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a slice of life

a slice of life

Isle of Palms 2022

I thought I would share a little bit more about our time at Isle of Palms this year.  If you’d like to read about our trip last year and the things we did, you can check that out HERE. Of course, the highlight of our time at the beach for me is always walking along the beach, collecting shells.  I will write a post sharing how to decorate with shells, showcase some of my favorite finds, and share what catches my eye.  You can read my tips on shelling at Isle of Palms HERE and see who won the shell collection competition of 2022 HERE. The contest was just a bit of fun, but I love the shells I brought home.  They are still sitting in bags because I’ve been preoccupied with packing, but I am looking forward to painting some of them as subjects and using them for various

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a slice of life

beautiful variety | encouragement

I usually get a post up on Mondays, but there was some background maintenance happening on my blog and I wasn’t able to get a post up on time.  That ended up being okay because I had another furniture pick-up this morning and Jeff helped me shuffle furniture around to get things organized a bit better.  For those interested in my moving/packing methods, I will be sharing more details and my thought process.  But, for today, I am tired of packing and moving things and I certainly don’t want to write about it. Let’s talk about a beautiful reminder I received from nature. As I was giving the olive shells collected on Isle of Palms with my mom a more thorough rinsing at home, I left them sitting out, drying on a paper towel for several days.  It’s unlike me to leave something just sitting out, but I found that

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a slice of life

i’ve been keeping a big secret…

For the past few weeks, it has been a little bit hard for me to know what to write here on the blog because there have been big things happening in our real life and we decided to keep it off of my blog and social media until the time was right.  Of course, our family and friends have known, but I wanted to let my blog friends, many of who have been with me for over a decade, know our news… We sold our house and we’re moving back to the east coast this summer! The decision was bitter-sweet because we love where we live.  We love Rochester, Minnesota, we love our church and community, Jeff loves his job and we love our house.  So, why are we moving when we are very happy where we are?  Typically a move is caused by a nudge that says it’s time

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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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a slice of life

shelling tips on Isle of Palms

Shelling is my favorite thing to do on the beach.  I’ll roam along the shore slowly, picking up whatever catches my eye and that I might want to add to my collection of shells that I’ve been working on since I was a girl.  My Oma was a big sheller and my mother after her.  And I’m carrying on the tradition with enthusiasm and I poke around with my toes anytime I’m on a beach.  Isle of Palms is one of the best shelling beaches I’ve been on, but I wanted to share some helpful tips based on my experience.   I’ve been shelling on Isle of Palms twice now, so you can keep that in mind.  You’ll certainly get a lot more insider tips from people who live here, but I can share some lessons learned from shelling here as well as on many other beaches in the Carolinas. Last

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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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a slice of life

February 2022 favorites

Can you believe it’s March already?!  We’re creeping towards spring and to the end of another school year.  We’re approaching spring cleaning, gardening, and beach trips.  We’re hunkering down for the last breath of winter.  A few sunny, warm-ish days have lured me outside on long walks and given me energy for more projects.  Sometimes I think I run on solar power, which is why I tend to slow down in January and February.  I love the cold, but I enjoy the longer days, more sunlight, and more time outside.  My beloved hoodies and wool socks get folded up and put away for a while, but it’s a tradeoff. I know winter isn’t over here in Minnesota, but there is a whisper of spring in the air. I was planning on doing another no-spend February again, plus purging and organizing, but the month really got away from me and I

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a slice of life

hearty lentil soup with sausage | recipe

My mom has been making a variation of this lentil soup for as long as I can remember.  If you haven’t noticed, I prefer creamy soups.  I just enjoy them more than brothy soups and they can still be healthy with just a few adjustments (like cutting just a little bit of cream with milk and mostly broth.)  But there is something about this hearty lentil soup that makes it “eat creamy” to me.  I think it’s the creaminess added by the lentils, maybe?  Whatever it is, this is a soup I made a few times during the winter.  It’s healthy, hearty, and can easily be adapted to be vegetarian or vegan. I average making a pot of soup each week, so it’s nice to have something a little different in the rotation.  (You can find more of our favorite soup recipes HERE.) I’ve wanted to share this lentil soup

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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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