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a slice of life
Favorite Things

beautiful tools | copper watering can & mister

As I have shared many times over the years, I believe in having the tools you use every day be beautiful from dish brushes and bars of soap to brooms and scissors to pencils and grocery bags.  Functional items can, in most cases, also be lovely, aesthetically pleasing, and a delight to use.  They don’t have to be made of brightly-colored plastic that you want to hide in your cabinets.  Even the humblest of sponges or a pair of gardening clogs can be something you enjoy having in plain view.  For years, I have been using a plastic water bottle or whatever else I could find on hand to water my houseplants.  I finally decided to treat myself to a beautiful watering can that I wouldn’t mind sitting out on the counter or the shelf by the kitchen door.  After looking around at my options and thinking about it, I

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May 2, 2024 25 Comments
encouragement

a million chances | encouragement

We have six large maples that are half a century old framing our house.  I love the dappled light they make on the house in the morning and evening and the shade they provide in the summer.  They put on quite a show in the fall as well. There are a few downsides to having six large maple trees on your property, though.  They shed a lot of leaves in the fall.  A lot.  We have to pick up twigs and branches regularly in the yard to keep it tidy and save the mower blades.  Despite having the trees professionally crowned and cleaned last year, they still lose large branches when it’s really windy.  The other downside is those trees make a mess in the spring.  I didn’t really notice it last year, but I was pretty preoccupied with the kitchen renovation.  Since I’ve been outside a lot more this

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May 1, 2024 24 Comments
a slice of life

what’s in my gardening books stack

I’m a book-stacker.  When I am interesting in a subject, I’ll pull books on that topic and make a stack on my studio counter.  If I feel like there are holes in my collection or some tempting new books are available, I’ll buy a few more to add to the stack.  I’ll then grab books from that stack to read when I have some free time or when I’m headed to an appointment or another place where I might be waiting.  The current stack on my studio counter follows a clear theme – gardening.  It’s full of some of my favorite gardening books that I’ve had for years along with some that I just opened a few days ago. If you know me, you know I like big books.  Helping me move isn’t fun because not only do I have lots of boxes of books, but I have lots of

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April 29, 2024 14 Comments
a slice of life

back to IOP for a creative retreat

The last time I met up with Shaunna for a creative retreat was in February 2020.  We met up in Panama City Beach, Florida to spend a few days at her parent’s amazing condo that overlooked the ocean.  We ate charcuterie boards and ordered DoorDash.  We painted, played, talked, took notes, dreamed, asked questions, listened to music, and rested.  It was such a wonderful time and I couldn’t wait to do it again. (You can read more about my past creative retreats HERE.) Well, we all know what was around the corner in March of that year.  We have talked about doing a creative retreat for years but the timing was always off for one or both of us.  In addition, her parents were weary of repairing the property after the hurricanes (including a contractor who started squatting in the place) and sold their condo.  We would look at the

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April 24, 2024 9 Comments
Decorating

an ode to linen & Brooklinen’s 10th anniversary sale

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Brooklinen.  As always, all words and opinions shared are honest and my own.  Brooklinen is currently having its 10th-anniversary sale, so check out the bottom of the post for more details. An Ode to Linen by Marian Parsons *Ahem* Oh, linen, how I love thee.  Let me count the ways.  I have ten. Number one.  I love that you are a natural fabric.  I enjoy cotton and wool, but you are my favorite. Number two.  Instead of being worse for wear, you get better with age.  You get softer and more comfortable with each wash.  You age like a fine wine or a prize-winning cheese. Number three.  You never, ever pill. You just don’t.  Anyone who has ever slept on pilly sheets understands and respects this about you. Number four.  You feel cool and cozy simultaneously.  You are a wonder. Number five. You are

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April 23, 2024 1 Comment
a slice of life

the give and take of getting things done

I was checking out the Instagram Stories of some of my favorite accounts to follow and I had to take a screenshot of this question-and-answer post by @themisfithouse.  It caught my eye because this is a question I have received regularly over the past 15 years of sharing online.  It also caught my eye because I loved the honesty of Monica’s answer. It doesn’t matter who you are, getting things done is a give and take. I think the danger of watching things happen online is that it feels so easy and instant.  We assume the people we’re watching get those things done on top of the things we do.  We assume they do those things by themselves.  And, we assume that everything happens in the timespan it was shared.  We assume they do it all.  It’s a good time to offer the reminder that no one does it all.

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April 18, 2024 38 Comments
a slice of life

why you should have a pair of gardening overalls

I’ve been working in the yard and garden beds most days over the past two or three weeks.  It’s that time of year when the longer days and not-too-hot spring weather draws me outside and I get excited about cleaning things up, weeding, and working on more landscaping projects.  We bought a house that had beautiful landscaping done about 50 years ago.  Fortunately, some of that landscaping is still in good condition, can be trimmed up, and provides a nice foundation to work around.  Unfortunately, much of the yard and many of those mature bushes are overgrown and there is still a lot of work to be done.  Last year, we made a big dent by having large bushes and some trees professionally removed and we’ve been slowly working on the rest on our own.  At some point, I’ll share a recap of what we’ve done in the yard so

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April 16, 2024 12 Comments
a slice of life

never stop having firsts

I just turned 46 years old last week and, on Sunday afternoon, I mowed a lawn for the first time in my life. I come from a long line of lawn-mowing women. Well, I suppose two women isn’t exactly a long line, but there is a family history. Whenever my mom would talk about my great-grandmother, Rosa, she would say, “She mowed her lawn into her 70s!” In fact, the only thing that stopped her from mowing her own lawn was when her car, which she thought was in park, started rolling backward out of her driveway. She didn’t want it to hit anyone, so she tried to stop it and it ran over her.  That event resulted in a hip injury that affected her for the rest of her life. She was a really awesome lady, a force when it came to knitting, and a big tipper when grandkids

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April 9, 2024 46 Comments

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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