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

Preorder the Book
Facebook Instagram Youtube Tiktok

Tutorials
Guest Room

Painted Guest Room Bed |

The weather has been amazing over the weekend!  Just a couple of sunny days in the 40’s and 50’s and I’m ready to throw open the windows and go out for a hike.  There’s still a lot of snow on the ground, though, so I had to settle for a walk instead of a hike.  It’s given me the shot of energy I need to finish home and work projects.  I was moving furniture around and cleaning out closets.  That’s what warmer temperatures and sunshine does for me, so I’m ready for Spring.  Bring it. So, here’s where we left the bed yesterday.  It’s fully painted, but the paint looks pretty bright and a little flat…definitely not like it was painted a couple hundred years ago like the inspiration bed. It’s the distressing and antiquing that’s going to bring this piece to life.  For distressing, I didn’t want to take

Read More
February 23, 2014 92 Comments
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Applying Wax to the Rocking Horse – Video Tutorial

Well, we finally got the camera and lights out and started making some video!  We shot this one on waxing last week and short some more today on mixing milk paint and the colors in the MMSMP line.  I can’t even say how nice it is to have someone working the camera and taking care of the editing for me!  Jeff has taken up that role and has been soaking up all he can about using the equipment we have and making quality videos.  We both have a lot we still want to learn, but this is our first video together, so if this is our starting point, we feel like we’re going to get to a pretty good place! So, the video today is showing how I waxed this rocking horse I painted a couple of weeks ago…   The horse is painted in MMSMP Grain Sack over Trophy

Read More
January 31, 2014 24 Comments
Before and Afters

living room sofa makeover

 I shared the new arrangement for my living room, but I thought I would share an “official” before and after of the sofa.  The sofa that was in my living room was a lovely piece my aunt let me “borrow long term.”  I slipcovered it in drop cloths and used it for about four years before I gave it back to their side of the family.  It belonged to my uncle’s mother and now that I have a steady stream of furniture coming and going because of my business (and that’s what I do), I offered it back to them and they accepted. So, I was on the hunt for a new sofa for the living room.  Since our TV isn’t in that room and it’s more of a formal space right off the front door, so the sofa can be a “pretty sofa.”  It does need to be comfortable,

Read More
January 3, 2014 63 Comments
Family Room

“the sofa” update & explaining my shop

Well, my new sofa was supposed to be delivered tomorrow.  I received a call from Pottery Barn today to get my “delivery time window.”  I answered the phone with bubbly anticipation.  Will it come early?  Will I have to wait all day?  Instead of getting a time frame, I received the disappointing news that they had overbooked the route for tomorrow, so they couldn’t deliver it.  Bummer.  Okay, well, when can it be delivered?  It seems they only deliver to my area on Wednesdays.  It quickly hit me that next Wednesday is Christmas and the following Wednesday is New Years.  I’m not going to get my new sofa for at least three weeks.  It’s not a big deal, but I gave away our sofa yesterday and we’re hosting Christmas this year.  I took a moment to remind myself that it’s a small thing.  Some people have to go through the

Read More
December 18, 2013 29 Comments
Family Room

My upholstery machine & “the sofa”

With all of the slipcover and upholstery posts I’ve been sharing lately, I’ve received a lot of questions about the sewing machines I use.  I have two.  One is  $150 Kenmore machine that I’ve been using for about six years.  I have used and abused that poor little machine and it has done an amazing job and is still going.  I have never oiled it, never had it cleaned and have asked it to do way more than it was made to do.  One night, though, I was working on the channel back chair and the machine was choking on the layers of  thick, antique hemp fabric. I was working with grain sack and hemp more and more, so it was time to upgrade to an upholstery machine that was made for what I was doing. Enter machine number two – the Sailrite LS-1.  It’s on sale for $654 right now,

Read More
December 11, 2013 No Comments
Family Room

familyroomgallery

With all of the slipcover and upholstery posts I’ve been sharing lately, I’ve received a lot of questions about the sewing machines I use.  I have two.  One is  $150 Kenmore machine that I’ve been using for about six years.  I have used and abused that poor little machine and it has done an amazing job and is still going.  I have never oiled it, never had it cleaned and have asked it to do way more than it was made to do.  One night, though, I was working on the channel back chair and the machine was choking on the layers of  thick, antique hemp fabric. I was working with grain sack and hemp more and more, so it was time to upgrade to an upholstery machine that was made for what I was doing. Enter machine number two – the Sailrite LS-1.  It’s on sale for $654 right now,

Read More
December 10, 2013 51 Comments
Dining Room

Dining Chair Slipcover Tutorial

I wrote a tutorial on making dining room chair slipcovers years (and several dining sets) ago when I was a contributor to Cottages & Bungalows magazine.    It’s so neat to see how far I’ve come in my sewing, photography, writing, styling.  I’ve really grown a lot.  Anyway, since I’ve improved in a few departments, I thought it was time to make a new tutorial as I worked on my last dining room chair slipcover.  The one I made for the tutorial looks like this… But you can also adapt this tutorial for a chair like this… The idea is the same.  Just create an extra slit for each arm and double the amount of ties.  You can also adjust the kind of skirt you have on the slipcover.  I like the ruffles, but you can do knife pleats, box pleats, no pleats…whatever floats your boat. I always use the

Read More
December 9, 2013 47 Comments
Dining Room

missmustardseed-42 (640×352)

I wrote a tutorial on making dining room chair slipcovers years (and several dining sets) ago when I was a contributor to Cottages & Bungalows magazine.    It’s so neat to see how far I’ve come in my sewing, photography, writing, styling.  I’ve really grown a lot.  Anyway, since I’ve improved in a few departments, I thought it was time to make a new tutorial as I worked on my last dining room chair slipcover.  The one I made for the tutorial looks like this… But you can also adapt this tutorial for a chair like this… The idea is the same.  Just create an extra slit for each arm and double the amount of ties.  You can also adjust the kind of skirt you have on the slipcover.  I like the ruffles, but you can do knife pleats, box pleats, no pleats…whatever floats your boat. I always use the

Read More
December 8, 2013 32 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.

Facebook Instagram Youtube Pinterest Amazon

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Get Early access →

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.
Explore the shop →

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.
Shop Now →

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest