak recipe & an All-Clad giveaway
The pot rack in my kitchen might be the one thing in my house that we installed a week after we moved in 10 years ago and hasn’t moved an inch. It’s never even been under threat of being moved. I love, love, love my pot rack. That’s an odd thing for me, because it’s not an antique, but it is so functional and I honestly like having all of my pretty pans and copper pots on display. Yes, we’re
baked potato soup recipe
I shared a couple of weeks ago that I made a full-fat, no-skimping-on-the-good-stuff baked potato soup recipe as a treat. I love creamy soups and casseroles, but I don’t make them very often anymore, because they are just so calorie-laden. But it was a dreary day and both Jeff and I were in the mood for soup. A loaded baked potato soup recipe that I used to make came to mind and I couldn’t shake it. So, I bought the ingredients
farmhouse holiday series | fall porch
It’s time for our last fall post in the Farmhouse Holiday Series – the fall porch, but we’ll be back again as the Christmas season gets underway! I have to say that I really worked at gardening and our outdoor spaces last year. I found it rewarding and we enjoyed sitting on our deck for the first time in the almost 10 years we’ve lived here. This year? Totally different story. It was hot and dry and I was really
farmhouse holiday series | fall dining room
It’s time for another installment of the Farmhouse Holiday Series with some of my blog buddies. And this week, we partnered with All Modern to show you our dining rooms decorated for fall. I remember when I felt like “holiday” colors were locked in. Christmas had to be green and red and fall had to be yellows, oranges, and browns. That is it. And then I vividly remember seeing an article in a magazine, featuring a home decked out for Christmas
fall living room
You’re all amazing. I just need to say that. All of your comments in reply to my “things have changed” post were like a huge hug to me. I know that sounds cheesy, but they really were. What’s interesting is that after I posted that, it was such a relief to me and it pushed me through that “stuck” feeling I’ve been struggling through the past few weeks. I took the pressure off of myself and creativity bloomed. Lesson learned. Well,
at home
All Things Home
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
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
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
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,
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
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.