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All Things Home

Decorating

process of styling

I’ve been asked to share my thought process for styling a photo shoot, specifically with a piece of furniture, and this post is in response to those requests.  I think styling is something that is hard to teach, because it is an art in itself and is based so much on personal taste.  As I walk you through my thought process on styling this piece, you might like one of my “rejects” better than the one I liked and that’s okay.  I’m hoping that through sharing my thought process, it can help you think through your own process, so when you’re styling shots you can be more intentional with your choices. The first thing I learned is that I am much happier with my shots when I take my time.  This means putting the camera on the tripod and connecting it to my computer.  This is known as shooting “tethered”.

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Artistic Endeavors

the perfect place for a gift…

Today I was getting ready for my trip to Toronto.  It suddenly occurred to me yesterday that even though I’m driving about the distance I would to visit family in Raleigh, I am going to another country!  I needed to call my bank and cell phone provider and get everything lined up, so my credit card isn’t turned off for suspected fraud and I can call Jeff.  I also tried on outfits, did laundry, checked and double-checked my list and the usual things one does before heading out of town.  I’m bringing some things from my house to populate the booth at the Home Show, so it looks very “me” to my readers.  I also had to bring things for demos, etc.  We’re packed pretty close to the hilt and my mom and I will be putting our van over 200,000 miles on this trip, so we’d appreciate prayers that we

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Artistic Endeavors

why you always, always ask…

The other day, I was working at the studio without a car, so I needed my dad to give me a ride home.  We had a bag of trash to drop off at the dumpster and, on the way there, something caught my eye.  It sort of looked like a large, wood box…maybe something on its side?  It was just sitting on the ground next to the building across the street.  Either way, it caught my eye and deserved a closer inspection.  I asked my dad to drive by it slowly on the way back and he did.  I saw bead board and old wood… “I think it’s a counter!  Let me out!” I jumped out of the truck and walked around the piece.  It was a counter with bead board sides and a wood top.  What in the world was it doing sitting on the concrete next to a

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Artistic Endeavors

chandeliers, margot & toledo

My dad showed up bright and early (which is around 9:00 in my book) to make sure all my chandeliers were ready to hang.  They all needed a little tweaking and some additional hardware. It took a couple trips to the hardware store, but my dad was able to get two of them hung and they look great.  I needed to order an antique canopy (the thing that covers the ceiling outlet), so we’ll have to wait until that arrives to hang the third. I had my dad hang them a little higher than traditional chandelier height, so I can walk under them when I’m moving the tables around. Yes, the tile ceiling and fluorescent lights are still there, but those are not going away and they are becoming less noticeable. My dad also helped me hang Margot, the studio cow.  Her boxwood wreath arrived today and now she looks

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Hand Painted Furniture

empire buffet project | white waxing

I spent some more time today on the empire buffet.  If you missed what this piece looked like before and how it got to this stage, check out PART ONE. So, we last left the piece with the top stripped off the finish and the body painted in one coat of Shutter Gray MMS Milk Paint with the bonding agent added in.  Since milk paint is thinner than most modern paints, the coverage can be streaky in the first coat if the paint color your using is drastically different than the surface you’re painting.  In this case, I was painting a really dark wood with a medium gray paint, so it wasn’t going to cover in one coat. This is the stage where some people lose heart… As with most multi-step furniture painting projects, it looks worse before it looks better.  I’ve said it many times; do not give up

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Favorite Finds

antique hose reel

There are certain things I’m always on the hunt for in antique stores…ironstone, cool scales, French chairs, etc., but the rest of the pieces I buy are ones that speak to me.  It’s hard for me to explain it, but I just know when I see a special piece.  It has a character about it, a patina, a color, a style.  Some pieces are kind of close, but don’t hit the mark.  Other are spot on.  For me, this antique hose reel was spot on. I saw it hanging on the wall in an antique store.  The chippy blue paint was what jumped out at me first, then the delicate metal wheels, then the overall interesting shape.  When hung on the wall, this once-utilitarian piece looked like art.     When I’m looking for pieces to resell and use as photography props, I’ve learned that I need to trust my

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Artistic Endeavors

adding casters to the counter

A couple of weeks ago, I found this amazing antique counter on Craig’s List.  My mom and I cleaned it and then I sealed the paint to prevent further chipping. I want everything in the studio to be very easy to move, so we have a lot of flexibility with the set up and I can scoot things around by myself without shredding the floors.  So, my dad came to the studio yesterday to put casters on the counter.  We thought we might need to build a frame underneath to support the casters, but when we flipped it over, we saw that the wood was thick and in good condition to accept the screws required to hold the casters in place. Adding casters was as simple as lining the caster up and screwing it in. I bought some vintage casters, but we ended up using new ones, so they would lock

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Artistic Endeavors

french ironstone compote

I had my second full day in the studio and it was awesome.  I am loving getting up in the morning and heading out of the house to a place of business.  I’m still a little scattered, because there are so many things I want and need to do and I don’t know where to start.  I would go into the bathroom to get a trash bag and I’d end up cleaning something, then moving something else and then I’d entirely forget what I was supposed to be doing until I tried to throw something away and saw there was no trash bag!  Welcome to my day. I know I’ll get settled into a routine soon and will find my stride. As I was working, Jeff brought in a package I was waiting for… Come on…it was mailed in a French potato box!  I’m sure those are very boring in France,

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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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