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

Holiday

a slice of life

five new christmas tradition suggestions…

This isn’t a list of musts and shoulds.  I’m pretty sure we all have enough of those on our plate right now and we’re eagerly awaiting the day when things slow down…Christmas is done, the presents are opened, our bellies are full, and we can just have a moment without a pressing must-do or should-do list.  So, there are no obligations in this post.  These are just a few suggestions of new traditions you might want to add to your Christmas this year.  They are things I’ve enjoyed that aren’t as mainstream as caroling, gingerbread, and watching Elf. If I enjoyed them, you might, too… New Christmas Tradition No. 1 | Reading Secrets in the Dark Last week, we had the privilege of attending a Jason Gray concert at our church.  We saw him in February and it was an evening that was good for the soul.  It was worshipful

Read More
Holiday

five christmas suggestions…

This isn’t a list of musts and shoulds.  I’m pretty sure we all have enough of those on our plate right now and we’re eagerly awaiting the day when things slow down…Christmas is done, the presents are opened, our bellies are full, and we can just have a moment without a pressing must-do or should-do list. So, there are no obligations in this post.  These are things I’ve enjoyed that aren’t as mainstream as caroling, gingerbread, and watching Elf. If I enjoyed them, you might, too… Secrets in the Dark Last week, we had the privilege of attending a Jason Gray concert at our church.  We saw him in February and it was an evening that was good for the soul.  It was worshipful and encouraging.  The day of the Christmas concert, though, was on the heels of a busy week and I was fighting a headache all day.  It

Read More
All Things Home

six ways to decorate with sleigh bells

As I’ve shared about my love for collecting Wallace Sleigh Bells, I’ve received several requests to share ways to use them to decorate for the holidays.  Those questions sparked this post!  Since I know not everyone collects those specific bells, I decided to create this post using a set of bells 16 bells I purchased for $10.  You can find them .  They are a generous size, a traditional shape, and come in silver and gold.  And, with 16 of them, there are a lot of options for decorating ideas and projects!  So, here are six was to decorate with sleigh bells. I was pressed for time, as I’m sure most of you are during this time of year, so I kept my ideas quick and easy.  Each one took less than five minutes. idea no. 1 | napkin rings For this idea, I took some fine green yarn and

Read More
a slice of life

pomegranate barley salad

A few years ago, some friends from our church brought over a container of…I didn’t even know what to call it.  Was it a side dish?  A salad?  A snack?  A hot or cold cereal?  But you don’t ask those kinds of questions when someone is offering you a homemade gift.  What they did say was this was a family favorite and some members of their family like it with maple syrup – pomegranate barley salad. When I opened the lid of the container, I took a visual inventory of all of the ingredients…  barley, pomegranate seeds, chocolate chips, and walnuts.  Hmmm…okay.  Interesting.   I got a spoon out of the drawer and tried it.  I wasn’t sure if I liked it at first.  The contrast of textures and flavors wasn’t something I had ever experienced.  But, I kept going back for more and I realized that I really liked it!

Read More
a slice of life

tips for gingerbread house success

I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make gingerbread this year because of my healing shoulder.  Rolling out dough that’s been refrigerated overnight is not a one-arm kind of job!  But, my friend, Cheri, volunteered to make gingerbread with me, so she could do the rolling and I could share some of my gingerbread house success tips with her.  While I was sharing my tips with her, I thought I would turn the camera on and share them with you as well! Both Cheri and I made our dough the day before and refrigerated it.  We then got together at her house to make and decorate the cookies and houses together. Her house is so pretty!  She lives in a split level, which is such a challenging layout, and she did an amazing job making the house flow.  My favorite corner is this space just off her kitchen with

Read More
All Things Home

haviland 12 days of Christmas plates

First of all, I loved reading through all of the comments on Wednesday’s post!  I didn’t intend for it to happen, but everyone gave me great ideas for blog posts next year.  It sounds like many of you need simple decorating ideas, inspiration, and some solutions to dilemmas you’re facing.  I think I’m going to have to bring my Decorating Dilemmas post series back! You have also taught me that not everyone follows me on all of the platforms where I post and, even if you do, you still miss a lot!  And all of my readers haven’t read all of my posts!  So, I’m going to make sure I’m spreading my content out more evenly and I’m going to dust off some of my old tricks for new posts and tutorials.  I’m really excited about it. But today, I’m going to share a bit more about the vintage Christmas

Read More
All Things Home

layering for winter & DIY book lover’s giveaway

I was planning to get this post up sooner, but today ended up being busy!!  I did some work this morning, ran a few errands, went to PT for my shoulder (I can put on eyeliner again), had a meeting, did a few photoshoots and editing, then Marshall wanted to make chicken pot pie when he got home from school, and here we are.  Pot pie made and eaten, Jeff and Calvin are out about Rochester delivering hot chocolate and doughnuts to Salvation Army bell-ringers and I have a few quiet moments to write. When I think about winter decorating, I think about layers.  Of course, there is the obvious…layering throws on a sofa, more blankets on a bed, a textural throw pillow on a side chair.  But, I also think about layering when putting together vignettes.  The layers add a hominess, a visual warmth if that makes sense.  A

Read More
All Things Home

christmas decorating in the living room 2019

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!  We spent much of the time hanging out in our jammies at home.  It’s really what we all needed after a busy couple of weeks and right before we run the gauntlet of Christmas parties, concerts, and other holiday happenings. Initially, we were planning on heading out east to visit family for Thanksgiving, but decided to stay home due to my healing shoulder.  We ended up having Thanksgiving dinner with my friend Cheri and her family.  It was an amazing meal and a wonderful time with friends.  It’s just what you want Thanksgiving to be…good food, football, board games, and even a blanket of snow outside. We also took the time to get our Christmas tree up and added some decorations to the living room. I’ll add a few more decorations here and there, but I’m going to primarily focus on just the

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