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All Things Home

painting checkerboard floors | part 2

When you last saw the floors, they were all taped off and ready to paint.  You can find that post HERE if you missed it. The taping was definitely the most time-consuming part.  After that, it’s pretty much smooth sailing for this project. I initially purchased the same color I used on my kitchen walls – Stonington Gray mixed at 50%.  I wanted the squares to be a very pale blue/gray, so the checkers would be subtle and not too high contrast with the bright white.  I painted the first row of squares, removed the tape and knew, even before it dried, that it wasn’t what I wanted.  The color looks very blue/gray in my kitchen, but in the studio, it looked like a pale beige.  I pondered it for a few minutes and decided I spent waaaaaay too much time and energy taping off those squares to settle.  So,

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All Things Home

Painting Checkboard Floors | Part 1

I’ve had the painting-checkerboard-floors itch for a long time!  Back in 2012 I was contemplating finishing my dining room and living room in a two-toned stained checkerboard pattern (you can find that post HERE), but Jeff didn’t love the idea and talked me out of it.  I was slightly relieved because the prospect of doing all of that geometry made me nervous.  I just wasn’t sure I had the patience or attention to detail to pull it off well. When we moved into this house, I knew the studio would be the perfect candidate to finally try a checkerboard floor, but there was just so much to be done that it seemed to be silly to crawl around on the floor taping off squares for an entire day.  I just needed to get paint on the floors and then deal with more elaborate ideas later. Can you believe this is

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All Things Home

vintage/farmhouse-style glass cozy crochet tutorial

Years ago, I was shopping for inventory for the Lucketts Spring Market and found a ziplock bag containing some cream crochet work.  I wasn’t sure what they were initially, but I’ve learned how to hunt and peck to try to find things others might overlook.  I’m the one crawling into the depths of an antique booth, opening all of the cases and boxes and bags and looking at the bottom of piles!  When I pulled the pieces out, I knew immediately what they were.  Socks!  Not the kind you wear on your feet, but the kind you put on your glass. You see, I grew up using socks that my great-grandmother made.  We used them to identify our glasses and to prevent water rings on wood furniture.  I even still have a few of them in a ziplock bag in my butler’s pantry. But, I loved the style of these

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All Things Home

Crochet Potholders Tutorial for Beginners

I have another crochet project for you this week crochet potholders for beginners! A couple of weeks ago, my mom requested that I figure out how to make a pair of potholders similar to the ones my great-grandmother made her over 50 years ago.  I didn’t even have to ask which potholders she was referring to.  I knew the pair well, as I witnessed them being used and used them myself my entire childhood.  Through every move, in every military housing kitchen, those potholders were a constant. These crochet potholders were thick, white, and made with tight stitches and a loop on one corner that was frayed from time and use. So, I went to my yarn stash to see if I had a cotton yarn that would be suitable for the project.  I selected the Cotton XXL by Yarn Bee.  I have worked with it enough to know it

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All Things Home

How to Crochet a farmhouse dishcloth (for beginners)

Just so you don’t miss it, I’m giving away a set of three of these dishcloths towards the bottom of this (rather long) post!   Ever since I started showing my crocheted dishcloths, I’ve been asked by readers and followers if I could share a tutorial for how to make them.  Since I’m a beginner myself, I have been directing them to YouTube to find tutorials from people who have been doing this for a lot longer than I have!  But, I’ve learned over the years that blogging is about sharing my journey and what I’ve learned along the way.  And I’ve also learned that my audience wants to learn from me.  And I get that!  I like learning from people I know and trust.  Maybe I helped you make a slipcover for the first time or planted the seed that you could start a business.  So, why not teach

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Artistic Endeavors

How to Crochet a farmhouse dishcloth for absolute beginners…

Just so you don’t miss it, I had to crochet this farmhouse dishcloth three times for the tutorial, so I am giving away a set of three of them towards the bottom of this (rather long) post!   Ever since I started showing my crocheted dishcloths, I’ve been asked by readers and followers if I could share a tutorial on how to make them.  Since I’m a beginner myself, I have been directing them to YouTube to find tutorials from people who have been doing this for a lot longer than I have!  But, I’ve learned over the years that blogging is about sharing my journey and what I’ve learned along the way.  And I’ve also learned that my audience wants to learn from me.  And I get that!  I like learning from people I know and trust.  Maybe I helped you make a slipcover for the first time or

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All Things Home

basket full of yarn & crochet update

So, I have fully embraced the crocheting thing!  I made three trips to the craft store last week, which is no small thing because I couldn’t drive.  I had to ask someone to take me and witness me exploring this new world of yarn.  I’ve actually always been drawn to yarn and have found excuses to buy some here and there for projects, but what makes good yarn for pom-poms and garlands doesn’t necessarily make good yarn for a crochet project.  I learned that as I made the most ridiculously thick and heavy hat that I ended up turning into a thick and heavy scarf that’s only a little less ridiculous. I love learning, finding new creatives to follow, and having an excuse to buy some new supplies!  I know yarn can really add up, but crocheting is a pretty thrifty endeavor, especially if you buy yarn on sale.  I

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All Things Home

how to clean paint off fixtures & a tub

As I was prepping the boys’ bathroom to paint, I removed the old towel bar and TP holder.  I knew I was going to replace the towel bar, which always looked messy, with a ring.  I was also planning to replace the TP holder because it was smeared and splattered with paint. Once I took a good look at it, though, I acknowledged that I didn’t need to buy a new one.  What I had would probably clean up nicely.  So, I used a scrubby sponge and Bar Keepers Friend (what I use to clean my stainless steel pots and pans) and gave it a good scrubbing.  If it didn’t clean up well, then I could revisit buying a new one. I squirted the paste onto the holder and scrubbed it gently with the sponge… After a rinse & dry, it looked brand new.  I don’t mean it looked cleaner,

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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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