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

Preorder the Book
Facebook Instagram Youtube Tiktok

Holiday
1970 home renovation

front garden plans | 1970 home renovation

When we tell people that we moved to Maryland from Minnesota, the first thing they mention is the winters.  “Oh, I bet you’ll enjoy these winters a lot more!”  Well, actually, no.  I’m one of those rare people who prefer the cold.  I am pale, blonde, with light eyes, and I just melt in the heat.  I turn beet red, I burn, I break out in hives, and too much heat makes me feel nauseous.  I’m already missing the snow.  But, I am looking forward to having a longer growing season and a wider variety of plants when it comes to gardening.  Gardening in Minnesota was hard for me!  We had some particularly harsh winters that killed even hearty boxwood bushes.  Since I broke my gardening baby teeth just about 40 minutes away from here at our former PA house, I feel like I can make a pretty good go

Read More
February 21, 2023 91 Comments
All Things Home

Christmas decorating favorites from the past

Well, I played hooky from writing on the blog yesterday.  I felt lazy, tired, and really ready for my own Christmas break to start (the boys are already on break from school.)  So, I took a slow morning to cuddle with the kitties and rewatch some of Portrait Artist of the Year.  I gave myself a little bit of space with an unstructured morning.  And, an interesting thing happened…  I started to get an energy to create.  I completed two paintings, flitted around the dining room hanging plates and antlers, did some pen and ink sketches, and even started an art class.  It was just what I needed.  So, I have decided to quit fighting the urge to start my Christmas break and I’m going to start it.  For my final blog post before Christmas and New Year’s, I thought I would share a few of my favorite Christmas decorating

Read More
December 21, 2022 27 Comments
All Things Home

little studio tree

When I plunked the little artificial tree on a stool in my art studio, I figured it would just be there temporarily.  It was more about putting it in a semi-finished place and less about feeling like that was the best spot for it.  But, as I got distracted by other things, the little tree stayed on the stool in the studio.  That is where it was going to be this year and it felt right.  I decided to decorate it fittingly for an art studio tree. (As a side note, I bought this tree six Christmas seasons ago from and it’s not been available since, sadly!  It is such a great little tree that comes in the basket.) Last year, I made some clay ornaments stamped with graphics of antique paint tubes.  You can read about how I made those HERE.  They were so simple, but I just love

Read More
December 15, 2022 13 Comments
crafts

salt dough ornaments 2022 | Christmas crafts

This salt dough ornament-making is going to be an annual thing, I think.  They are just so fun, easy, personal, and pretty.  I made them last year, both traditional salt dough and cinnamon “gingerbread” salt dough, and I enjoyed it immensely.  I always thought of salt dough as sort of a kindergarten craft material, but it is definitely elevated when it’s put in pretty molds or even molded and cut by hand into custom shapes.  While it can look fancy, it’s also still a great craft for young kids.  It’s just a winner all around. Salt dough ornaments can be stored, but I knew that our belongings would be sitting in a hot container for an indefinite period of time, so I decided to let them go and make some new ones.  This also gave me the opportunity to try out some new molds that I bought over the summer.

Read More
December 14, 2022 31 Comments
Decorating

Christmas foyer 2022 | Christmas decorating

I love that Christmas decorating doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming, or expensive to be really pretty and festive.  It really can be as simple as trimming a few branches from evergreens and tucking them around the house.  We have some nice bushes and trees in our area that are perfect to clip and take inside during the holidays.  We have cypress, pine, a bush that has needles that look like rosemary, our neighbor has a magnolia bush I have permission to borrow from, and I was even eyeing some beautiful juniper bushes with blue berries in the Walmart parking lot!  But this year, I just dove into the bin of artificial greens I moved with us from MN.  In our PA house, we didn’t have any artificial greens at all.  We had hot water radiators, so our heat wasn’t as dry as the electric heat we had in our

Read More
December 13, 2022 19 Comments
All Things Home

Christmas living room 2022 | Christmas decorating

Since we spend most of our time in the living room, that is where I focused my Christmas decorating attention.  I would probably do that anyway, but my Christmas decorating is scaled back this year since we just moved into our house this fall.  While I love the Christmas season, it feels like it came early this year!  I have been more focused on working on the house and getting settled and I feel completely unprepared for moving furniture, putting things away, and getting bins of decorations out. There is comfort in knowing that Christmas will come no matter how much decorating I do and don’t do and that this season is about so much more than what is material.  So, as I shared before, I’m doing what I can do and enjoying what I can enjoy. You got a peek at our tree last week when I shared where

Read More
December 12, 2022 41 Comments
Artistic Endeavors

Kitchin Sketchbook Wrapping Paper

In April of 2021, I went out on a limb and purchased something that spoke to me in a way that sticks out in all of my years of buying and selling antiques.  It was a lot of four antique sketchbooks from the late 1800s to early 1900s by architect and artist George Herbert Kitchin.  I bought them from my (now) dear friend, Julia Butler of Ponder & Purchase.  You can read more about them HERE. I wasn’t sure exactly what I would do with them, but I knew the possibilities were endless.  Aside from my own study and enjoyment of them, it would be fun to share the sketches with others in prints, patterns, and anything my brain can think up. These sketchbooks have led to all sorts of surprising places.  I’ve heard from some of George Herbert Kitchin’s extended family, from an author who has written books about

Read More
December 9, 2022 47 Comments
Decorating

customizing a winter/Christmas wreath | Christmas decorating

Earlier this week, I showed how I made this full, fluffy Christmas/winter wreath out of two thinner wreaths.  Not only did it add fullness to the wreath, but it added more texture.  You can read all about it and see a video tutorial on how I did it HERE.  The two wreaths I used were and . I really loved the wreath without any additional decoration, but I thought it would be fun to customize it further.  I used things I already had on hand – sprigs of faux greenery, dried orange slices, and a blue and white checked ribbon.  You can see how to dry and decorate with orange slices HERE. I bought the ribbon from Hobby Lobby last year and I wasn’t able to find it online, but here are a few nice alternatives… JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.   The

Read More
December 7, 2022 11 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

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Get Early access →

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.
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

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest