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 […]
built-in fridge update
If you followed our kitchen renovation, you might remember that we went with a built-in panel-ready fridge. I never thought we would be able to fit one into our budget, but when I had the opportunity to work with Ilve’s US distributor on the range as a part of a blog/social media collaboration, they asked […]
Recent Blog Posts
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
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
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
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
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
Seasonal
Fall
black glittered pumpkins & more
Today in the studio, Kriste and I worked creating two very different Halloween/fall tables. In the one I’m showing today, we went with a black/orange/spooky classic Halloween theme. Neither of us are big on decorating for Halloween, but this was so much fun to put together and we both love how it turned out. We featured Flapper Black MMS GGG (Miss Mustard Seed’s German Glass Glitter) on several simple projects on this table. We glittered live and wooden pumpkins (found
minimal fall decorating
I’ve share this before, but I thought it was worth sharing again. I’m not big on decorating for each season. I think in the world of Pinterest and blogs, it’s easy to feel like you have to do a bunch of projects and crafts for birthdays, parties and especially during the holiday season. As I’ve been immersed in that world and holidays seem to blur into one another as I’m dying Easter eggs in October and buying Christmas trees in April,
Milk Paint Pumpkins
I received a lot of wonderful comments about my blue pumpkins and squash, but several people shared that they couldn’t find them in their area. Well, that gave me an idea… I’ve been itching to play with milk paint since attending the retailer training earlier this week, so why not test some custom mixed colors on a few pumpkins? I know painting pumpkins isn’t anything new, but I don’t know if I’ve seen milk paint pumpkins out and about. Given
Fall Decorating Update
Last time we checked in on my fall decorating, I had plopped a pumpkin in a dough bowl and called it a day. A couple of days later, I went to the farmer’s market up the road for some apples and found the prettiest blue hubbard squash and a fresh kale plant. Neither were very expensive, so I picked them up. Then, on the way from my my shopping trip on Thursday, I passed a huge wagon overflowing with beautiful
fall & thanksgiving inspiration
The new issue of Cottages and Bungalows has hit newsstands, so I thought I would share a few pictures from my DIY Essentials column. (Table settings are one of my favorites to photograph…) This month’s issue shares a tutorial on how to make an over sized chalkboard with a chunky frame. (The piece is now for sale at Lucketts. I wanted to keep it, but it didn’t fit my requirement of having a perfect place for it. Bummer.)
at home
All Things Home
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,
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
Everyday Moments
A Slice of Life
our hotel in Florence
In previous years, we’ve just spent one night in Florence and left early the next morning to fly home. Both times, we happened to be there on a Monday when all the museums were closed. For this trip, we decided we would stay two nights, so we could visit a couple of the museums and see a bit more of Florence. The drive to Florence was uneventful. Our driver dropped three women from our group at the airport before taking
the last day in Sovicelle, Italy
Our last day of the Prone to Wander retreat was spent at the farm (podere) with a relaxed schedule. After a late breakfast, we gathered for a cooking class taught by Orsa, our host and the culinary mind behind the lunches and dinners we ate at the retreat. She has her degree in culinary anthropology, so she has abundant knowledge of regional food, dishes, and cooking techniques. She taught us how to make Pappa al Pomodoro or “bread soup.” With
four things | sixty-four
I’ll share why in the “what I’m working on” section of this post, but it was a big week for me! So often in creative work, when you pass a huge milestone or complete a marathon task, there isn’t any fanfare. You just turn in the work, mail it to the client, press the submit button, and it’s done. There’s no bell to ring or a team gathering for a celebration after work. You just do it and then move
health & fitness update
I shared here on the blog that I made several lifestyle changes in 2024 to increase my fitness level, improve my overall health, and lose some weight that crept on during Covid, our move, and six months of being in an orthopedic boot after I broke my foot. I walked three miles daily, increased my activity by gardening and getting outside more often, and tracked my food. I lost almost 30 lbs and was already feeling so much better. In
marbled paper & bookbinding workshop in Italy
Our second-to-the-last day of the Prone to Wander retreat was spent at “home”. Instead of taking the bus to an experience, the experience came to us. Maria Giannini, a paper maker and bookbinder from Florence, came to teach a paper marbling and bookbinding workshop. The interesting coincidence of Maria and me both teaching workshops at this retreat was that we had met six years earlier when I popped into her family’s pen-and-paper shop. Their shop was just a short walk
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
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.