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

Antiques

All Things Home

papier mache horse makeover

You may have noticed that I have a bit of a thing for toy/rocking horses… I don’t find them very often (at a price I can afford), but I get very giddy about them when I do. When Kriste and I were shopping for The Market on Chapel Hill earlier this week, I spotted this one…     I loved the wooden legs and I thought the shape was pretty.  I originally thought it was made of plastic, but Kriste pointed out it was papier mache. I didn’t mind at all that it was missing the base.  It reminded me a bit of an antique horse I spotted in Prairie Style magazine…   The red wasn’t working for me, though.  After some amount of debate with myself, I decided to paint over the red in MMS Milk Paint French Enamel.     The paint looked a little too fresh against the

Read More
All Things Home

Workbench Revamp

 Remember the workbench I revamped for Lucketts? I loved how it turned out and have since been on the lookout for humble handmade workbenches that others might overlook. When I was shopping last week, I found this… I dismissed it at first, because it’s a little clumsy, but in the end, the finger-hold handles won me over.  I paid about $100 for it. I added the steel wheels to make it a little taller and more mobile.  I’m keeping this piece for the studio for now and we have just about everything on casters or sliders.  They somehow make the piece look a little softer, even. The top was a little boring and I didn’t want to just paint it, so I added some antique wood lath strips to the top.  These are from the same bundle I used for my potting bench.  I tacked them in with a brad nailer

Read More
All Things Home

new cabinet with old doors

My first year as a vendor at the Lucketts Spring Market was quite the experience.  It started raining Saturday afternoon and didn’t let up until Sunday afternoon.  Everyone was soaked, booths were waterlogged and it was pretty much misery. Sunday afternoon, though, the rain stopped and I had the opportunity to check out some other booths and score some real bargains.  One of those bargains was a pair of glass doors with wood frames and really cool latches.  I paid $40 for the pair. They hung for years in my dining room, flanking the archway that leads to the home office.  (I couldn’t find a better picture of them hanging in the dining room, but you can see them on the right.) When we refinished the floors, took down the curtains and generally lightened things up, I removed the doors and kept them in my basement.  My “rule” is to not keep

Read More
All Things Home

hanging signs & a few more finds

I hope everyone had a wonderful three day weekend!  Despite fighting off a cold towards the end of it, mine was pretty good.  The boys are playing football this year and had their first game, which was so fun to watch.  They both played well and we were proud, cheering parents.  My parents kept the boys most of Sunday and Monday, so Jeff and I could finish a freelance building project and I can’t wait to show it to you.  I’ll start painting it tomorrow and will snap some pictures. Until then, I thought I would share a few more of my recent finds. I couldn’t pass up this old real estate sign… Chester W. Robbins?  How cute is that? To hang it, I installed a couple of d-rings on the back, top corners… …and strung a piece of picture wire between the two rings, winding the ends to secure them.

Read More
All Things Home

finds for the chapel & save the date

Soooo, my next big event is less than a month away and I really need to get myself in gear to get ready for it! The event that is coming up is the Market on Chapel Hill, formerly known as the Chapel Market.  It’s held in the same place, Pike Road, Alabama, in the sweet little chapel on the hill at The Waters.  It’s on Saturday, October 3, 2015 starting at 9:00 am.  This is the third year of the market and it’s always such a wonderful time and well worth the drive for us.  Many of the old vendors will be there along with some more new ones this year.  I hope those who are in the area can make it! Now that I’m feeling a sense of urgency, I did go shopping yesterday to try to find some things for the sale.  I didn’t find a ton of

Read More
All Things Home

the antique, hodgepodge potting bench

Don’t you love it when projects come together perfectly? Such is the case with this hodgepodge of a potting bench. We just finished it today and it looks even better than I imagined.  It’s especially exciting, because we already had the workbench in the basement (it was free with the house) and I bought the chicken nesting box without a solid plan on turning it into the top-part of the hutch. This morning, Jeff bought about $40 of pressure treated wood for this project, a couple of 2 x 12’s and 2 x 4’s.   While he was out, I took care of the red overspray marks on the front of the work bench.  It wasn’t a big deal, but they just bugged me. So, I brought out my big-boy sander, the belt sander, and I went to town. I really love how the paint looks distressed, with some of the

Read More
All Things Home

the transferware jackpot

I know this is going to be an incredible shock to some of you, but I love ironstone and blue transferware.  I would say it’s out of hand, but I do sell far more than I keep, so it’s not totally out of hand.  You can tell the minute you step in my house, though, that it’s a soft spot. So, when Kriste told me she spotted a bunch of blue & white transferware pitchers she thought I would like at a local antique shop, my ears perked up.  She pulled up a picture she snapped of them on her phone.  I knew immediately from the shape and faded blue pattern that they were old and the kind I specifically hunt for.   “How much were they?” “Oh, I don’t know.  About $10-15/each, I think.” I just about fell off my chair. “You bought them all, didn’t you?!?“ Kriste looked

Read More
All Things Home

tips on finding the “rare finds”

We’re been spending a few days at Myrtle Beach and it’s been such a fun time.  My boys are really taking to the water, sand and surf.  They want to spend every minute at the beach or the pool.  It’s been a delight watching the discovery and excitement. I really enjoy the beach, but only aspects of it.  I’ve never liked salt water and sand.  From the time I was little, I preferred sitting in a 5 gallon bucket filled with hose water over swimming in the ocean.  Seriously.  The entire ocean was yards away and I would sit in a bucket (with my night-night blanket, sucking my thumb.) I do love the sound of the waves, walking in the surf and combing the beach for treasures, though. The pickings are pretty slim at Myrtle Beach, at least where we are.  It’s a popular beach and it has a pretty rough surf,

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

August 13th, 2026 at 1pm EST

NEW ONLINE ART COURSE

Paint a Pet Portrait You’ll Love

Learn to paint pet portraits in oils with confidence, even if you’re a beginner. In this new course, Marian will guide you step by step through creating expressive animal portraits filled with color, personality, and your own artistic touch. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the course opens.

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.

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

Fall Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest