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All Things Home

aging terra cotta pots

There are some people who like things shiny and new.  They want to be the first person to own something.  They like the smell of a car with 32 miles on it.  They want their furniture to be delivered, tags still attached. I am just not one of those people. Unless we’re talking about electronics, mattresses or toilets, I want things in my home that have the patina that only comes with time. Or a bit of trickery. I have a few antique terra cotta pots and, while I’d love to fill my whole potting bench with them, that would get too expensive.  So, I have some new ones mixed in. Can you tell which one is the new one? Yeah.  It’s pretty clear and the new ones were bugging me a bit. While I had the Ironstone (white) MMS Milk Paint out to paint the sides of the potting bench, I decided

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August 20, 2015 16 Comments
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

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August 18, 2015 33 Comments
All Things Home

how to make a chair cushion | deck chair makeover

I’ve been working on my deck off and on throughout the spring and summer and it’s finally starting to come together.  I know I’m not going to break any makeover speed records with this project, but that’s life, right?  Spaces take time to come together.  So, there is still more to do, but last week I jumped a big hurtle – I made new chair cushions for the vintage iron armchairs my mom passed along to me and I thought I would share a tutorial on how to make a chair cushion. They really, really needed new chair cushions.  The old ones were deteriorated, mildewed, faded and ripped.  They were beyond cleaning or recovering.  I needed to start from scratch. The chairs are comfortable and in great shape, though, so it was worth the time to make new cushions. I actually tried to find pre-made cushions that were the right size,

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August 8, 2015 26 Comments
a slice of life

eating well made easy | chicken avocado burgers

I shared on my Facebook page a couple of weeks ago that dinner is usually one of the first things to “go” when I’m busy.  I actually like cooking, but planning is my downfall.  I like to be “in the mood” for what I make and eat, so I don’t like to plan out a menu.  This becomes problematic at the grocery store when I buy things that I think I might be in the mood for, but then again, maybe I won’t. I’ve learned that if I can get a little help with the planning, I can make a good dinner happen, even on a busy day. So, when Plated asked if I would like to work with them, try out a couple of their meals and share it on my blog, I loved the idea.  This sounds like a service that I would like. Here’s what Plated is… For our first

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August 4, 2015 61 Comments
All Things Home

a vintage watering can & the little things

A while ago, I realized I needed a watering can, so I picked up a blue (of course blue) plastic watering can.  Of course, it worked just fine.  It waters plants just as it should.  But I realized that I find joys in the little details of my home.  I didn’t just want to use a watering can that would hold water, but one that makes me smile each time I use it. So, I looked around on Etsy and found an antique metal watering can… …with a screw-on “shower spout”… …and typography on the handle… It’s just a little thing that makes me happy. And, while we’re talking about gardening and finding joy in the little things… …there’s a praying mantis living in one of my plants.  He’s been there for at least a week and, I don’t know why, but it makes me happy that it’s a suitable

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July 20, 2015 26 Comments
All Things Home

fall table & buffet preview

As I shared the other day, I could do tablescapes all day long.  Other than furniture, it’s probably one of my favorite parts of my job.  I think it’s probably because I love dishes, serving pieces, ironstone, silverware, etc.  I have a lot of it and, while we do use some of it everyday, I have enough to feed an army.  So, I love when I get to pull it out and “play” with it.  It’s sort of like a big-girl dollhouse moment. I set up this particular tablescape to shoot an HGTV.com tutorial for a succulent pumpkin.  I wanted to actually shoot it as a centerpiece, so I set a table around the juxtaposition between the springy feel of the green succulents and the fall feel of the pumpkins. I started with a blue and white checkered piece of fabric as a tablecloth, which wouldn’t be an immediate choice

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July 16, 2015 12 Comments
All Things Home

a mirror, new plants & a sneak peek

When I was shopping for the Lucketts Spring Market, I found this amazing mirror at a nice price.  I think it was about $20.  I was planning to sell it, but I was just so smitten with it that I decided to keep it.  I didn’t know where I was going to put it, so I was breaking my own “rule”, but I figured I could sell it down the road if I couldn’t find a perfect spot for it.  I at least wanted to give it a try. I forgot about it after Lucketts, but brought it home during the photo shoot a few weeks ago.  The stylist asked if I had anything large to hang on the wall and this mirror came to mind.  We didn’t end up using it for the shoot, but it reminded me that I wanted to find a home for it. I decided

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July 9, 2015 35 Comments
My House

Summer 2015 Home Tour

Welcome to my Pennsylvania home tour!  We worked hard on our home for almost eleven years and it was a true labor of love and DIY marathon.  We’ve painted, built, repaired, installed, sewed, upholstered, sanded, refinished, ripped out and remodeled just about every corner. Our goal was to balance the function we needed for our busy family with our (mostly my) desire for a beautiful home.  I hope this home tour gives you some inspiration and encouragement to do the same in your home. Let’s start at the front door… This house was a 1 1/2 story, 2300 sq foot, brick cape cod that was built in 1948.  It’s in a two stoplight town in the hills and orchards of south central Pennsylvania.  We’ve spent most our time fixing up the inside of our house, but we’ve been working on the outside of the house over the past year or so.

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June 16, 2015 77 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.

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