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a slice of life

a slice of life

fall Walmart fashion | classic blue & white staples

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walmart.  As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own.  blue star sweater | white tie blouse | gold tunic sweater | jeans | striped shirt | ballet flats | navy sweater | olive stripe sweater We moved into our house almost a year ago!  Can you believe that?  We still have things in boxes and areas that have remained largely untouched since we first settled in.  When I see those areas, I feel a little frustrated with myself, but I have to remember how much upheaval and many major renovations have happened since we moved in.  I also had to remind myself that it took two-to-three years to really get settled when we moved to our house in Minnesota.  Even though this house is much smaller than our last one, there is so much stuff to organize and so many

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a slice of life

Nomad at Home | a new collaborative course

One of the best things about the online community is having the opportunity to find your people no matter where in the country or the world they live.  One of those people I found was Daune of Cottage in the Oaks.  We connected years ago over our love of paint and had the chance to meet in person at the very first Haven Conference (a home blogger’s conference.)  It’s hard to believe that was over ten years ago! For those who are familiar with the conference and weren’t aware, I was one of the founding members of the conference and helped with planning that very first one.  I also taught a couple of painting classes and gave a preview of the Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint line, which was about to launch.  It was such an exciting time in my business and in the world of home/DIY blogging.  I decided

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Favorite Things

July 4th Marlow Pillow & Cooling Cover Sale

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Marlow.  As always, all opinions and words expressed are honest and my own. I’ve shared about the Marlow Pillow a couple of times here on the blog and today, I wanted to let you know their July 4th summer sale is running now for a limited time.  If you’re not familiar with the Marlow Pillow, it was designed to be a well-price pillow that is comparable quality to pillows almost twice the price.  They are thoughtfully designed to offer adjustability, and cooling, as well as mite and bacteria resistance.  In addition, the pillows are designed to work for side, back, and stomach sleepers.  Marlow is so confident in their product that they offer a 2-year warranty and free 365-day returns. In previous posts about the Marlow PIllow, I highlighted the adjustability of the pillow.  Jeff ordered an “adjustable” pillow once and it came with an

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a slice of life

Summer Outfits with Walmart

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walmart.  As always, all opinions are honest and my own. I’ve worked with Walmart here on the blog for several years, sharing things from their home and craft department, but this time I was asked to share items featured in their fashion department.  My days mostly consist of painting, working on my house, gardening, writing, cooking, and taking pictures…so I’m not walking around the house all dolled up.  I’m not sharing my OOTD (outfit of the day) because it’s pretty reliably sweats, a t-shirt, and Crocs.  I do put some jeans on when I go out and I’ll wear tunics and dresses to church, but I’m just not and never will be a fashionista.  But, then I really thought about it and I know that there are many people like me out there and we still need to wear clothes!  We still buy clothes

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a slice of life

summer bedding with Brooklinen

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Brooklinen.  I have partnered with them for years and love sharing about their products.  As always, all words are honest and my own. Brooklinen is having their big 20% off Memorial Day sale now through May 31, so it’s a good time to buy new sheets, bedding, and towels. One place that has been a haven for Jeff and me (and the kitties) during all of the renovation work has been our bedroom suite.  Other than the boy’s rooms, it’s the one place in the house that isn’t acting as storage for displaced items from the kitchen, dining room, and foyer.  It’s on the opposite side of the house from the kitchen, so it’s also been isolated a bit more from the noise and dust.  And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having a comfortable bed with fresh, soft bedding to sink

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Art

my recent favorite art books

Earlier this year, I tried to paint a few landscapes and they all ended up being wiped off the panel.  I felt like I had completely forgotten how to paint a landscape, which was strange because that’s where I started.  I think it had more to do with the fact that I was growing in other areas artistically.  The light in this house had pushed me in a new direction with my still-life paintings and I could see how much I was improving.  When I switched over to paint a landscape, it would feel flat and forced and I wasn’t happy with the results. So, I dove into studying and practicing.  I’ve been reading books, observing nature through photos and sketching, and I’m taking a few new art classes focusing on the landscape, trees, and skies.  (I took or am taking online classes from Erin Spencer, Julie Davis, and Scot

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Art

my birthday art supply bag

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m always dabbling in new things.  I like to learn, grow, and find new ways to express my creativity.  I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember.  You may also know that I take a lot of art classes and read many art books so I’m learning a variety of techniques and styles from various artists.  I tend to lean towards being tighter and more traditional in my work, both in decorating and art, so I like to expose myself to creators who are totally free spirits.  They slosh around their paints with abandon.  They scribble and play and end up creating something that I find myself attracted to.  It’s not really my style or the kind of artwork I want to make, but it’s a kind of play that can help loosen me up a bit. So

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Art

best art book series | for beginners

You may have noticed that I like my books.  Art books, specifically, are my favorite with design and decorating books as a very close second.  I have amassed quite a collection over the past few years and I have most of the books in my library listed in my Amazon store HERE.  With 357 books on the list, though, I know it can be overwhelming to find the book recommendation you’re looking for.  Since I’m asked with some regularity, I thought I would do a few posts with my top books from specific categories.  Today, I’m sharing the top ten books from my collection that I picked for beginners. This was really hard to narrow down because the book that is best for you depends on your interests, what mediums you want to study, which subjects you want to draw or paint, how you learn, and your starting point.  So,

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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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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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