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All Things Home

the most frequently asked question

I get a lot of e-mail and comments asking questions, but the most common one I receive is, “Where did you get your curtains?”  Since I originally posted about them over a year ago (Has it been that long?), I decided to share the tutorial on how to make them again. When I was looking for a fabric about 18 months ago, I wanted a large-scaled paisley print in blue and white.  Well, I didn’t find it, but I found this Waverly print and thought it would read the way I wanted it to.  It was even better and, a year later, I still love them.  They have been the backdrop of many photo shoots and have become a bit of a trademark of my style.      Here is the original tutorial I shared last July… Don’t be scared if you’re new to sewing.  If you can cut, measure,

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Miss Mustard Seed’s Wuslu Pick of the Month & a Giveaway

One thing I have thoroughly enjoyed about blogging is meeting amazing, resourceful and creative women who have started their own businesses.  I have met some all-around awesome entrepreneurs.  One that I had the pleasure of meeting last week was Yasmin (and her sister, Nadia) of Wuslu.  We met for dinner in Frederick, MD and I was fascinated to learn their story.  I’m going to share it with you one day, because it’s so inspiring.  At dinner, we kicked around a bunch of ideas and one thing we came up with was Miss Mustard Seed’s pick of the month.  If you’re not familiar with Wuslu, it’s an online home decor shop that offers only one item each day.  Because the item is bought in a high volume, it’s less expensive and the savings are passed on to you.  Brilliant, right?  So, each day they have a hand picked item up for sale

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monogram tea towel pillow

Some of you may have spotted the new Martha Stewart line by Plaid available at Michael’s.  It’s been quite the buzz on the blogs lately.  Several bloggers, including myself, were asked to try out the new products and tools and boy, did we get a big box of goodies to try. Here’s what I made… …a hand painted monogram pillow out of an antique linen tea towel.  (This towel was not in pristine condition, so don’t fret.)  I used the fabric medium and mixed it with equal parts paint.  This hand sponge applicator is ideal for stenciling, so I put it to good use on this project.  A tip when stenciling fabric – make sure to put something under the area you’re painting, so it doesn’t bleed through.  I usually use tin foil.  I then selected my stencils and punched them out.  These are from the Serif Stencil Set.  Using a

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a business purchase

There are times when I see something that is fabulous and I really want it. Now that I have a blog and antiques business, I have a reason to buy some of those “must haves.”  Perpetual calendars have been on my radar for a while, but I never felt a burning desire for one until I spotted one on The Savoy Flea.  It was all over after that.  One must be mine.  I needed one.  You know, for photo shoots.  For my business.  Finding one is a part of my job.  OK, that is a bit of an excuse, but it is partly true.  You are going to see this in a lot of pictures.  I purchased it from the Etsy shop AM Radio.    Sigh.  Love.  Are there any “must haves” you’ve been drooling over lately? 

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HGTV.com Halloween Tutorials & Matthew Mead

I know it’s only August, but Hobby Lobby is already gearing up for Christmas, so I can share my HGTV.com Halloween tutorials, right?  I actually worked on all of these last November.  Wow, how time flies.  Here they are… Chalkboard Treat Bucket Witches Broom Place Card Holders Burlap Halloween Table Runner Foam Halloween Tombstones Vintage Inspired Halloween Banner Halloween Applique Pillow Pumpkin Topiary “Grain Sack” Pumpkin   Fall Leaf Lampshade We never decorated for Halloween when I was growing up, so these were a stretch for me and a lot of fun.  Speaking of fall, I’m sure you’ve heard of a guy named Matthew Mead.  Well, he’s come out with a “book-a-zine” all about autumn.  I love his take on a white Halloween. Not being a big “orange person”, I like the subtlety.  And guess what?  I have one to give away!  Just leave a comment on this post before midnight PST

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build a farmhouse table with a drill

The full tutorial and cut list for how to build a DIY farmhouse table with a drill can be found in THIS POST. I write a monthly spread for Cottages and Bungalows magazine called “DIY Essentials.”  The October 2011 issue features a tutorial on building a basic DIY farm table.  If you’ve never done woodworking before, that might sound like an intimidating project, but my husband and I made one with just a drill.  No saws or other expensive, specialty tools.  It’s sturdy and the size and leg style can be customized for your space.  Check out the issue to get all of the details…   The issue should be in the mailboxes of subscribers and it will hit newsstands soon.   Now I have to get to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas projects…yes…in August.  Welcome to my world.  Junk Bonanza Giveaway is… Calli!  Congrats, girl!  Shop for me while you’re

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an update and dealing with chippy veneer

Thanks so much to everyone for suggesting I do something special with the WWI mail pouch I found at a yard sale last weekend.   I called the National WWI Museum to see if they would be interested and they’re going to get back to me.  My mom then sent me a link with information about an Albert Lufkin Crombie from Beverly, Mass. The dates worked with the dates on the bag and the first location he recorded was Boston, so it made sense.  We found him!  He was married to Elizabeth Crombie (who shares my birthday.)  He passed in 1976, so I’m working on finding his family.  Thanks so much to Amy and Julie for helping me in this.  If anyone has any information, please share.  I would love to give this bag to his family. I’ve been so distracted by this, I wasn’t able to work on my post

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decorating for two (or more)

AKA…when the husband/wife/significant other/roomie says, “No.” I get a lot of labor intensive, kinda crazy ideas that I would like to do to our house.  I informed my husband a few years ago that if I’m ever sitting quietly, looking around a room, he didn’t need to wonder what I was thinking about.  99% of the time, I’m thinking about what I could do to that space.  My brain just does that.  So, when I start a sentence with, “I was thinking…”, he groans.  Now, let me backtrack and say that he goes along with the majority of my plans and only asks for about two square feet of space next to his bed where he can pile books and not have any froof in his way.  He goes out to yard sales with me, he fixes furniture with bubbled veneer, he lets me paint a room…well…a lot of times and it

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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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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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