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Decorating

Tips and Tricks

wrapping tips for moving or shipping breakables

This is maybe the most random blog post and tip video I have ever made, but as I am moving, I was asked to share packing and wrapping tips and I always view questions as a great source of inspiration for the kind of content I should create.  (In case you missed it, HERE is a post about why we’re moving.)  Also, I’m spending most of my time wrapping and packing these days, so I don’t have much else to talk about!  We move in a week, so this season is almost over.  Whew. So, one of my special talents is being able to wrap things very neatly in tight bundles in newsprint. I know…don’t be jealous of my giftedness!  I became aware of this gift as I watched other people wrap things in newsprint paper and it ended up being a crumpled mess that came undone easily.  My superpower

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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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All Things Home

eclectic south carolina home tour

When we were down in Isle of Palms, we had the chance to visit my great aunt and uncle’s house for a tour.  It’s such a lovely home that I asked if I could take pictures and share them on my blog and my aunt agreed.  I think this classic South Carolina home is a great example of a style that has been curated over time.  My aunt has saved and displayed family pieces in addition to things she has picked up over the years.  And she displays it all in a way that feels both homey and stylish. I love a classic southern storm door along with the soft green and cream color scheme on the exterior of the house. My aunt added built-ins, a beefed-up fireplace surround, and converted a closet into a built-in wet bar to make this room suit their style better.  The shelving also gave

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All Things Home

upheaval and linen sheets

Disclosure: This post about washed linen sheets is sponsored by Brooklinen.  As always, all opinions and words are honest and my own. Anyone who has moved before knows that moving and upheaval are synonymous.  Our house is being dismantled piece by piece.  There are boxes everywhere and things covering surfaces, waiting their turn to be packed.  But, there is one place that is free from the mayhem until the very last day – the beds.  The mirrors are sold, the bed crown was taken down, but the bed is still outfitted and comfy.  The floors might be fuzzy and the countertops crumby, but the sheets are fresh and clean.  Moving makes a body dog tired, so the bed has to be at its best. And, I even got a new Linen Sheet Bundle from Brooklinen.  Yes, it’s one more thing to move, but a set of linen sheets is worth

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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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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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