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All Things Home

simple pillow tutorial (with piping)

I’ve shared a few pillow tutorials on my blog over the years, but it’s been a while, so I decided to take some pictures as I was making a couple of pillows today and share a tutorial for how to sew a simple pillow with a piping edge. There is a video tutorial towards the bottom of this post if that’s helpful. Since I shuffled things around in my family room a few months ago, I’ve needed (well, wanted) to make a couple of pillows. I finally got the push I needed when a sweet reader sent me a beautiful antique woven coverlet. I just about squealed when I opened the package. It’s sort of an odd-sized, pieced together and has some repairs, so I decided I would get more use out of it if I turned it into pillows. Don’t get me wrong, I love it with all of

June 23, 2016 43 Comments

a slice of life

my favorite things lately

I have found that there is an ebb and flow to the things that catch my eye. Of course, there are constants, ironstone being the most obvious, but there are pieces that I have found a new or renewed interest in… baskets Baskets is one that has been the most surprising to me. I haven’t paid much attention to baskets and was even slightly annoyed with the stacks of baskets that seem to be everywhere in secondhand shopping. But, over the past few months, I have changed my tune. These utilitarian gems bring so much texture to a space along with stylish storage. What I look for in a basket… The older the better. That’s the case with a lot of things for me, but I’m looking for pieces with a nice patina and age to them. I especially love old splint baskets. Market-style or laundry-style baskets. I also like ones

June 22, 2016 32 Comments

All Things Home

a harvest of lavender

A few years ago, I planted some lavender on either side of the steps leading to the front door of our house. It was sort of a whim, but I love how it’s grown over the years and the scent and color it adds to the entrance. I’m a homebody, anyway, so I love walking up those steps to the front door, but the lavender is an extra perk. It was getting a bit unruly this year, though, and I was encouraged to cut it back by people who know a lot more about gardening than I do. I sort of hated to cut it, but I was told it’s best for the plant and prevents them from becoming woody. So, I went out in the cooler temperatures of the evening, armed with an antique apple basket and new pair of shears, to trim back the lavender. I didn’t realize how much

June 21, 2016 22 Comments

All Things Home

cross-stitching on linen

I have fallen in love with an old-school craft…cross-stitching. I know it has a reputation for being dated, but that has a lot more to do with the patterns and the cross-stitch kits available than it does the craft itself. So, this renewed interest in needlework came about when I noticed that my favorite antique textiles were those that were monogrammed. And then I noticed that most of those monograms were simple cross-stitching, using the natural “grid” pattern in linen to make the X’s. And then I had the thought that I usually have before tackling a DIY project… “I can do that!” So, I did… …and the results looked so authentic that it had me giddy with excitement to stitch some more. I have been looking around at various cross-stitch letters online to find the style that will look original on antique linen. I found a “P” that I liked and

June 17, 2016 70 Comments

All Things Home

soda crate + dress form display

When it comes to creative display ideas, I try to “keep my head down” or “keep my blinders on” to some extent, so that my ideas aren’t too heavily influenced by trends or other creatives. But, sometimes I feel a little stuck in a rut and I need to cruise for some fresh inspiration. It’s definitely a fine tightrope to walk! As I was getting ready for Lucketts, though, I needed some fresh inspiration and I came across one that was so cute, I decided to replicate it. The idea is from one of my milk paint retailers, Kathe of Warm & Weathered. She created a display for a dress form out of an antique soda crate. It looks sort of like the holder worn by the guy selling peanuts at a ballgame. Are you tracking with me? I hunted down an antique soda crate that worked with my brand…blue

June 14, 2016 19 Comments

All Things Home

using old quilts every day

I definitely have a thing for old textiles. I love table linens, fabric, clothing, embroidery, quilts…you name it. I’m always drawn to the “linen lady’s booth” in antique stores. I like to look through the stacks to see if anything catches my eye. I’m usually looking for blue and white, of course, nubby linen, pretty monograms, crochet trim…things that will compliment the decor of my home, but also pieces that I can use as-is or repurpose. Because what is the point of having stacks of linens if you don’t ever use them? True, a stack of linens can look pretty in a cabinet, but did you know linens can get stained as much from not being used as they can from being used? That’s a totally unscientific statement, but I have observed that they can turn yellow from starch, acquire “dust lines” at the folds, or fade in the sun. So, use

June 13, 2016 36 Comments

All Things Home

styling tips | for home

A few days ago, I shared part one of the “styling tips” series – for retail. Now, it’s time for part two – styling tips for the home. While styling for retail and photography is about making a space and individual items look beautiful or appealing without much regard to practicality, styling the home is about making the everyday beautiful. Styling for retail and photography is a whole other ball of wax from home styling. As an example, here is Megan’s office, a room I worked on last fall. For the “beauty shots”, we removed the keyboard and things that weren’t as photogenic, but when it came to styling the room to live in, we had to take the keyboard, paperwork, printer, recording equipment, etc. into account. It was an office and creative space, after all. It wouldn’t have made sense to banish the keyboard to the garage or the

June 9, 2016 28 Comments

All Things Home

utilitarian beauties

I think that owning stuff you love is underrated. Do you get what I mean by that? I think we often times settle for something we don’t really love, just because it’s utilitarian. And, sometimes there is just no getting around that. But, sometimes you can have something that checks the box in both the beauty and function categories. When I spotted this dustpan in an antique store, it was like a win-win. I love the look and I love the size of it and the “cover” on the top that keeps fluff from floating away. Yeah, it’s just a dustpan, but why shouldn’t a dust pan bring a little smile to your face when you use it? In the same shopping trip, I also bought this sweet little whisk broom… Something, like this little broom, that was utilitarian, but is pretty enough to use for decoration. At Lucketts, I picked

June 7, 2016 20 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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All Things Home

simple pillow tutorial (with piping)

my favorite things lately

a harvest of lavender

cross-stitching on linen

soda crate + dress form display

using old quilts every day

styling tips | for home

utilitarian beauties

next art sale

May 20th, 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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power washing the patio

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