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Favorite Things

a slice of life

2019 April Favorites

My word…April flew by!  I can’t believe it’s May already and the end of the school year is just weeks away.  Crazy.  I’m not sure if I’m ready for summer just yet!  Anyway, before we get ahead of ourselves, let me share some of my favorite things from April… Les Misérables on Masterpiece I’m pretty eager to like just about any period miniseries, but I have been eagerly anticipating Les Misérables on PBS for a while!  I was introduced to the story through the musical when I was 11.  It was actually the first CD I ever listened to!  Anyway, the story is so beautiful and I have enjoyed the miniseries so far.  It’s still playing on PBS and you can also watch it on the Masterpiece channel on Amazon Prime. New Notebook I think I have finally found the perfect notebook (and, believe me, I have certainly bought and

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a slice of life

March Favorites

Wow!  I wasn’t expecting such a response to selling the postal sorter.  I can assure you, though, that I’ve bought and sold a lot of beautiful things over the years…things that were rare, unusual, and things that I loved.  But I’ve learned that I can love something for a while, as long as I have the perfect place for it and a use for it, and then I can let it go if ever that changes.  I find just as much joy sending the beloved item off to a new home.  And I haven’t regretted selling anything.  There are times when I remember a piece with fondness or I think about a piece I sold a few years ago that would now be perfect for this house.  But, if I kept everything I might have a spot for in a future house, I would have to rent a storage unit. 

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a slice of life

December & January Favorites

I have to confess that I was a little too grouchy yesterday to write any kind of a blog post that would’ve been even marginally inspirational or interesting to read.  So, I saved you from that and left my writing for this morning when I had a fresh perspective!  And, I was having such a great morning that it got me in the perfect mood to share my favorites from December and January.  Those two ended up getting lumped together because of the holidays, so here you go… Montana Trip I went to Whitefish, Montana to tour the HGTV dream home in early December and it was such an enriching trip.  I didn’t know anyone attending the event, so it pulled me out of my typical sphere of home decor bloggers.  I got to hang out with an awesome group of creative, business-savvy women and it was a blast.  The location wasn’t too

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a slice of life

curiosity killed the cat…

…but I am not a cat.  And neither are you. When I was on my creative retreat last March, there were a few themes that kept coming up.  They were from different authors and podcasters and, if I heard them more than once, it really made me take notice.  Enthusiasm, showing up, schedule, and routine were some of those themes.  Another one was curiosity. Since then, I’ve heard curiosity brought up in many creative business podcasts. Follow your curiosity.  Be curious.  Stay curious. I even heard it in a sermon about cynicism.  One way to combat cynicism is to be curious…to not assume the outcome, but to approach life with a sort of wonder.  “What would happen if…” It’s the triumph of hope over experience. (Does anyone recognize that period drama reference?) I realized, as I’ve been listening to all of this talk about curiosity, that I meander through my creative

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a slice of life

favorite home projects of 2018

As I’ve been looking back over the past year and the projects we completed, I realized we have done a lot!  2017 was about getting settled, listening to our house, getting to know its style, and learning the way it functioned best.  It was also about tackling the immediate issues, like an aging water heater, broken garage doors, and turning the sunroom into a finished studio. This year has been about making the homes ours…or at least parts of it!  Even working at a pretty good pace, we’re not going to get the entire house done in a year.  We focused primarily on the main floor since that’s where we spend most of our time. Here are my favorite projects we completed in 2018… Installing Hardwood Floors I knew I wanted to do this before we even bought the house.  There was 13-year-old, beige wall-to-wall carpet in the dining room

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a slice of life

just a few gift ideas…

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family.  In the spirit of thanks, I need to take a quick minute to say thank you!  Whether you’re brand new, you just hop on here once in a while for a tutorial or specific information, or you’ve been following my journey for years, thank you for reading my blog and for joining me on this journey.  This blog would be just a very time-consuming journal without you! I am not a rabid black Friday shopper.  Maybe I should be.  Maybe I’m missing out. I might troll the internet to see if something I wanted to buy anyway is on sale, but I’m not going to wait in line for doors to open, so I can race to get the latest and greatest deal. For those who are like me and take Black Friday at

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a slice of life

October 2018 Favorites

I didn’t write a September Favorites post, because I figured my posts about Paris and Italy sort of covered all of my favorites!  (And I still have more to share on that trip, in fact!) As I was putting this list together, I realized I did a poor job keeping track of some of my favorite things for October.  Usually, I keep a running list, so I don’t forget the things that sparked my interest when it comes time to share, but I neglected to do that this month.  It’s been a busy month that has completely run away from me.  I keep saying that next week I’ll be back into a routine, but that just hasn’t happened this month. Anyway, here are some of my favorites (that I can remember)… Portrait Painting We have entered into the portrait painting segment of the I’m attending and I have enjoyed it immensely.  At

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a slice of life

I gained 12 lbs in paris

You might think this title would fit better with the post about the patisserie tour, but I didn’t gain 12 lbs on my body…just in my suitcase.  Yes, this post is about shopping! I was looking forward to everything I would see and do while in Paris and a few towns in Tuscany, but I was also anticipating the shopping.   I had money saved, a wish list, stores pinpointed to visit, and even a guided Paris Perfect flea market tour lined up our very first day in Paris.  My suitcase was packed with just the essentials, weighing in at only 28 lbs.  It was so light, it even drew comment from the airport clerk at the check-in desk who questioned if there was even anything inside the mid-sized suitcase. “I’m planning to shop.  It’ll be heavier on the way home.” He laughed and easily slid my bag onto the belt.

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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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