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All Things Home

All Things Home

master bedroom curtains

I had lots of projects lined up for my mom’s visit.  We are both doers and thrive on productivity, so it suits us to have an ambitious to-do list.  As her 10 day visit was winding down, we had checked almost everything off my list.  My mom looked at the sad curtains in my master bedroom, a hold-over from the previous owners. “Let’s just take care of these curtains.” She knows that sewing is something I do, because I like the end result.  But, I don’t really like sewing.  I could completely do without it in my life.  I do, however, like expanding my options beyond curtains and pillows that are ready-made.  I believe that sewing is one of the best DIY skills you can have in your arsenal.  For that reason, I just suck it up, put on some good music, do it, and enjoy it when the project

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All Things Home

Thrifty Painting Tips & no spend February

I’ve put in a lot of miles on a paint brush and roller over the years and, during all of that painting, I’ve picked up a couple of small, money-saving tips. First of all, it’s worth investing in sample pots of paint (about $5/each usually) to make sure you get the color right.  This is one of those things where you have to spend money to save money.  Ultimately, though, it’s better to spend $15-20 on samples than having to buy a whole other gallon if the color you just put all over your wall makes you want to cry. (I’ve actually been there and did that very thing.  And I didn’t get a t-shirt.) Painting the right color the first time is worth it. If you’re going to use the same color again soon, wrap up the roller covers in cling wrap.  This will keep the roller ready to

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All Things Home

Found antique smalls

My mom and I hit one of my favorite local antique shops last week in hopes of finding a few furniture pieces for the rooms we were working on while she was visiting.  As I shared earlier this week, we found a new art cabinet for my studio, which was on the list… …but we also found a few smalls.  (“Smalls” are just little things, accessories, that you find at an antique/retail store.) One thing I miss about having my studio, selling online, getting ready for an antique fair, etc. is shopping for smalls.  I really don’t need much for my current house, since I already have years of collected smalls.  I could probably stand to sell some, even!  So, I try to stay focused and not buy things just because I like them.  I try to think of how I’ll use them to make sure it’s not another thing

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All Things Home

the green art cabinet

Remember the art cabinet I bought and fixed up last year?  I really loved that cabinet, but I decided to part with it when it came time for us to move.  I was going to consolidate all of the pieces in my home as well as in my studio and we didn’t know what house we would be moving into, so it made sense to let go of as many of the large pieces as we were willing to sell. Now that I’m settled in my new (much, much smaller) studio, I am learning how I use the space and where I need to make some changes.  One of the main things I needed to change was where my easel was located in relation to my palette.  My palette has been on my left, which is a little inconvenient, given that I’m a righty. I was also finding I needed

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All Things Home

customizing a house | painting interior doors

I’ve been contemplating a way to describe my current house and the changes I’m making.  It’s not outdated, it’s not ugly, it’s not run-down, it’s not in poor taste…  In fact, it’s a beautiful home.  So, how do I explain why I view this perfectly nice suburban home as one that is ripe for a makeover? Then, it hit me.  It’s not customized.  That’s one of the reasons why it appealed to me, but it’s also why I view it as a home that’s perfect for a makeover.  It’s a great foundation that could use some color, texture, and choices that reflect some personality! One simple way to customize a blank-slate home is to paint the interior doors.  I didn’t think this was that crazy of an idea, but my mom made me think it’s a bit more unusual than I thought.  She was opening the (painted) door to my

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All Things Home

Are you a flitter or a sticker?

We each have our own work flow – a way of doing things that makes sense in our own minds and feels most efficient and productive. As I was packing to move, I discovered something about myself…  Instead of packing one box, taping it up, and adding it to the pile, I was working on several boxes, even in different rooms, hopping from one to another.  Eventually a box would be filled, taped and added to the pile.  It seemed fluid to me, but I’m sure it would’ve looked chaotic. There was a moment when I really noticed what I was doing and I realized I often work that way.  And I thought the actual words, “I’m a Flitter.”  I just flit from one thing to the next, eventually circling back to finish everything.  I think that may be how I’m able to accomplish as much as I do.  It

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All Things Home

blue & white finds

I will admit that I am basically a collector of blue and white things.  If I spot it in a store, I am drawn to it like a magnet. My mom and I went to Home Goods a couple of days ago and, front and center, there was a display featuring blue and white.  On the display was a pair of Ralph Lauren pillows in a blue and white check.  I impulsively went to grab them.  I hesitated.  First of all, I have enough pillows and most of them end up strewn all over the floor.  Second, I have enough blue and white check and this particular pattern didn’t match any of them.  So, I left them there for someone else to buy. I didn’t resist blue and white finds altogether, though! Before Thanksgiving, I spotted some pretty blue & white Johnson Bros plates, also at Home Goods.  I thought

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All Things Home

hang your head in shame, faucet

The kitchen has come a long way since we moved in and, while it looks like a big overhaul, it’s really just involved paint, changing out the lights over the island, and hanging the pot rack.  The one big change we made was converting the electric stove to gas and replacing it with a beefy commercial-style range, which has been on my kitchen wishlist for over 15 years! One thing that’s a pretty easy fix, but we hadn’t changed, was the faucet.  I have seen worse, but this one was pretty sad.  It’s not that it looked terrible, but it was not functional!  Well, water ran out of it, I can say that.  The pull-out sprayer, though, was loose and it flopped around most of the time.  On top of that, the faucet was difficult to swivel.  So, you’d grab the neck to move the faucet from one sink to

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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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