Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

Decorating

All Things Home

more picture frame molding & slipcover progress

I have planned on adding picture frame molding and chair rail to the sewing room and master bedroom for a long time.  Well over a year!  It kept getting pushed aside, though, and there was no way I could do it when my shoulder stopped functioning properly last summer.  My shoulder is getting better all the time, so when Jeff decided to take the week off for a stay-cation to help me on some projects, installing the trim was at the top of the list. I have to admit that neither of us really felt like doing it.  It’s a pain to move all of the furniture out of the way, but it was time to just make it happen…take a deep breath, put on some motivating music, and start pushing the furniture away from the wall. We installed all of the trim in the sewing room in one day…

Read More
All Things Home

repaired ottoman slipcover

Oh, my lovely followers…  I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading through your comments of gratitude on Monday’s giveaway post.  If you just need some encouragement, go read some of them.  Readers are sharing gratitude for simple things like gardening and enjoying a good book to big things like a successful kidney transplant decades ago and the love and health of their family.  Gratitude is a cure for so many things.  Thank you for taking the time to share pieces of your story with me and my readers. Moving forward, I wasn’t sure if I should continue posting on the blog this week.  There are many difficult things happening in the world and I am not an expert on the best way to deal with it all.  Social media, especially, has become a landmine and there is just no way to do or say the right thing that’s

Read More
All Things Home

simple footstool slipcover

Between gardening projects and everything else I’ve been working on, I’ve also been getting some sewing projects knocked out.  A couple of weekends ago, I cut out the pieces and made piping for this footstool/ottoman I picked up at an antique store a few years ago.  I buy these any time I see them for a good price ($40 or less) because they have so many uses!  Of course, they can be paired with a chair to make it a little comfier, but they can also be tucked under tables, or used as extra seating or a side table in a pinch.  This one was clearly wearing some fabric from another decade, so it needed a simple footstool slipcover to match my house… I used some leftover Aviary Toile since it was going in the master bedroom.  I wanted to tuck it under the melodeon to help hide the air

Read More
All Things Home

tending to the back & side gardens

Let’s talk about something I’ve been largely avoiding since we moved into our house almost three years ago…  the yard.  We did do a massive amount of work on the front gardens a couple of years ago, because I didn’t enjoy being greeted by a weedy mess each time I came home.  The youth group at our church was hiring out labor for a fundraiser and we took that opportunity to get this job done and support them in the process. The greatest challenge for me was gardening in rock.  I had never worked with landscaping like this.  How do I plant my annuals in a layer of rock and landscaping fabric?  I just had no idea.  So, we removed buckets and buckets of rock and pulled up the landscape fabric… With a clean slate, I put in some new plants and mulched.  It’s still a work in progress as

Read More
All Things Home

blue toile daybed makeover

I hope you had a good three-day weekend!  We ended up doing a lot of work in our yard when it wasn’t raining.  It was hard, muddy work, but we got so much accomplished!  We dug up a bunch of plants and bushes to replace with hydrangeas and hostas, we moved and raked out a big pile of gravel, we built up some areas that were eroding, and I transplanted some perennials to new locations.  I even took the time to sketch out a plan and make a list of the plants I need to transplant and purchase, so I won’t be overwhelmed when I go to the garden center.  I took a bunch of pictures of the before and our progress, so I’ll share those in another post.  Today, I’m sharing about decorating mistakes and the newly-toiled daybed. In decorating, mistakes are sometimes made.  It’s not a mistake in

Read More
All Things Home

linen fabric swatches & master bedroom progress

Remember my design breakthrough in the master bedroom that I shared a few weeks ago?  Well, I’ve been moving forward…little steps to make the plan happen.  And it feels good.  It’s a room that’s had me stuck for a while and I’m glad to have a clear direction that I’m excited about.  It’s definitely been a lesson in patience and playing. Since I shared that plan, I ordered a few more yards of the Aviary Toile fabric (by French General) in order to make the bed crown.  I also ordered some pleater tape to pleat the checked fabric and give it a nice, finished look.  Now, I need to get some specific measurements to draw out a plan for cutting and sewing the fabric before attaching it to a plywood piece cut into a half-oval shape.  The plywood will then be mounted to the ceiling.  I also need to figure

Read More
All Things Home

parsons chair linen slipcover reveal

I know that my house usually looks clean and tidy in the pictures I share here and on social media.  And, I will admit, that I am a bit of a neat freak.  I generally like to clean and I love having a spotless, organized, and clutter-free home.  But, life happens here.  I have middle school boys, a dog, two cats, and a husband who has a higher mess tolerance than I do.  Trust me, there are parts of our house that are not pristine! One of the more visible non-pristine areas were the seats of the end chairs at our kitchen table.  These are well-loved and well-used chairs and they were looking pretty rough.  I was even a little embarrassed by them when we had people over because they looked so grungy.  That’s just my own silliness, though.  I doubt anyone ever really cared. The chairs are still in

Read More
a slice of life

pick-me-up plants

Saturday night was a rough one.  Jeff and Marshall (my oldest) slept in a tent set up in our backyard, so that meant I was on overnight diabetes-duty on my own.  For those who don’t know, Calvin, our youngest is a type 1 diabetic.  This is just a normal part of our lives and we all work together to manage it, but the most wearisome thing about diabetes is it never takes a break.  It doesn’t sleep.  It doesn’t care if you’re traveling or if you want to have a special treat on a holiday.  It has to be considered and dealt with all the time.   And Saturday night, it was demanding.  His equipment wasn’t working, so I had to test his blood sugar every 1.5-2 hours and try to sleep in between with alarms sounding.  I woke up grouchy, groggy, and with a headache. It felt like jetlag; like

Read More

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.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest