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All Things Home

All Things Home

deep cleaning | how to clean a jetted tub

When we first looked at our MN home, I was excited about several features of this well-built house, but one unexpected feature that wasn’t on my wishlist, but probably should’ve been, was a deep, jetted soaking tub.  I love taking baths and I’ve never had an oversized soaking tub much less one with jets.  The funny thing about this bathtub is that it’s the exact same one my Oma & Opa had in their house and I soaked in that tub for hours after spending the day at horseback riding camp.  (Oh, the dirty rings I left in that tub make me cringe today, but they never made a fuss about it.)  I know how to clean a bathtub, but I wasn’t sure how to clean a jetted tub, so I asked my mom.  She’s had a jetted tub for years and has perfected the process. When I shared the

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Antiques

French Art Shop

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the French Art Shop.  I can’t tell you how over-the-moon I am to work with this French-based small business and share them with you.  As always, all words and opinions are honest and my own. In a post earlier this week, I shared that if I were an heiress, I would become an art collector.  While I was referring to collecting works by masters and well-known artists at high-end auctions, I was sort of skipping over a current truth – I am an art collector now.  I might not be collecting Pissaros and Renoirs, but I am displaying my own works and collecting the works of artists I follow on Instagram and a few antique & vintage pieces I’ve bought at antique stores, markets, and online over the years.  In addition, I’ve been collecting “everyday art” for decades in the form of furniture, Civil

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All Things Home

feels like home | book cover & title reveal and a giveaway

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″] I have been bursting to share more details about my new book with you and today is finally the day! For those who missed my announcement earlier this year, I wrote a book last Spring/Summer about customizing a typical suburban home – whether it’s an apartment, townhouse, or a single-family home, I’m sharing ideas and projects to transform those beige walls and builder-grade finishes to something that is uniquely yours. I have to step back a minute and thank you, my readers for the idea behind this book.  When I moved to Minnesota, I had dreams of finding a quaint 100-year-old Minnesota farmhouse.  After an extensive search, I realized that a suburban home that was in a neighborhood and close to the boys’ school and Jeff’s work was going to be the very

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All Things Home

decorating decisions I still like today

Happy Monday!  Thank you so much for the kind comments and constructive feedback about the new look here on my website & blog!  We will be making changes and tweaks over the next few days to make things even easier to find and navigate. Lately, I’ve been thinking about my decorating style and how it’s evolved over the 12+ years I’ve been sharing on this platform.  I thought it would be fun to look back at the things I did about 10 years ago that I still use and love today.  This is really a great exercise for anyone because recognizing the things that are timeless and have staying power in your home will help you make better decorating decisions in the future.  Here are some of the things I liked then that I still like today… painted legs & wood tops I love painted furniture, as most of you

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Decorating

five things | quick & easy decorating ideas for spring

As I’ve shared many times here on my blog, I don’t do a ton of seasonal or holiday decorating.  I would just rather spend my decorating dollars on things I can use all the time instead of pieces that have a clear theme or window of time to be used.  But, I do think there is something to be said for doing a little refresh as the seasons are changing.  I know, because we just visited North Carolina, that some of you are already well into spring.  In Minnesota, trees, and plants are still waking up and we always seem to get at least one more snow in April, so I’m a little behind many of you!  For those who like to add just a little seasonal touch to your home, as I do, here are five quick and easy decorating ideas to bring hints of spring into your home.

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All Things Home

my go-to supplies for cleaning antiques

I have bought and sold (and kept) a lot of antiques over the years.  Thousands and thousands of pieces!  So, I have learned through trial and error about cleaning and polishing up just about anything I find.  As I was cleaning my most recent antique finds I purchased during our trip to visit family in PA, I thought I would share some of my favorite supplies and products for cleaning antiques.  Many of these cleaning methods can work for things you already own that need a little sprucing up as we’re talking about deep cleaning through the month of April. This is my most recent collection of antique finds… Before we get into cleaning, I have to say that I was very restrained and left a lot of well-priced ironstone behind!  I had to keep reminding myself that I’m not shopping for a market or online sale.  I’m just shopping

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Antiques

back home & another antique watercolor box

Despite a trip to the ER after a day in the car (my youngest son has a stomach bug or severe car sickness and needed fluids), we had a wonderful trip out east to visit our family.  We made our first stop in North Carolina to visit Jeff’s parents and his sister’s family before we drive up to Pennsylvania to visit my parents.  We spent a ton of time in the car, but it was all worth it so we could see family.  We hadn’t seen Jeff’s parents since December 2019 and my parents since last summer. I took a break from writing here on the blog, but I did sneak some painting in.  Painting outdoors from life (known as plein air painting) is such a challenge for me compared to painting in the studio.  I struggled through this one and didn’t love the end result, but it was a

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All Things Home

trusting what comes out of your hands

For those who missed my announcement last fall, I wrote a book.  I’m going to be sharing even more specifics about it very soon, but it is a home decor book with my home being the lead character and my decorating ideas and tips being the bulk of the content.  When I was working on the book, it all came easily.  I feel like this book has been brewing inside of me for years and it just poured out.  I wrote 17,000 words over the top end of the range requested by the publisher and that was even after I completely cut out a couple of chapters. The photoshoots and styling felt natural and fun.  The home projects we tackled didn’t always go smoothly, but I enjoyed the process of creating and making and I’ve been thrilled with the end results.  None of the work weighed on me like a

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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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