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

All Things Home

All Things Home

painting cabinets | priming

If you missed part one of my series on painting kitchen cabinets and you’re following this as a tutorial, you need to read that post first.  I know we want to get right to the good stuff, but your painted cabinets will look crappy if they aren’t prepped properly.  Take the time to put in the elbow grease before you crack open a can of paint. You will be happy you heeded my warning. So, now let’s talk about priming.  Using a quality primer is every bit as important as using a quality paint.  It may be ever more important, because it is the foundation that will help the paint grip the pre-finished surface of the cabinets. For this project, I used Zinsser’s Smart Prime.   For the doors (since they were removed), I applied the primer with a paint sprayer.  I have a Graco HVLP Finish Sprayer 7.0 that

Read More
All Things Home

painting cabinets | why I’m not using milk paint…

As I’ve been sharing the process of painting the cabinetry in my house, I’ve received the same question several times… “Why aren’t you using MMS Milk Paint on your cabinets?” As I mulled over how to best answer that question, my thoughts wandered to my art supplies.   I have oils, watercolors, acrylics, and pastels in my art cabinet.  Why do I feel the need to use different mediums? The answer is that they have different strengths and result in different looks. Just because I have mad love for milk paint doesn’t mean it’s the only paint on my shelf.  In this house (and in my last one as well), I felt like crisp, bright white trim and cabinets would best compliment the house and my style. For that reason, I chose a paint that has different strengths and results in a different look. I hope the fact that I share

Read More
All Things Home

how to paint cabinets | prep

I have been sharing some snippets here and there of the process of painting my built-ins and kitchen cabinets on my Instagram Stories and I’ve been getting tons of questions about the process and products I’m using, so now I’m sharing the details on how to paint cabinets here on the blog. First off, I know painting cabinets is intimidating and understandably so!  They are a fixture in your home and costly to replace if you “mess them up”.  It is also a big project that causes upheaval in what is arguably the most used room in the house. Here are my tips on painting cabinets, starting with the prep work.  You’ll want to follow these steps if your cabinets have a poly or painted finish and no matter which kind of paint you’re using. how to paint cabinets | work in sections In my last two kitchens, I painted

Read More
All Things Home

(working with what you have) fall table

Last year, I participated in the Farmhouse Holiday Series and it was such a fun blog-hop to be a part of that I agreed to participate again this year.  I like saying yes to fun things and collaborations with creative people.  But then I realized that only about 2% of my house is finished in my colors and style… And I really felt that as I was working on this fall tablescape.  It was supposed to be in the dining room, but my dining room is dark beige right now with carpeting, so I decided to shoot in my half-painted kitchen on a half-finished table with chairs that are too big and, by the way, also aren’t finished. I was very close to bailing at the last minute, but I had to resist that urge. The seasons change and we can still decorate for them even if everything isn’t finished,

Read More
a slice of life

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 A fall dessert using a fall favorite comes to life in this cookie. I don’t often think about cooking with pumpkin, but there is a lot of goodness pumpkins can bring to the culinary table!  I was in the mood for something chocolatey and cookies are always a winner at my house, so I made a variation of a Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe I found on Taste of Home.  I made a few tweaks to the recipe, like adding salt, using old fashioned oats instead of quick-cooking, and used dark chocolate chips. I like the old fashioned oats vs. the quick-cooking, because they retain more of their texture once the cookie is baked. One tip when making cookies is to use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to dole out the cookies on the baking sheet, so they are uniform.  If the cookies are all different sizes, you’ll

Read More
a slice of life

Old World Kitchen Dreamware Giveaway

If you’ve followed me for a while, you may have picked up that I have a thing for kitchenware.  I was a Food Network junkie when I left the corporate world, so I could support Jeff in full-time youth ministry and be a homemaker.  I thoroughly relished the time and spent much of it cooking and baking from scratch and, as a part of that, building my collection of kitchen gear.  I built up a pretty well-equipped kitchen with great knives, utensils, pots & pans, cutting boards, etc., but I still keep an eye out for special pieces I can add or tools I can upgrade. Some of my favorite pieces of kitchen gear over the past couple of years have been wooden spoons and spatulas.  I love the warm patina they develop over time.  The more they are used, the better the look, in my opinion. Through Instagram, I

Read More
All Things Home

selecting fabrics & paint colors

Picking out paints and fabrics can be hard.  I’ve painted and repainted enough rooms and made and remade enough curtains and pillows to know.  And I think the difficulty may have even increased with the advent of Blogs, Pinterest, and Instagram.  We can fall in love with a color or fabric in an online photo, which may not even be an accurate representation of what it looks like in person.  Or in your house.  Or with all of your other stuff. How many have bought a gallon of paint just because it looked amazing on Instagram? I’m raising my hand, here. And sometimes it works out and looks great and other times, it’s a fail.  It’s too bright, too pink, too green, it clashes with your sofa or curtains or it just doesn’t look great in the light in your north-facing room. Now, you know I’m someone who likes to

Read More
All Things Home

studio transformation | part 4

We’re almost there!  The studio is nearing completion and I am so excited to be able to start using this space now that it’s insulated, climate-controlled, and the walls are back on! Today, the wall around the mini-split went up and it looks so good!  Of course, it still needs to be painted, but that will be happening this week. A few of you have asked about the mini-split.  It’s a Mitsubishi unit that heats and cools, similar to something you might find in a hotel room, except this one is actually quiet!  I have found myself putting my hand over it to make sure it’s working.  It is, though it’s just a quiet little thing.  It’s also a lot more not-ugly than I thought it would be!  I realize that’s a poorly structured sentence, but I was just expecting it to be an eye-sore.  It just blends in and

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