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Before and Afters

2014 Home Changes

As 2014 is winding down, I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened over the past year. I started looking through posts and pictures and enjoyed seeing all of the things I’ve done, the places I’ve been and the projects that were completed. I figured I’d write a few posts sharing the highlights…my favorites and your favorites. Let’s start with my house. What struck me as I looked back over pictures is how much has stayed the same. The master bedroom and bathroom, half bath, kitchen, home office, upstairs bath and family room have stayed pretty much the same. For the most part. I’ve made tweaks and moved some furniture and things around, but nothing has been dramatically changed. Here are the things that have changed – This is how the living room looked in January… …and in December. The dining room in January… …and December. I’m planning to put a rug back

December 31, 2014 40 Comments

Before and Afters

say "hello" to Arabesque

It’s time to say hello to another color in our new European line for Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint – Arabesque. (You already met Bergere in October and four more are coming soon…) I’m not generally what you’d call a “pink person”, so this color was harder for me to create than others, but what we arrived at just might convince me to use more pink. It’s a soft, dusty pink with lots of warmth to it, so it’s not sweet or babyish. It’s sophisticated and has a neutral quality about it, even though it’s pink. Of course, it’s named Arabesque after the ballet move. (via dance.net) As I was thinking of color names for the pink, I immediately thought of ballet and knew I wanted to use one of the French ballet terms. Arabesque just seemed to fit…graceful, feminine, seemingly effortless. Notice how Arabesque is almost the exact color

December 22, 2014 26 Comments

Before and Afters

the sanded floors

This weekend, we finally took the plunge and sanded down our floors. I’ve been wanting to for a long time…well, and not wanting to at the same time. It’s a total pain. It’s messy and it’s really hard work, but I got it in my mind that I really wanted it done before decorating for Christmas and then closing out 2014 and Jeff went along with it. In case you haven’t seen them before, this is what the floors looked like before sanding them. They are the original oak floors from the 1940’s. When we moved in, we removed the berber carpet that covered them and a year later refinished them in a dark walnut stain with three coats of poly. They looked great for a few years, despite the fact that I really didn’t know what I was doing when I finished them. That finally started showing when the

November 24, 2014 59 Comments

Before and Afters

painted "swedish" bench

I always have a hard time getting refocused after a big event or project. I seem to work at my best when there is a date looming, but at the same time, I dislike the pressure of deadlines. So, I’m conflicted. I love and hate due dates. To combat the unfocused work approach, I decided to knock out a few projects that have been on my list for some time. I grabbed the bench at the table in our family room and dragged it out to the car, so I could take it to the studio to paint. (I have a knack for moving furniture by myself when I’m determined enough!) Remember this pine bench that we gave to my mom as a mother’s day gift when we lived in Germany? I like the shape of it, but the pine was a little too yellow and shiny for me. I

November 4, 2014 17 Comments

Before and Afters

slipcovered ottoman

Last Friday I was working in the studio on some last minute pieces for the Chapel Market. I usually leave the sewing projects until everything else is done, mainly because it’s not my favorite thing to do. I’m just dragging my feet. I finally pulled out the old ottoman that was waiting for a slipcover and started working on it. I decided to use a piece from a cutter quilt I’ve been holding onto for a while It wasn’t quite large enough, so I supplemented with a piece of antique homespun linen I bought for $5.00 at an antique store. I also used the homespun to make the piping, sides and skirt. It wasn’t a big piece, but I was able to make it go a long way by sewing pieces together. The patch-worked nature of the piece just seemed to work…mostly I think because I used a quilt and

October 24, 2014 20 Comments

Before and Afters

1920's dental cabinet makeover

Can you handle another furniture makeover? The Chapel Market is less than a week away and we’re getting to the end of the furniture I have worked on for the event. I picked this dental cabinet up last week while I was shopping for accessories and “smalls” for my booth. I saw this and just couldn’t pass it up. All of the little drawers and glass knobs caught my attention and the low price convinced me to not walk away, even though I wasn’t officially shopping for furniture. The piece was structurally sound, but it had clearly been neglected in a barn or somewhere moist for several years. This makeover wasn’t going to be about dramatically changing the appearance of the piece, but about making it look and function better. The original trim on the bottom had rotten away and many of the drawers weren’t functioning as well as they

October 19, 2014 24 Comments

Before and Afters

hand painted empire dresser makeover

It has been a marathon getting ready for The Chapel Market, which is just over a week away, but it’s been so fun, too. I am most focused and intentional when I’m working towards a specific goal. And this time has been even more fun, because I’ve had a lot of great help and the amazing studio space to work in. I’ve been relishing it! I have been a little overzealous with filling the “green zone” (aka my mockup booth for the event), because I’m starting to wonder how it’s all going to make it down to Alabama. Has anyone invented a way to beam furniture, yet? That would make things much easier. We have a plan A and a plan B, so hopefully it’ll all fit. It’ll be like playing Tetris. Anyway, here’s the latest makeover… Here’s how this piece started… Now, you know me and paint. I don’t usually

October 17, 2014 30 Comments

Before and Afters

say hello to "bergere"

It’s been a while since I asked you to say hello to a new milk paint color! I’m really excited to share our first Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint color from our European color line that will be launched in January 2015. We are introducing six new colors that will be carried in our European & UK markets, but will be available elsewhere on a limited basis…meaning our retailers outside of Europe aren’t required to carry the colors, but some will. I would encourage calling ahead before driving somewhere to buy one of these limited colors. So, the first color I’m introducing is a smokey blue/gray called Bergere, named after the French style of chair that I love so much. (And no, they aren’t all blues!) This is definitely a chameleon color that looks bluer in some light, grayer in others and lighter/darker as well depending on what’s around it. It

October 10, 2014 35 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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