Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

All Things Home

All Things Home

hardwood floors in the living room

A couple of weeks ago, a stack of hardwood flooring was delivered to our house to acclimate before it’s installed in our living room! I have been wanting to replace this carpet with hardwood floors from the time we moved in, but I was in the minority.  Jeff and the boys like that it’s comfy underfoot and good for wrestling.  I have always disliked carpet simply because it’s difficult to keep clean.  And a cream carpet in a major traffic path is even harder to keep clean.  It doesn’t look bad in the pictures, but I’m not focusing on the carpet… We do take our shoes off and we clean it with a carpet cleaner a few times a year, but there are still stains and a discolored path from over 15 years of use.  The staining is much more evident when I focus the camera on it… Oh, I

Read More
All Things Home

Toni’s beautiful but boring dining room | Decorating Dilemmas

This post has been in my drafts for mooooooonths.  That means a long time!  For some reason, I just kept feeling like it wasn’t enough.  I needed to put together a cohesive and completed design before this would be ready to post and that’s just not the case!  These Decorating Dilemma posts aren’t about me working as an interior designer for a client, but rather giving a reader some opinions and ideas about their space.  When I frame it in those terms, I don’t have to have any answers, but just a few suggestions.  And I certainly have that for this dining room; at least enough to get this post out of draft purgatory. So, here we go… “This is my boring dining room. I love my custom farmhouse table and Ethan Allen buffet but the room is blah.  There is not much natural light (windows have plastic on outside

Read More
All Things Home

gold leaf frame & office details

I was supposed to be cleaning.  Let me say that right upfront.  It was a self-imposed task, but my home projects have distracted me from basic housekeeping.  I gave the kitchen a quick cleaning – wiping down the counters and the stove, emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming.  I even got as far as cleaning the toilet in the 1/2 bathroom and running the vacuum in the living room, but the cleaning stopped there.  The rabbit trail started with hanging a picture light over my Manet study and it turned into reclaiming my office, rearranging furniture, and gold leafing my inspiration board frame.  It wasn’t what I should’ve done, but it’s what I needed to do.  I’ve learned that when inspiration strikes, I just need to roll with it and the cleaning can wait. Jeff has been inhabiting my office since March, but he’s working at the church more often and, when

Read More
All Things Home

finally, an antique haul…

A few things happened last week that haven’t happened in months…since February or March.  No 1 – We had a church service!  It was outdoors, but it was so awesome to see our church family, sing and worship together, and hear from our senior pastor.  No 2 – The boys got haircuts!  That might not sound like a big deal to you, but if you’ve ever had to chase down middle-school boys to wash their greasy mop of hair, then you know how nice it is to have it short!  I tried to cut it for them, but I made the mistake of cutting Sebastian’s hair first and they judge my abilities on that hack job.  Fair enough. No 3 – I got to go to some antique stores!  I had my mask and hand-sanitizer right with me and I drove separately from my friend as a precaution, but I

Read More
a slice of life

the handmade needlebook

Well, I spent the morning writing and then planning and making some purchases for upcoming projects.  I am excited to get a few rooms that are underway finished (like the master bedroom and sewing room) and I’ll be starting some new projects that have been on my list for a while.  This is how it seems to go for me.  For a few months, I’ll work on small, quieter projects like painting and tweaking, making slipcovers, etc…stuff I can do myself that is relatively inexpensive.  And then, all at the same time, I’ll start some larger projects that we’ve been planning and budgeting for.  It’s exciting and nerve-wracking simultaneously! Of course, I’ll be sharing more along the way… But, today, I’m sharing about a lovely gift I received from a woman who has become a dear friend to me – Mary of Trout Lily Hill.  She is one of the sweetest

Read More
All Things Home

making progress in the sewing room

Well, I’ve been making slow and steady progress in the sewing room over the past couple of weeks.  In the afternoons, when I’m done with my work-work, I’ll head upstairs and work on it for about an hour.  My tendency is to plow through a project and get it finished as soon as possible, but I’ve learned in recent years that projects are more enjoyable when they are spread out and done in a leisurely way.  Fewer mistakes are made when I don’t rush.  I have to fight my propensity to rush, though, because I love productivity and crossing stuff off the list! But, the sewing room is a little easier to work on in pieces, because it’s not one I’m in a lot.  Out of sight, out of mind.  If I was sitting in the middle of it all day, it would probably feel more urgent. I decided to

Read More
All Things Home

Patio Makeover Reveal

Disclosure: This patio makeover post is sponsored by .  As always, all opinions and words are honest and my own. Welcome to a typical suburban patio makeover!  These are scattered all over suburbia…the concrete pad just off the walk-out basement sliding door, shaded by the deck.  It’s the builder-grade default. We’ve seen our neighbors do some beautiful things with this space…resurface the concrete, extend the patio out beyond the deck, use it as a pad for a hot tub, etc.  Ours was a sad, neglected dumping ground.  It was where we dumped rocks that we removed from the front garden beds.  There was a burn pile, wood from a sectional that was delivered a few weeks after we moved in, wires and cinder blocks that were left by the previous owners, and lots of weeds.  Even as I look at it now, it’s just sad.  I’ve said many times on

Read More
All Things Home

live painting class | grazing cow painting

Well, this is my last live painting class post for a while.  I have enjoyed it so much, but I need to clear my plate to focus on some other projects for a while.  It has been a learning experience for me and a great source of joy during these tough times!  I really appreciate everyone who participated and sent me pictures of their work, notes, and e-mails telling me about their painting journey and how this class has been a bright spot for them, too. I can’t tell you how many people started painting along with me simply because they’ve always wanted to try it.  I can tell from the work I’ve been receiving that there are a lot of people who found a talent they didn’t know they possessed.  It makes my whole year to hear that! This isn’t the end, though.  I’ll be back when my schedule

Read More

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.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest