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

Cleaning & care

All Things Home

cleaning a smoke smell out of wood furniture

When you buy used furniture sometimes musty, dusty, pet, and smoke smells come with it.  When it comes to severe pet and smoke odors, I’ll usually pass on a piece.  They are notoriously hard to completely remove from furniture, especially upholstery.  But, there are times when a piece sneaks through my filters or I’ll make an exception if I think I can remedy the issue.  Jeff picked up this Facebook Marketplace find for me and, while I told him to check for sturdiness and a few other things, I didn’t tell him to check for odors.  As soon as we brought it in, I would have to address the lingering stale smoke smell that came with this beautiful antique quartersawn oak table.  So, I thought I would take you along and share how I go about cleaning a smoke smell out of wood furniture. This is the table I spotted

Read More
All Things Home

how to clean & hydrate old wood | diy furniture cleaner

Several years ago, I wrote a post about how to clean and hydrate old wood and it was one of my most popular posts for years!  I decided it was time to do a refresher post on this DIY, homemade natural furniture cleaner and write an updated post that answered a lot of the questions asked on that original post.  I’ve also been using this recipe and technique for years, so I can speak to its efficacy and longevity. First of all, this DIY Furniture Cleaner will work on any old wood that has lost its luster and shine as long as the mixture can penetrate the finish.  If the piece has a thick polyurethane topcoat, the mixture will just sit on top and won’t be very effective.  If the wood is raw or the finish has worn away/evaporated, this DIY Furniture Cleaner will polish it up beautifully.  It is

Read More
All Things Home

my go-to supplies for cleaning antiques

I have bought and sold (and kept) a lot of antiques over the years.  Thousands and thousands of pieces!  So, I have learned through trial and error about cleaning and polishing up just about anything I find.  As I was cleaning my most recent antique finds I purchased during our trip to visit family in PA, I thought I would share some of my favorite supplies and products for cleaning antiques.  Many of these cleaning methods can work for things you already own that need a little sprucing up as we’re talking about deep cleaning through the month of April. This is my most recent collection of antique finds… Before we get into cleaning, I have to say that I was very restrained and left a lot of well-priced ironstone behind!  I had to keep reminding myself that I’m not shopping for a market or online sale.  I’m just shopping

Read More
Antiques

back home & another antique watercolor box

Despite a trip to the ER after a day in the car (my youngest son has a stomach bug or severe car sickness and needed fluids), we had a wonderful trip out east to visit our family.  We made our first stop in North Carolina to visit Jeff’s parents and his sister’s family before we drive up to Pennsylvania to visit my parents.  We spent a ton of time in the car, but it was all worth it so we could see family.  We hadn’t seen Jeff’s parents since December 2019 and my parents since last summer. I took a break from writing here on the blog, but I did sneak some painting in.  Painting outdoors from life (known as plein air painting) is such a challenge for me compared to painting in the studio.  I struggled through this one and didn’t love the end result, but it was a

Read More
Antiques

Fixing & Cleaning Paint Brushes

As I shared last week, my Victorian-era watercolor box came with a bunch of brushes and other tools.  I finally took some time to give them a little TLC and I thought I would share my process for fixing and cleaning paint brushes.  This is helpful not only if you buy/acquire a lot of vintage or antique brushes, but if you just need to take care of some of your favorite brushes that get heavy use. The first thing I do when fixing and cleaning paint brushes is to pull on the tops to see if they are firmly attached.  Most of these popped off easily, so that was the first thing I needed to address. (Those little marks of dried paint are from Violet’s paws!  She has a knack for stepping straight in any paint if she sneaks into the studio.) I bought waterproof, neutral PH adhesive a while

Read More
a slice of life

scanning old documents, photos, & postcards

One of the big projects I want to work on while organizing and purging is scanning antique and vintage family photos, letters, postcards, and documents.  Fortunately, I have a lot of them!  Unfortunately, that means the task is a little overwhelming and I’ve been putting off most of it for years.  So, I’m just going to chip away at it.  Here is the basket I’m currently working through, but it’s just a fraction of what needs to be sorted, scanned, and properly stored. I started by scanning the letters that are most important to me – my Opa’s letters and telegrams to his family when he was serving in WWII. I organized them and made copies once before, but now that I have a nicer scanner, I scanned them all.  I have uploaded them to a Google Drive, so I can share them with family members who are interested, but

Read More
All Things Home

Collecting Wallace Sleigh Bells FAQ

I have shared about Wallace Sleigh Bells on my blog (HERE) and social media for a few years and I get the same questions about them regularly, so I thought I would answer them all in one post!  For those who aren’t familiar with them, Wallace Sleigh Bells are collectible bells that were introduced in 1971 by the Wallace Silversmiths.  My Oma, who was an avid collector of anything she wanted to collect, bought one and started a collection she added to each year.  When she passed away and we were cleaning out the attic of her home, we divided her ornament collection, which included the Wallace bells, some antique glass ornaments (like the one commemorating man’s first moon walk), and vintage German ornaments she bought when she visited us in Germany. I ended up with three Wallace Sleigh Bells from her collection…my birth year, Jeff’s birth year, and a

Read More
a slice of life

cleaning a set of antique pastels

When I shared about antique and vintage art supplies in THIS POST, I also did a bit of window shopping to share some listings on Etsy and eBay.  Well, my window shopping turned into actual shopping when I found this set of antique pastels listed for a great price.  It was purchased by the seller at an estate sale in Scotland and it just spoke to me.  I snapped it right up! Unfortunately, when it arrived, it wasn’t packaged as well as it could’ve been and one of the pastels (it looked like black or close to black) was pulverized and made quite a mess.  It was all over the inside the of the box, the bubble wrap and the interior of the box.  I receievd a partial refund from the seller for the damage to the set, which I was happy with.  I now had to go about cleaning

Read More

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.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

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.

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.

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.

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest