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Decorating
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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March 31, 2022 25 Comments
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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March 28, 2022 25 Comments
Decorating

refreshing painted kitchen cabinets

Let’s talk about something that isn’t often talked about when it comes to interior photographs for magazines, online publications, social media, etc.  Yes, we all know about styling and filters, clever cropping, and fancy photoshopping.  But let’s talk about the fact that you just don’t get the full picture in a picture.  In some ways, you can see more in a photograph, like if something is crooked or if a space is too cluttered.  You just have more time to study it and see those things that are off.  But, in other ways, you see less.  You don’t see the little details that you see in person.  The little stains, chips, dirt, and imperfections that come with using a space every day.  So, let me give you a little peek to confirm that our house gets wear and tear just like any other house.  In today’s post, I’ll focus on

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March 22, 2022 28 Comments
Decorating

elevating the look of an artificial plant

I haven’t taken much time to wander around in a store like Target for quite a while.  I’ve gotten used to placing online or curbside pick-up orders, which are convenient, but I’m realizing I really miss getting out and about regularly.  I’m a homebody, so it’s very easy for me to fall into a pattern of just staying home.  But getting out of my everyday environment (more than just going for a walk around the neighborhood) provides so much inspiration, even if that isn’t the intention.  I can’t help but see things that get the creative wheels turning – color combinations, textures, new products, and books naturally.  I ran a quick errand to my local Target and decided to mill around for a while, looking at things I wasn’t shopping for and didn’t need.  It felt good to not be purpose-driven but to just allow myself to stroll and browse. 

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March 16, 2022 29 Comments
Decorating

the sewing room makeover reveal

The sewing room makeover was another project I worked on specifically to share in my book – .  For that reason, I haven’t shared the full reveal on the blog yet, even though this room makeover was finished in 2020.  A few photos of the room are shared in the book, but it’s nice to share more detail about the makeover here on the blog so that I can share links to tutorials, projects, and sources.  It just tells more of the story for those who are interested! So, let’s start this room makeover by looking at what the room looked like when we moved in almost five years ago. It’s a pretty basic room with cream walls and trim and beige carpet.  We added the chandelier, swapping it out for a typical builder-grade fixture. I knew I wanted to make this room feminine and like a little jewel box,

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March 14, 2022 43 Comments
Decorating

built-in shelf styling

As Jeff and I have been working through the house, knocking out little projects and giving rooms a refresh, I decided to play around with the accessories a bit.  First of all, the shelves needed a good dusting and that’s best done properly when everything is removed.  Second, I was craving a simpler, cleaner look.  I’ve been this way since I was a teenager.  I will fill up a space, adding layers and little things that I find, and then I’ll swing in the other direction and be ready for a less cluttered look.  This behavior definitely displays the tension between the collector in me and the neatnik.  So, I thought this little refresh was a good chance to talk about shelf styling and to take a look at how this corner of our living room has evolved over the years. When we first moved in, I painted the living

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March 9, 2022 28 Comments
Bathrooms

the unimpressive, free, one-hour bathroom makeover

Blogging has been (and I’m sure will continue to be) a weird, wonderful job for me.  It has allowed me to roll the things I enjoy into my business and has helped me unearth and develop skills I didn’t even know I had.  Work for me can be anything from going to an antique store to making a slipcover to organizing a closet to drawing a pattern.  It is a strange job, but I really love it.  As with all jobs, though, there are perks and pluses and then there are drawbacks.  Some of those drawbacks are just embedded in the nature of the job, but some are definitely of my (our) own making.  One of those drawbacks is, over the years, I have built up this idea in my head that unless I’m really going to give a room a makeover, I mean, give it an overhaul worthy of

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March 7, 2022 35 Comments
All Things Home

painting a metal gas fireplace surround

So, remember the family room makeover?  It’s still there, but it has dragged on for quite a while!  It’s a project that moves in fits and starts.  I’ll make huge progress and then I’ll get distracted by other things for a while.  That’s not a bad way to work on a project, though, especially one that’s strictly cosmetic and not causing any real interruption to the household.  I can take a break and come back to it with fresh energy and perspective.  It’s allowed me to make decisions one step at a time and I certainly haven’t felt rushed!  This past weekend, though, it was warm-ish (for February in Minnesota), sunny, and I was itching to tackle a list of undone projects including finishing the details of a project I worked on back in October – painting the metal fireplace surround. I painted the mantel and tile, but the reveal

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February 28, 2022 2 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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