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All Things Home

the stuff series | to the keeper of the stuff

In this series, I was going to head in a lighter direction, since we talked about stuff with strings last time, but I decided to continue to wade in deep waters and write to those who are the “keeper of the stuff”. This is the person who ends up with all of the family stuff that “needs” to be preserved for future generation.  It’s not cut and dry, though.  There are different categories of keepers… 1.) Those who are willingly, perhaps even enthusiastically, stewards of family items. This is the easiest category to deal with, because they want the stuff and don’t mind giving up living or storage space to preserve some family history.  I would consider myself in this category. We have some boxes of family photos, genealogy books, papers to prove we’re descendants of those who fought in the Revolutionary war, my Opa’s WWII letters to his mom, mini-balls

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All Things Home

Color Palette for the Next House

Another great conversation on “stuff” yesterday!   My brother and I spoke about it this afternoon and I’m going to write another post soon to “the keeper of the stuff”…the people who end up with all of the important family items and feel a little overwhelmed by them and the weight of responsibility they bring.  I know I won’t have all of the answers on that topic, either, but we can talk about it and hopefully it will be an encouragement to someone! Tonight, though, I’m going to take a break from stuff and dream a little bit.  If you know me at all, you know that I am excited at the prospect of having a whole new house to put my stamp on!  As Jeff has been conducting his job search, of course, I look at the job descriptions with him and we pray about them and look at

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All Things Home

the stuff series | stuff with strings

I loved reading all of your comments in response to my “Purpose of Stuff” post, the first installment of The Stuff Series.  It really is interesting what an engaging topic “stuff” is. So, now that we’ve talked about the purpose of stuff, let’s go right to one of the most sensitive stuff categories… “stuff with strings” When I started typing this post, I thought it would be pretty straightforward, but once I got into the thick of it, I realized this is a tricky one and I don’t have all of the answers!  So, take this post or leave it.  It’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all solution to a dicey dilemma.  And, if you have some wisdom or experience to offer, just leave it in the comments below! So, if you have stuff with strings in your house, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  Usually it’s stuff you’ve been

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All Things Home

the stuff series | the purpose of stuff

Guess what I did today? Yeah, more packing.  I thought I might actually be able to take a break from it today, but before I know it, the day was filled with sorting through items and putting them in boxes, a trash bag, or the yard sale/donate pile. And all of this packing has made me think a lot about stuff.  What we keep, why we keep it, why certain things are harder to get rid of then others.  It really is a fascinating thing. So, let’s talk about stuff!  A whole series on stuff!!  Seriously. Welcome to “The Stuff Series“. Sooo…as I have been thinking about where to start this series and, as I’ve been making decisions about everything that goes into a box the past two weeks, I kept coming back to the same question… What is the purpose of stuff? Have you ever really thought about the purpose of the stuff

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All Things Home

the by-product of a beautiful environment

I took an online landscape watercolor journaling class a couple of months ago through the Jeanne Oliver Creative Network.  The class was taught by Michelle Wooderson and I was not only inspired by the techniques and studies, but how Michelle paid so much attention to the details of all of her supplies.  Every element was thoughtful and personal.  I mean, now I *needed* a rubber date stamp for my sketches and watercolors! And as soon as I saw her mixing her paint in little ironstone butter pats…  well, there was no denying that she’s a kindred spirit.  As I was watching the videos, I found myself more interested in her supplies than the assignment! It’s like her artwork was just a by-product that sprang forth out of the beautiful environment it was created in. Since that class, I’ve been following her on Instagram @mishwooderson .  If you already love art supplies, you’re in for

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All Things Home

the doodle book & an empty studio

Just in case Lucketts wasn’t exciting enough, this weekend is also the launch of my newest book – The Home Design Doodle Book! This book was such a labor of love, partly because of the content, but also because it was drawn/written entirely by hand!  I had no idea what I was getting into when I made that suggestion, but it made this book so much more personal.  (In the end, we did have to use a hand written font for some of the text, because we realized editing a hand written book was ridiculous!  But, the first draft was written entirely by hand.) It’s different from any of my other books.  It’s part journal, part decorating book, and part encouragement.  I wanted this book to feel like a conversation we would have if I was in your house, holding your hand through finding your style, reworking your rooms, putting together

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All Things Home

La-Z-Boy Design Dash | Vote & Win

A few months ago, I was invited to be a participant in the La-Z-Boy Design Dash this year.  It’s a design competition that starts with a sofa and ends with a day and a half of racing to claim furniture & accessories in a showroom to put together an entire space in a few hours that will be photographed and voted on!  Eeep! Here’s a quick video preview of the event… My first thought when I was invited was that I would be totally out of my element.  I’ve always worked with antiques and second-hand pieces and I’m used to putting my stamp on everything.  Would I be able to put together a room with all new stuff?! I didn’t know the answer to that question, but I like that this opportunity pulled me out of my bubble and would be a challenge.  Plus, I’ve had the chance to work with the people

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a slice of life

spring cleaning

It’s that time of year!  Well…almost.  Our February has been so warm and mild that it has felt like spring.  We’ve even thrown the windows wide open a few days and I’ve gotten the itch to start some cleaning, home maintenance, and organization…all of which, I suppose, can be classified as spring cleaning. I have started on a few things, like cleaning out the hanging space in my closet, washing all of the quilts in the house, and reworking the open shelves in the bathroom… But cleaning and organizing can be like dominos and I’m realizing that some nooks and crannies need a good scrubbing. It was about this time that I received an e-mail, asking if I would be interested in partnering with eBay on spring cleaning.  My first thought was, perfect timing!  Then I realized that I had never thought of checking out eBay for tools and supplies for spring cleaning

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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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