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All Things Home

framed antique indenture

When I shared the living room curtains earlier this week, a few of you noticed the framed antique indenture hanging on the wall over the sofa. Well, let’s talk about this piece of custom-made art! First off, let’s talk about what an indenture is since most of us are familiar with it only in terms of servitude. An indenture is simply a contract and the subject of that contract can be a variety of subjects including labor, marriage, property, settlements, and more. Second, you can find for a wide variety of prices but can get bargains for around $25. The price is based on the age, size, quality, and subject of the indenture. I bought mine from last year. I know she has more, so send her a message on her Instagram HERE if you’re interested in details. My particular antique indenture is a marriage contract from 1842 and is

November 9, 2022 28 Comments

All Things Home

custom living room blackout curtains

As I’ve shared over the past couple of weeks, I have to bounce between things that need to be done that aren’t super exciting (like organizing the basement and wiping wallpaper glue off the walls) and things that flex my creativity and are fun. By jumping between the two, I feel like I’m productive, moving the needle in the things that need to be done, but I’m also staying motivated and feeling fulfilled. It’s a delicate balance but it seems to be working. Aside from a few boxes in out-of-the-way places, we are unpacked and able to live comfortably in the house. We’ve made the sprint and can now slow to a comfortable jog for the next few years to bring this house to where we envision it. One of the fun things (whether sewing is fun is debatable) I worked on last week was making custom blackout curtains for

November 7, 2022 22 Comments

All Things Home

how to make a custom pleated lampshade cover | video tutorial

When I shared that I wanted to cover the lampshades in my family room, several people asked if I would share my method. I have covered lampshades in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever done it the same way twice. I’ve used peel-and-stick lampshades. I’ve adhered fabric to a shade using spray adhesive. I’ve hot glued fabric and/or trim, sewed lampshade slipcovers, and painted tired shades. I feel like I might win at a game of DIY lampshade cover Bingo. So, I’ve learned a lot along the way about what works and looks nice and what looks like a DIY lampshade cover. Before getting to the family room lampshades, which are a bit of a tricky shape, I decided to test out some things on a couple of simpler lampshades. I made a mini pleated cover for a drum shade and a wider pleated cover for an empire

November 3, 2022 34 Comments

1970 home renovation

refrigerator shopping with forté

Disclosure: I am working with Ilve and Forté as a part of a long-term partnership on my kitchen renovation. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. Now that the roof is done, it’s time to turn our renovating attention to the kitchen. In fact, my renovating attention has been on the kitchen, but it’s just been sketches, ideas, and standing in the space staring at it for long periods of time. It has been nice to use and live in the kitchen for a while before any firm plans are put in place, though. I’m learning where I work, what I use most, how the light moves, and what I’m missing from my previous kitchen. Since we intentionally looked at homes that needed a complete kitchen redo, I knew that I would be starting from a blank slate on everything, including the appliances. So, as I started to

November 2, 2022 36 Comments

Decorating

thrift store ribbon holder

In between the unpacking, painting, and projects, Jeff and I have taken a morning or afternoon here and there to hit a few local second-hand shops. One afternoon, we made the rounds to a few of the thrift stores just a couple of miles from our house. At one of those thrift stores, I spotted a wooden rack. At first, I wasn’t sure what it was…a towel bar, maybe? Whatever it was, I liked it and thought it was interesting. It could have dozens of different uses and it was only $10, so I decided to pick it up. When I got it home and interacted with it more, I decided it was a paper towel holder. I could’ve used it as that, but I decided to have a bit more fun with it and make it a ribbon holder in my studio. I have some gorgeous ribbons that I’ve

November 1, 2022 35 Comments

All Things Home

tour of my new art studio

It’s the room tour that many of you have been asking for – the art studio! Of course, it’s not finished yet, as is the case with our entire house, but it’s getting there. It’s settled enough and looks enough like an art studio to welcome you into the space and give you a little tour. As we were looking at homes, this was a big question that needed to be answered. Where would my art studio be? In some houses, there was an outbuilding that would’ve worked for a studio and/or workshop and in others, I’d have to appropriate a room originally intended for another purpose. In some houses, there really wasn’t an option and those were crossed off the list. It was a must. I could be flexible with the size, location, and other details, but I had to have a space to work and create. When we

October 31, 2022 67 Comments

All Things Home

decorating process

Of course, there are a million practical things to do. Unpack, strip wallpaper, paint walls, clean, and organize, but I have to give myself the gift of unstructured time to just play. So, I bounce between things that need to be done and things that are completely unnecessary but are creatively fulfilling. It gives me the energy to push through the things that are a bit more mundane and not exciting. So, yesterday I gave myself some time to work on some decorating things. One of the things that are both practical and decorative are curtains and I’m looking forward to getting them made and hung for the living room. Right now, we don’t have window coverings for this room and there is quite a glare on the TV. This gave me a change to play with fabrics, which is great creative fun for me. I have picked a blue

October 26, 2022 60 Comments

All Things Home

the antique thebes stool

When Jeff and I went on an outing last Monday, we walked through an antique store to look for some of the furniture pieces still on my shopping list. I tried to stay focused on my list, but it is hard to ignore pieces that speak to me. Such was the case with this odd little stool. I had never seen one like it, but after years of antiquing, I know when I see something special and this little stool was special. Better yet, it was well priced at around $30 and was discounted even further. I handed the stool to Jeff and he gave me a questioning look. I know it’s not on the list, but there is something about this piece and I want to buy it. He’s learned to trust me in such matters and carried it up to the counter. I have since learned that the

October 25, 2022 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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All Things Home

framed antique indenture

custom living room blackout curtains

how to make a custom pleated lampshade cover | video tutorial

refrigerator shopping with forté

thrift store ribbon holder

tour of my new art studio

decorating process

the antique thebes stool

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

painted garden obelisk

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