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Decorating

Decorating

the winner of the debate

If you’re up to speed on my living room, you know that I have been pondering taking down the curtains in the living and dining room.  Yesterday, after this photo shoot, I took them down… The sunlight poured in and it was so bright and wonderful.  I was convinced that I would go drape-free.   I continued removing the curtains from the dining room.  In case you can’t figure out how my house is situated, which is hard online, these rooms are basically one long room with an archway dividing them.  So, what I do in one, I really need to do in the other or it looks funny.  (We were shipping out of our dining room, so it’s a little untidy at the moment.) Again, the light poured in and the dust was flying.  It seemed exciting and like it would be the perfect change.  But, I’m sure you

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Decorating

rugs are my nemesis

When decorating a room, I really struggle with area rugs.  I’m sure that was evident in my family room… Yeah, I know.  I still love those rugs, but they just weren’t working. That’s why I have a tendency to buy, sell and swap rugs pretty regularly.  I struggle with finding the perfect pattern that fits my style, colors that work with the fabrics I already have going on and finding a size that fills the room properly. Take the master bedroom…  an 8×10 rug just floats at the end of the bed, looking a little odd that it’s not under the bed.  It’s like I need a 10×15 rug or something, which I have not come across. So, I’ve decided in recent months to just go neutral with the rugs.  I have a few different types of natural rugs and I’m learning which ones I really like.  I love the flat,

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Decorating

curtains or no curtains

Yes, that is the question.  Curtains or no curtains?  I’ve been thinking of changing the curtains in my living and dining room for a while.  When we put our house on the market, we decided to let the curtains convey with the house.  I love the curtain fabric still, but I’m ready for a change.  It’s just what I do. As I shared last week, we’ve taken our house off the market and we gave away the piano and I’ve rearranged the furniture in the living room.  We’re about to refinish the floors and repaint the ceiling and walls, so it’s a good time to revisit the curtains. Hmmm…what to do. While I still like the fabric, the curtains were simply made and I’ve become so much better at the sewing machine over the years.  I was so put off by the idea of hemming these, that I just hacked

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Before and Afters

hand painted antique sled

Before I get to the sled (yes, in August), I wanted to give some details on the yard sale I’m having on Saturday, August 9, 2014.  I’m actually piggy-backing on the yard sale one of my friends is having.  I really want to flush some things out of my house and this is a great opportunity to do it.  The sale will be at an old commercial building formerly known as Distelfink.  (Locals will know what I’m talking about!)  The address is 2710 Old Harrisburg Rd, Gettysburg, PA, which is just off the Rt 15 Hunterstown exit. I’ll be at the sale on Saturday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, but my friend will be set up Wednesday – Saturday.  She’s selling designer women’s clothing, kid’s clothing, toys, books, home accessories, luggage rack for the car…tons of stuff. Now, this is not an antique sale overflowing with ironstone, but I

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Decorating

family gallery wall

When my dad was stationed on an Army base in Stuttgart, Germany, my mom had access to a framing shop.  She took some classes and started framing old family photos, eventually creating a huge gallery wall.  It didn’t matter how many times I looked at those pictures…I would still lean in and study them.  Who did I take after?  Do I have her eyes?  Does this one look like my brother?  That rocking chair is in our living room, right?  I love that expression, the bow in her hair, the delicate necklace, the dapper suit and slicked hair and the little kitten by her cheek.  That gallery wall followed us through all of our moves when I was a kid and is still one of my favorite things in my parent’s home. That gallery wall has inspired me to collect black and white and sepia toned family photos, letters, postcards and

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Before and Afters

glass glitter milk bottles

Before I get into the project, I want to share that Miss Mustard Seed’s Glass Glitter (used in this project) is the Decor Steals daily “steal” today!  They are offering Tiara Silver, Fallen Snow and 14 Karat.  I’ve partnered with them for a long time, so it’s fun to see them carrying a product with my brand on it.  As always, it’s offered at a discounted rate due to their savvy shopping skills, so this is a good time to buy… I’ve been browsing Pinterest a lot over the past few weeks and have been pleasantly surprised to find a lot of glitter projects and products out there.  Hmmm…is glitter trending right now?  Some of the glitter went a bit too far for me, but it was fun to see all of the ideas.  I love glitter, but I prefer it in small doses…as an accent that adds a little sparkle.

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crafts

german glass glitter letters & giveaway

I have been making German glass glitter letters for years.  See the old school watermark? I was so excited when I finally found German glass glitter and some great chipboard letters in amazing fonts.  I made them for myself in the beginning and then started making them to sell in my retail space and it was a staple for several years. Great chipboard letters have become harder and harder to find, though.  I am hoarding three sets of the original letters I used in the first picture, but otherwise, what I’ve found has been pretty run-of-the-mill.  I thought I found some great ones, but when they arrived, they were different than what was pictured.  Bummer!  So, I’ve been looking for some alternatives and I found a good option… These plastic letters don’t come in the prettiest fonts, but they are simple, cute and already have magnets attached, so it saves some

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Decorating

"playing" & glass glitter beauty shots

This morning, I woke up with an intense desire to decorate.  I feel like I can’t touch anything, since our house is on the market, and it’s driving me a little nuts.  I really thrive on scooting around furniture and trying out new things in my home and I’ve been feeling very inspired lately.  I’ve also been feeling like the finishing touches in some of my rooms have been lacking.  I get enough done for the pictures and then I get busy with something else and don’t revisit the room later.  I’ve also come to notice that I buy very few things specifically for my house.  I usually end up claiming something from my furniture stash or keeping something that doesn’t sell. The things I have bought specifically for me are the ones I love the most, so I need to be much more intentional about what I sell and

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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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