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Favorite Finds

The Chapel Market Preview

Here we are!  Right on the brink of the Chapel Market, which happens this Saturday, October 25, 2014.  It starts at 9:00 am and admission is $3.00.  (The address is 24 Ring Around Rd, Pike Road, Alabama 36064.)  I will be set up inside the chapel meeting hall, in the same space I was in last year. I have been shopping, painting, sewing, cleaning, fixing and pricing for several weeks to get ready for the show and I think this is my favorite booth I’ve ever put together.  I shopped with a specific theme in mind – French Blue Farmhouse White.  I viewed this much more as curating than just shopping for things I knew I could make a profit on.  I wanted a cohesive look.  I think this booth is most “me” of any that I’ve done.  I feel like any one of these pieces would look right at home

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October 21, 2014 72 Comments
Artistic Endeavors

cha-ching

I keep a running list in the back of my mind of antiques I’d like to buy if ever the piece, price and timing are right.  Through the years, I’ve found some of those pieces…an industrial cart, a dress form, an ironstone cake pedestal to name a few.  One thing on that list was an antique cash register.  I thought it would be so fun to use at sales and events.  And honestly, it would just look amazing sitting on a counter.  Of course, I didn’t have a shop/studio space or a counter for that matter, until a few weeks ago.  And, just when the timing was right, I found a beautiful antique cash register, in working order, for an amazing price.  About a fourth of what they are usually priced when I spot them. This beauty is everything I wanted…the ornate case, the wood base, the original glass case, functioning keys and

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October 18, 2014 52 Comments
Favorite Finds

Pine Cone Hill 20th Anniversary Bed & Giveaway

I mentioned earlier this week that a big giveaway was coming up…the biggest one I’ve ever had on my blog.  Well, this is it. I started working with Pine Cone Hill and Dash & Albert a few years ago when they sent a rug to borrow for my home office makeover.  It was being photographed for Flea Market Style magazine and they asked me to pick out a rug with some pop.  I fell in love with that rug and was able to purchase it after the shoot.  From that point on, I’ve partnered with Annie Selke companies for various things.  They outfitted my new master bedroom bed not long ago and have sent me some beautiful rugs, pillows and poufs for various photo shoots and makeovers. When Pine Cone Hill asked me to design a bed to feature in the month of October to help them celebrate their 20th anniversary, it was a no-brainer.

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October 16, 2014 2,434 Comments
crafts

black glittered pumpkins & more

Today in the studio, Kriste and I worked creating two very different Halloween/fall tables.  In the one I’m showing today, we went with a black/orange/spooky classic Halloween theme.  Neither of us are big on decorating for Halloween, but this was so much fun to put together and we both love how it turned out. We featured Flapper Black MMS GGG (Miss Mustard Seed’s German Glass Glitter) on several simple projects on this table.  We glittered live and wooden pumpkins (found at Target), some clearance plastic crows, pine cones and paper bats that we made into bunting.  We made them with the same glue & glitter technique most people learn in elementary school. Pick something to glitter… …have some glitter at the ready and work over some paper or a container, so the glitter can be reused. Brush on a white all-purpose school glue… …and immediately sprinkle the glitter on. Allow

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October 15, 2014 34 Comments
Dining Room

joss & main #holidayhostess event!

I know it’s not even Halloween, yet, but it’s about time to start thinking about the holidays and the parties, guests and decorating that comes along with it!  I’ve partnered with Joss & Main to kick off their Holiday Hostess events that will be running over the next few weeks.  It’s a great lineup of bloggers including the ladies from Stone Gable, French Country Cottage and Finding Home. For my event, I featured my dining room and guest room… I decked out the dining room in my usual blue and white with natural accents like preserved boxwood and pinecones.  This is meant to be a “transitional” table that eases you and guests into the holidays.  It’s not full-on-Christmas-in-your-face, yet, but it’s festive.   The subtle holiday decor carries into the guest room…   Most of the decor is seasonally neutral, but I added some swags of boxwood at the foot

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October 14, 2014 26 Comments
Decorating

bright white ceiling & pearly white walls

Today the boys are off school for the Columbus Day holiday.  Three day weekends like these always catch me by surprise, but we always find a way to just roll with it.  Jeff was out for the day, so it was just me and the boys.  We took this day to hang out in our jammies at the house.  I was planning on being in the studio today, pricing my weekend finds and working on things for the Chapel Market, but that wasn’t going to work with a day off school.  The boys were playing really well, so I decided to hop into a project at home that I didn’t think I would get to until after the market – painting the living and dining rooms. Remember this plan? I first needed to paint the ceilings.  What joy is mine.  I don’t think anyone enjoys painting ceilings.  (Except Michelangelo.  He was

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October 13, 2014 43 Comments
Photography

improve your photography…

I’ve been planning on writing this post for a while and I kept forgetting about it in favor of sharing a furniture makeover or some progress we’re making in the studio, but I was reminded of it as I was shooting pictures of a home for Cottages & Bungalows last Thursday.  I’ve had “real camera crews” come shoot rooms in my house before, so I felt a little unimpressive showing up at Heather’s door step without a ton of fancy gear, scrims, umbrellas and suitcases full of flashes and lenses.  I had one camera bag, one circular reflector/scrim that was $11 off Amazon and a couple of lights we use for videos.  We didn’t look fancy, but we got the job done! So, while I was shooting, Heather noticed that I was zooming in on each picture on my laptop and she asked why I was doing that.  I went on to

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October 12, 2014 30 Comments
Before and Afters

victorian settee makeover reveal

I shared a preview of this makeover yesterday, but here is the full sha-bang (that’s a highly technical decorating term)… This isn’t a typical piece for me to buy, but as you may have figured out already, I like to change things up, so I don’t get stuck in a rut.  Buying a piece of furniture that is atypical for me helps me with that.  Sometimes I love the piece and then I want to explore that style more.  Other times, I enjoy working on the piece, but I don’t fall in love with the style.  I really like how this turned out, but I’m not sure you’ll see a lot of stuffy victorian settees here. This is how the piece started out…   It was one of the messiest pieces I’ve ever worked on…shedding grass and old burlap every time someone brushed passed it or breathed near it.  The fabric

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October 8, 2014 33 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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