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Organizing

All Things Home

making an “antique” hook rail

I think one of the hardest areas in a house to keep clean and tidy, aside from the kitchen and bathrooms, is the foyer.  It’s natural to walk in and dump everything that your carrying, kick off your shoes, and then go about your business.  Our foyer, even though it’s two stories, is relatively small as far as square footage on the floor is concerned.  There is just a small space by the door and, of course, a pile of shoes quickly collects there and it gets even more out of control over the winter with all of the wet and salty boots! There also wasn’t a place to hang purses, coats, hats, and Sebastian’s leash, so the doorknobs in the foyer (to my office and the coat closet) were always engaged as hangers for those items.  I’ve been looking around for an antique-style hook rail that would fit next

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a slice of life

making ourselves at home

Before I get into today’s post, I want to encourage you to visit one of my friend’s websites.  Laura Dreyer is a talented artist and creative business owner (she is the creator of Little Clay Land), but is also a long-time friend and the designer of my logo and lot of the branding that became the cornerstone of my professional look.  She is publishing a series of interviews by creative entrepreneurs and mine is posted today. As a part of the series, she is including hand-drawn lettering of the creative’s business.  Here is the one she did for me… Anyway, just a little light reading, if you’re interested! A part of what makes me feel not-at-home somewhere that isn’t my home is that I don’t have a place for everything.  That might sound like a stupid and obvious statement, but hang in here with me.  I end up being a

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All Things Home

studio tweaks

When I moved everything into the studio, I knew that they might not stay that way.  I had an idea of how I would use the space, but that was based on the idea that the drafting table would be my primary work surface. Since I’ve been doing more painting than watercolors and drawing, I’ve been working mostly at my easel.  That puts the work/storage table that houses my palette, brushes, paper towels, etc., on my left.  As a righty, that means I’m reaching across my body constantly.  I haven’t thought too much about it, but it is awkward at times and not ideal. The postal sorter is also monopolizing quite a bit of surface space on the narrow table, so things are a bit cramped. So, I’m going to move the easel where the drafting table currently is and I’m going to hang the postal sorter on the wall,

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All Things Home

open kitchen shelving

This week, I have felt even more motivated than usual to knock things off of my to-do list.  I was slowed down a little over the past couple of months with the holidays, an injured shoulder, and a chest cold.  The new year is underway, though, and I am feeling that energy that spurs us to collectively organize and plan.  Today was heavy on the organizing and planning and not the fun kind.  Just paying bills, catching up on e-mail, preparing paperwork for taxes (already), filling in my calendar, making a master to-do list for January, etc. But, yesterday, I knocked out something that’s been lingering on the to-do list for months – painting the open shelving in the kitchen… When we first moved in, this nook was just an open, underutilized space.  This house is designed very well, but we were scratching our heads at this niche.  Maybe for

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All Things Home

art studio organization

This art studio is totally different from my last one.  It’s about a 20th of the size, maybe even smaller than that.  It doesn’t have storage closets, rolling dividing walls, or many zones for different tasks.  This studio is designed specifically for small-scale creative endeavors and photography. No shipping, no office work, no big sewing or furniture projects. Even small-scale creative endeavors require lots of gear, though so art studio organization is vital! I am still figuring out how to maximize the space I do have, but this is what’s working for me so far… The large, antique hardware store cabinet is the focal point, statement piece, and most of my storage rolled into one.  It’s perfectly sized for art supplies – everything from tubes of paints and brushes to canvas and papers. (For those who missed it, I found the cabinet on Craigslist.  It came out of an old

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Art

studio organization

This studio is totally different from my last one.  It’s about a 20th of the size, maybe even smaller than that.  It doesn’t have storage closets, rolling dividing walls, or many zones for different tasks.  This studio is designed specifically for small-scale creative endeavors and photography.  No shipping, no office work, no big sewing or furniture projects. Even small-scale creative endeavors require lots of gear, though!  I am still figuring out how to maximize the space I do have, but this is what’s working for me so far… The large, antique hardware store cabinet is the focal point, statement piece, and most of my storage rolled into one.  It’s perfectly sized for art supplies – everything from tubes of paints and brushes to canvas and papers. (For those who missed it, I found the cabinet on Craigslist.  It came out of an old hardware store in Maryland.) Someone asked and

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All Things Home

counter & tile options & $30 shelves

Yesterday, I needed to run some errands and play some catch up, so I didn’t have a chance to start painting the kitchen island.  I must admit that it’s nice to have a break from cabinet painting, although I’m looking forward to having it done! While I was out, though, I picked up samples from Home Depot to “try them on” in my kitchen.  I can picture design elements in my head pretty well, but it’s nice to be able to see something in place and get a feel for how it relates to the colors and textures already happening in a space. I picked up a Grecian marble floor tile and beveled subway tile mosaic backsplash… When Jeff saw it, he commented how much be loved the beveled subway tile, but he raised his eyebrow at the floor tile.  “We’re not going to use floor tiles for our counters,

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a slice of life

the stuff series | if the shoe doesn’t fit

If you’re just joining us for The Stuff Series, welcome!  This is a series all about our stuff, how we relate to it, and what we should do with it.  I say “we”, because it’s been a great dialogue between myself and my readers.  Just go back and read the comments for suggestions, insights, and some inspiring stories. We’ve already covered The Purpose of Stuff, Stuff with Strings, and had a heart to heart with those who are “The Keeper of the Stuff“. In this post, let’s chat about our wardrobes.  Those who have purse habits and entire shoe rooms are sweating right now. Don’t worry, though!  The purpose of this series isn’t to encourage you to purge everything and live a minimal lifestyle.  The purpose is to encourage you to really think about your stuff and why you have it. How does your stuff make you feel?  Do you

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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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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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