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summer home decorating ideas, recipes, and crafts

a slice of life

mexican lasagna bake aka burrito cake recipe

I love recipes that are…quick to make, can be made in one pot, are easy to adjust to different food preferences, and are delicious!  Such is the case with this Mexican Lasagna Bake.  It’s a fusion of layered Italian lasagna with Mexican (well, Americanized Mexican) flavors. And it is so good.  When Marshall first saw it he said, “That looks like a burrito cake!”  So, of course, we have to call it “burrito cake.”  When he tried it, he pretty much claimed the leftovers for himself, although I did sneak a couple of slices for a quick lunch. I followed a recipe card that came with my Ninja Kitchen Possible Pan but adjusted it so it would suit our family’s flavor preferences. For the vegetables, I used three red peppers, one large sweet onion, several small tomatillos, and a bag of frozen sweet corn.  I also added a can of

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Recipes

the best strawberry rhubarb crisp

We have an absolutely wonderful next-door neighbor.  She has blown snow out of our driveway when Jeff was unable to, she has saved Calvin’s bike from sitting out on the sidewalk overnight, and she brings us rhubarb from her garden each summer.  When she first brought over a bag, I was a little skeptical about it.  I don’t remember ever eating rhubarb and I was unsure how to prepare it or if I’d even like it!  Well, she addressed that, too, and brought over a wonderful recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp from Ina Garten.  I’ve made it now for three years in a row and it is the best.  (Well, I don’t have much to compare it to, but it is good enough that I am not exploring other options!) If you haven’t had rhubarb before, it looks a bit like pink celery, but it is tart and flavorful.  It’s

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All Things Home

decorating with shells

As I collected shells at the beach this spring, the question I was asked most often is, “What do you do with them?”  And I get that question!  When we cleaned out my Oma’s attic, there were about a dozen 5-gallon buckets filled with shells she collected over the years. It was a great example of what happens when you love collecting shells, but don’t know what to do with them.  I found that I was just storing shells in plastic bins at the top of a closet and I decided that I wasn’t going to do that anymore.  If I love collecting them, I need to use them.  So, here are some ideas for decorating with shells for my fellow shell collectors. First of all, collect shells that you love…ones that speak to you and that you will want to use and/or display.  Even though they are free to

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a slice of life

Isle of Palms 2022

I thought I would share a little bit more about our time at Isle of Palms this year.  If you’d like to read about our trip last year and the things we did, you can check that out HERE. Of course, the highlight of our time at the beach for me is always walking along the beach, collecting shells.  I will write a post sharing how to decorate with shells, showcase some of my favorite finds, and share what catches my eye.  You can read my tips on shelling at Isle of Palms HERE and see who won the shell collection competition of 2022 HERE. The contest was just a bit of fun, but I love the shells I brought home.  They are still sitting in bags because I’ve been preoccupied with packing, but I am looking forward to painting some of them as subjects and using them for various

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a slice of life

beautiful variety | encouragement

I usually get a post up on Mondays, but there was some background maintenance happening on my blog and I wasn’t able to get a post up on time.  That ended up being okay because I had another furniture pick-up this morning and Jeff helped me shuffle furniture around to get things organized a bit better.  For those interested in my moving/packing methods, I will be sharing more details and my thought process.  But, for today, I am tired of packing and moving things and I certainly don’t want to write about it. Let’s talk about a beautiful reminder I received from nature. As I was giving the olive shells collected on Isle of Palms with my mom a more thorough rinsing at home, I left them sitting out, drying on a paper towel for several days.  It’s unlike me to leave something just sitting out, but I found that

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a slice of life

isle of palms | the shell collection contest

As I shared earlier this week and in my Instagram Stories every day, the main activity that my mom plan around is shelling.  We set out at low tide each day and spend an hour or two combing the beach to add to our shell collection. For me, it hits a lot of things.  Of course, it appeals to the collector in me.  I get to hunt and peck and celebrate great finds.  I also love being at the beach (when it’s not too hot!)  As with many, many other people, I find the sound of the waves, the sand beneath my feet, and the water lapping around my bare legs to be relaxing.  It’s what I look forward to anytime a beach trip is on the calendar.  When I’m by myself, I’ll put on a podcast or some music and just melt into my own world.  When I’m with

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a slice of life

shelling tips on Isle of Palms

Shelling is my favorite thing to do on the beach.  I’ll roam along the shore slowly, picking up whatever catches my eye and that I might want to add to my collection of shells that I’ve been working on since I was a girl.  My Oma was a big sheller and my mother after her.  And I’m carrying on the tradition with enthusiasm and I poke around with my toes anytime I’m on a beach.  Isle of Palms is one of the best shelling beaches I’ve been on, but I wanted to share some helpful tips based on my experience.   I’ve been shelling on Isle of Palms twice now, so you can keep that in mind.  You’ll certainly get a lot more insider tips from people who live here, but I can share some lessons learned from shelling here as well as on many other beaches in the Carolinas. Last

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a slice of life

potato corn soup with dill

I am an unashamed soup lover.  I don’t know why anyone would be ashamed of that, but I definitely am not.  I think my love of soup started when we went to a family conference in Switzerland and they served the most wonderful pureed soups.  I had no idea what was in them, but I loved every bowl.  I wish I had the recipes for those!  Anyway, I also love that I can make one big pot of soup over the weekend and we have quick, healthy, and easy dinners ready to reheat.  Today, I’m sharing a new favorite -potato corn soup with dill. This soup recipe came from a weekly special soup we get from a local market.  Jeff stops into the Food Co-Op pretty regularly just to scope out their soups.  He loves their chicken artichoke soup and clam chowder.  My favorite is the potato corn soup with

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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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