Order Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

order the Book
Facebook Instagram Youtube Tiktok

a slice of life
a slice of life

for the love of old books & burning Charlotte Brontë

I shared yesterday in my Instagram stories that I know the stress that comes with shopping a popular online sale.  I have been on the buying end of that scenario. Just a few weeks ago, I was watching an Instagram account I follow, @sketchbookcoshop, give previews of their upcoming sale.  They make sketchbooks out of antique and vintage books, so each of their pieces is one-of-a-kind.  One, in particular, caught my fancy, so I sent a message to them.  “Can I purchase this one?” “Sorry, you have to wait for the sale.” I’ve said those very words to many people as I was getting ready for Lucketts Spring Markets.  I always struggled with the tension of making an immediate sale vs. saving the inventory for people who were paying to attend the event.  And do I offer holds for people shopping on the VIP day?  How and when do I

Read More
June 18, 2020 25 Comments
a slice of life

project progress & more happy mail…

The tail end of last week and the weekend were again filled with projects around the home and yard.  I did take time to rest and relax, too, but I want to keep things moving when I’m on a roll.  I can see the finish line on a few of the projects I’m bouncing between and I’m ready to get them checked off my list. So, this weekend, I spent some more time painting the trim we installed a couple of weeks ago.  I finished the caulking, priming, and painting in the master bedroom on Saturday and it looks so good!  I’ll share the final results soon. I also got a coat of primer and the first coat of paint on two walls in the sewing room, including the wall with the windows.  Painting window casings is such a pain, so I’m glad to just have one more coat to

Read More
June 15, 2020 18 Comments
a slice of life

family work day

As I shared a couple of weeks ago, this is the year we get our yard looking more presentable.  Not only were the beds overrun with weeds and filled with plants I had no affection for, but things were just looking messy and untidy.  The black plastic borders were popping up, grass was creeping into the beds, certain spots along the hills were eroding, 15-year-old landscape fabric was ineffective and exposed, bushes and trees needed to be pruned, and the area under the deck was a dumping ground.  I have been largely avoiding all of it for the better part of almost three years.  It just all seemed like too big of a project. My renewed energy from a mostly-healed shoulder and our collective cabin fever from being under stay-at-home orders since March became the perfect recipe to get our whole family out in the yard and working together. In

Read More
June 11, 2020 71 Comments
a slice of life

the antique french paint box

One of the things on my shopping wish-list when I went to Europe last fall was a paint box.  Most of the items on my list were, in fact, art supplies…  a silver ink well, a blotter, a tabletop easel, a fountain pen.  As you may have noticed, antique and vintage art supplies have been a favorite of mine lately!  I was really hoping to find a wooden artist’s pochade box in France or Italy, and I did come across a couple, but just not the right one.  I almost talked myself into buying one particular box, but it really was too new.  It didn’t have the soul and patina I wanted. So, I’ve been browsing Etsy and eBay now and then for antique and vintage pochade boxes.  I’ve gotten so far as to put one in my cart only to abandon it.  After all of my years of buying

Read More
June 10, 2020 49 Comments
a slice of life

April’s Books of the Week

I must pat myself on the back for picking some great books in the month of April!  I feel like I can say that because I just picked them off of a shelf, read them, enjoyed them, and I’m sharing them with you. The Art of Beatrix Potter I enjoyed this book on a few different levels.  First off, I liked learning more about Beatrix Potter as a writer, artist, and creative.  This book is part biography with family photos and details about her childhood and how her stories and art began and evolved. I also enjoyed this book as a subject to study as an artist.  There are so many delightful sketches and watercolor paintings, as you would imagine.  I always learn so much from studying other artists.  I feel overwhelmed at the idea of sketching a street scene, but I can learn how to do it by making

Read More
May 22, 2020 19 Comments
a slice of life

this & that

Our weekend was mostly rainy, but it was much needed.  I’m watching our grass green up and our front garden spring to life (along with weeds that need to be pulled) out of the drenched soil.  I spent Sunday cleaning and making soup to get the week started off well.  I did take some creative time when everyone else was occupied, though.  I did prep for the next slipcovers I’ll be working on as well as some painting and drawing. I also sent out some more happy mail! I am taking another Jeanne Oliver class – The Working Art Journal with Pam Carriker and I’ve been making value scale charts with my pencils… I love making little tools for art and Pam has all sorts of fun suggestions for getting to know your art supplies and making pretty and functional reference materials. The bulk of the class is working on

Read More
May 20, 2020 43 Comments
a slice of life

make-do banana bread recipe

In the early days of quarantine, I remember feeling a little panicked about food.  Maybe panicked is too strong of a word, but I was worried about the unknown.  I have some small experience with food shortage and not knowing what you’re going to be able to get each day.  I spent a summer in Russia, just a few years after the wall fell.  I lived in an apartment with my dad and, as the lady of the house, I was responsible for the shopping and cooking.  I liked homemaking even then and my dad was always one to push me into the deep end to see if I could make it. We shopped together the first few times and I learned that it was nothing like going into an American grocery store.  Their stores were small, more like the size of a gas station market, and the shelves were

Read More
May 13, 2020 18 Comments
a slice of life

milk paint backdrops, blueberry ink, & creative community

Last week was the first week that I felt like I was settling into a new routine.  The previous weeks were about figuring out this new normal…the stress of feeling like I’m bringing toxic waste into the house when I order groceries or check the mail, the struggle of learning how to do school from home, the worry of the unknown, trying to sleep after reading the news.  I know so many of you can relate to the upheaval. But, I’m settling now, just as one would after a move or starting a new job, having a baby, or some other life-changing event. I’ve grown used to having groceries delivered and wiping them all down before bringing them into the house.  The boys have gotten into their own routine and have been doing schoolwork with more independence.  We’ve been able to treat ourselves with one outing to Home Depot to

Read More
May 11, 2020 16 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.

Facebook Instagram Youtube Pinterest Amazon

next art sale

August 13th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Get Early access →

Now Available

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

start creating →

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.
Explore the shop →

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.
Shop Now →

Recent Video

Fall Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest