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Favorite Things

a slice of life

August 2022 Favorites

I wish I could say the month of August was all good things and favorites enveloped by constant grace and poise.  But, as is often the case with life, it was a rollercoaster of peaks and valleys.  It was days of peace and ones of impatience.  It was the start of school in the midst of uncertainty.  It was weariness from not having our own home, our own beds, our own stuff.  But, it was also full of gratitude for a family who so generously open their homes to us and take care of our sweet animals.  It was the enjoyment felt as new acquaintances grow in familiarity and potential friendships are on the horizon.  It was being able to walk again after a month of relying on crutches and a scooter. It’s the peace in knowing that this is all just a brief season, that God is in complete

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Favorite Things

July 2022 Favorites

Despite being in a season of life that has been all about upheaval and waiting, July was a good month full of favorites.  I actually like writing these favorites post for that very reason…it gives me an opportunity to look at the past few weeks with a lens of gratitude instead of complaint.  My foot is still broken, I was told to stay off of it and use crutches and a knee scooter, we’re waiting for so many pieces to fall into place regarding our future, but there were sweet times, beautiful moments, and things I thoroughly enjoyed that are worth sharing with you. I hope whatever season of life you are in, you can still find some favorites.  Here are mine from July 2022… July 4th in Gettysburg, PA We spent many July 4ths in Gettysburg and I forgot how enjoyable it is.  If you’re a little rusty on

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book reviews

the reader’s corner | used books

When we arrived in Raleigh last week, my mother-in-law started going over potential outings.  She shared the names of a few thrift stores she thought I might want to check out and she mentioned that my niece, Lizzy, could give me a comprehensive tour of the best-used book shops in the area.  Well, I perked up at that!  Lizzy and I have always had a lot of interests in common from theatre to crochet.  Now, we share a love of poking around used book stores to build our personal libraries.  We chatted about what kind of books I look for (art, design, decorating) and she knew just the spot to take me – The Reader’s Corner. I was actually so distracted at the thought of all of those used books that I forgot to bring my cell phone with me, so I couldn’t take pictures!  The one above was sourced

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a slice of life

May & June 2022 Favorites

I didn’t get around to writing my May favorites for obvious reasons.  I broke my foot on May 1 and then spent the entire month hobbling around packing up a 4,000 sq foot house.  It was a lot and I was just trying to get through it, not make mental notes on things I really enjoyed.  But, I did manage to remember a few things I really enjoyed and decided to combine them with some favorites from June. May and June are like a tale of two months.  May was frenzied and exhausting.  June was relaxing, quiet, and slow.  It was staying in a small house that didn’t need much from me and I could just focus on recovery and rest.  Of course, I still did work, but I welcomed writing and painting after all of the packing!  It felt restful and I could work at a slower pace.  We

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Favorite Things

March & April 2022 Favorites

March and April were whirlwind months, which is why their favorites posts have been merged together.  In two months, we’ve squashed in getting a house ready to sell, showing & selling a house, going on a beach trip, packing for a move, selling a ton of belongings, 3/4 people in our house being sick with the virus, and falling just outside of April, I broke my foot on May 1.  But, in the middle of all of the craziness, there have definitely been some favorite things. isle of palms trip Well, a trip to the beach has to be at the top of the list.  I learned that March is the ideal month for me to be at the beach.  The weather is still cool, making it delightful for me!  I even put my feet in the water quite a few times and it wasn’t as frigid as I was

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Art

the porcupine by ray french

As I shared in the tour of my great aunt and uncle’s home in South Carolina, they have acquired a lot of interesting art pieces over the years.  I wanted to highlight one specifically because it’s a neat piece by a known artist, but also because of a special inscription.  The work is the Porcupine, a 1949 engraving by Ray French. At first glance, you might think this is just a framed print, but when you lean in and look… You can see that this is engraving 5/25 and the Porcupine is signed in pencil by Ray French.  One cool thing about this particular engraving is that another engraving in the series of the Porcupine was exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in 1949. And you can see that the engraving hanging in my aunt’s house is inscribed “To Marian.”  Of course, I wasn’t around in 1949, so I’m

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a slice of life

isle of palms | the shell collection contest

As I shared earlier this week and in my Instagram Stories every day, the main activity that my mom plan around is shelling.  We set out at low tide each day and spend an hour or two combing the beach to add to our shell collection. For me, it hits a lot of things.  Of course, it appeals to the collector in me.  I get to hunt and peck and celebrate great finds.  I also love being at the beach (when it’s not too hot!)  As with many, many other people, I find the sound of the waves, the sand beneath my feet, and the water lapping around my bare legs to be relaxing.  It’s what I look forward to anytime a beach trip is on the calendar.  When I’m by myself, I’ll put on a podcast or some music and just melt into my own world.  When I’m with

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Favorite Things

recent instagram saves | inspiration

As I shared in my February 2022 Favorites post earlier this week, a favorite thing has been quieting my Instagram feed and not letting it be such an automatic part of my day.  I know so many others can relate to navigating the ever-changing landscape of the online world.  How can we be involved in the online community, connect, find inspiration, use those platforms to share our work, and somehow separate the negative things that come along with the good?  And I don’t have the answer.  I’m trying to figure it out myself and there really isn’t a map. But, there is one thing I do know.  It feels good to find little gems, things that inspire, and share them with others.  So, today, I am going to share a few of my recent saves on Instagram in the hopes that you’ll find something that delights you as well. I

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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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