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Decorating

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the little things | wooden spoons

I think it’s easy to be intentional when making choices about the big things you bring into your home. The big commitment items like sofas and china hutches and statement pieces. I don’t think it’s quite as easy to be intentional about the little things. Things that are utilitarian and inexpensive. But, if you’re going to buy something, anything, even something little, relatively cheap, and utilitarian, why not buy something you love? Imagine your home filled just with things you love. Well, that’s the goal, anyway. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t love all of my kitchen utensils, but I’m working towards it. I feel very neutral about my can opener and pizza cutter, but I love my wooden spoons. I look for ones of different shapes, sizes and tone of wood, so they each have their own personality and I can justify having way more than necessary. (There is an

January 19, 2016 49 Comments

All Things Home

Sally’s farmhouse living room | the before

I mentioned taking on a second makeover as I’m finishing up the one for my mom, but I haven’t had the chance to sit down, give it some focused thought (and edit the pictures I took back before Thanksgiving!) As I said, my services are free, but slow. While I haven’t sat down with a blank piece of paper to draw out some sketches, I have a pretty clear vision for this room. Here’s how it looks now… Let me back up, literally. Because you really have to take a few steps back to appreciate how cool this house is. Yeah, I know. That wall! I want to take it home with me. Sally wants a fresh farmhouse style in her living room, which is fitting and perfect, since she lives in an 1800’s farmhouse. It has a Green Gables-esque quality about it, doesn’t it? Anyway, they’ve done a lot

January 16, 2016 41 Comments

All Things Home

decorating dilemma | Susan’s awkward fireplace

Before I get into today’s post, I wanted to apologize to those who still want to buy hemp sheets, but they are sold out. I was floored with how quickly my largest order ever was exhausted! We do have some more from that shipment to list, but the weight is a bit different. I will give everyone a head’s up before I list them (most likely early next week.) Also, I will place another order for hemp sheets when my source has them back in stock, so if you would like to be on a “waiting list”, just send an e-mail to marian@missmustardseed.com and let me know how many you would like and you can have first dibs. They are $110/each. Now, to today’s decorating dilemma! I think there are times when someone designs or remodels a space and they have an idea and implement it without really thinking through how it’s going

January 7, 2016 21 Comments

All Things Home

organizing | one room down

I have been very lazy since Christmas. You know me…I’m usually ultra productive, but every signal my body was sending me said to just rest and relax, so I did. I did totally unproductive things like playing games on my iPad (I’ve been enjoying 1010! and The Room Three), watching Netflix, combing through the 25% off clearance sale at Anthropologie to make sure I didn’t miss anything, and relying on leftovers, so I didn’t have to cook. I even painted my toenails! It’s been a nice break, but I felt my usually energy make an appearance yesterday morning. It’s always a good sign when I start working before breakfast, while I’m still in my jammies. I finally did take a break and got ready for the day, so I was presentable when the babysitter came over. I have a goal to purge and organize the entire house. I did this a couple of

December 31, 2015 67 Comments

a slice of life

Christmas recap | 2015

I think this stretch is the longest I’ve ever gone without posting on my blog! I can’t remember ever taking five full days without posting anything. I’ve always taken posting fresh content very seriously. It is my job, after all! But this year, I decided to relax a bit and allow myself a few days without posting or prepping posts ahead of time. I didn’t set a “back to work” day, but I woke up this morning and felt ready to write, so here I am. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! We definitely did. The boys are at a prime age to appreciate gifts and we were able to surprise them with some really fun ones this year. My parents, brother and sister-in-law joined us, so the house was full of noise, fun, wrapping paper scraps and yummy smells. Marshall woke up feeling a little queazy, so he carried

December 29, 2015 33 Comments

a slice of life

a christmas song | what a glorious night

It’s become of a bit of a tradition (every other year, anyway) for me to share a Christmas song here on the blog. Last year, we just couldn’t pull it together, but this year, I heard a song that I thought would be great and I had just the group of people to do it! I asked Kriste and her husband, David, if they would be up for joining me, Jeff & the boys, my parents and my brother & sister-in-law for a song. I was able to lasso everyone in, assign each one an instrument or a part and we spent a couple of hours practicing and recording the song. I’ve shared a lot about decorating for Christmas over the past few weeks, but Christmas is all about that glorious night when Love came down in the form of a baby in a manger, so we could be saved from our

December 24, 2015 79 Comments

All Things Home

milk painted ornaments

I spent most of my day wrapping presents and working on some cleaning to get ready to host Christmas. I’m sure many of you were doing the same. I have also been insanely motivated to purge and organize. I’m not sure what has kicked into me, but I have been in a mood. A get-rid-of-80%-of-everything-and-organize-the-rest kind of mood. Usually this mood hits me in January, but it is, very inconveniently, hitting just a few days before Christmas! So, I’ve been purging and sorting my way through sections of my house and studio. I’m ready to take on any shelf, drawer, closet or cubby that doesn’t contain useful items stored in a tidy fashion. I’ve bought bins and labels and I’m eye-balling things that I’m going to sell, donate or pitch. I’ll finally quit holding myself back after Christmas, but for now, I need to push aside this distraction and focus on the

December 22, 2015 28 Comments

All Things Home

living & dining rooms | Christmas 2015

My favorite rooms to decorate for Christmas are the definitely the living and dining rooms. It’s hard to believe how dark these rooms were when we first moved in over nine years ago and now how light-filled and fresh they feel. For Christmas, I just add some fresh greenery and a few wool pom-poms. That’s about all these rooms need. I shared video tutorial HERE showing my trick for dressing my chandeliers with fresh greens. The tie-top pillows I made last week ended up on the living room sofa… I was on the hunt for a potted blue spruce to put in my antique white bucket, like I did last year, but…no luck. So, I asked Jeff if he would pick up a cut tabletop tree next time he was out and about. I put it in a pitcher of water inside the bucket and it suits me just fine. On the other

December 18, 2015 27 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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Decorating

the little things | wooden spoons

Sally’s farmhouse living room | the before

decorating dilemma | Susan’s awkward fireplace

organizing | one room down

Christmas recap | 2015

a christmas song | what a glorious night

milk painted ornaments

living & dining rooms | Christmas 2015

next art sale

August 13th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

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