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Furniture Makeovers

FURNITURE FEATURE FRIDAY | jessica's favorites & link party

I am taking a little down time today…enjoying a hike and a nice dinner with Jeff, so I asked Jessica of Dear Emmeline if she would be the “guest picker” for you tonight.  Plus, it’s nice to get a little variety in the picks!  She’s done an amazing job for me in the past, so I know your in for some great favorites.  Enjoy! Happy Friday MMS readers!  I had so much fun perusing the links this week.  You all are amazingly talented and inspiring.  My husband and I have been working on renovating our, new to us, 1910 home since February so I’ve been filing away home project ideas and color schemes left and right. With three bathrooms in varying stages of remodel my eye was immediately drawn to the table and sink bowl combo in Amber Bottle House‘s bathroom makeover. The table has an amazing patina and I

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Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

MMS Brush Soap

One of the cool things that’s come out of this milk paint line is having the opportunity to work with other entrepreneurs.  So many amazing business owners have partnered with me to manufacture, distribute, promote, retail and teach about the products in our line.  Many of the people who partnered with us have also been key in bringing new products to our customers.  One of those retailers is Christie of ReVived Vintage. A few months ago, Jennylyn of Homestead House brought the idea of carrying a brush soap to me.  I liked the idea, because I usually use dish soap, which works fine, but it doesn’t really condition the brush. Jennylyn shared that, one of our Canadian MMSMP retailers, Christie had developed an all-natural brush soap that was pretty amazing.  She sent it to me.  I tested it out and agreed that it was pretty amazing stuff.  Now, we carry it

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Hand Painted Furniture

painting a primitive cupboard

A week or two prior to Lucketts, I spotted an amazing primitive cupboard on Craig’s List.  I intended to buy it to sell at the event, but I was absolutely smitten with it and decided to keep it.  Believe it or not, I’m usually pretty disciplined about that sort of thing, but this piece was just so special and I could imagine it filled with ironstone and other pretty things. I actually bought the piece sight unseen.  I was busy painting and I sent Jeff & my dad to pick it up for me.  I gave Jeff “override authorization” if it wasn’t as amazing in person as it was in the pictures, but it was and he brought it home.  The lady he bought it from was delightful and a blogger/photographer and was very happy it was going to a good home.  I actually got to meet her at Lucketts

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Miscellaneus

award-winning packaging

I have been really blessed in my business to partner with people who are wonderful to work with and also wildly talented.  Sometimes they find me.  Sometimes I find them.  Sometimes we knew each other already and we suddenly realized that working together made sense.  Due to these relationships, I’ve ended up with a business that is exploding and a heart full of gratitude. A few of those partnerships came together and made our Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint packaging award-winning. Jennylyn of Homestead House manufactures and distributes the paint world-wide.  Laura Dreyer, a former student in our youth group, drew the dresser illustration and designed the greenish-blue “wall paper” background used as borders.  Reni of Bliss & Tell Branding Company started with those elements and designed all of the packaging.  Maria of Dreamy Whites styled and photographed the products in the photo above. Because of the work of all of these women, Bliss

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FURNITURE FEATURE FRIDAY | favorites & link party

It’s good to get back into the swing of things this week.  I started my workout routine again (P90x3) and have gotten back to work on a regular schedule.  I do still need to set out some new goals, new dates and projects, so I’m not aimless, but I feel like I’m out of the post-Lucketts slump. Onto the favorites…there were some really beautiful pieces of furniture to pick from this week.  It’s hard to narrow it down to my self-imposed limit of three anyway, but it was doubly hard this week.  I hope you enjoy my favorites and I can’t wait to see what you have to share this week! Melaine from My Sweet Savannah shows how you can recreate the “zinc” finish she used on this dresser.  I think the shape of this piece was perfect for a technique like this! And I absolutely love this primitive yellow hutch

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Before and Afters

the hand-painted German-style bed

I never really showed off the finished hand-painted German-style bed for the guest room, so I thought it was high time. To recap, this is the German-style hand-painted bed I used as inspiration.  I found it in a magazine about ten years ago and always loved it. I knew the chances of finding a bed like that were pretty slim, so I looked for one with a shape that could work and I planned to paint it myself.  I found this bed at an antique store for $100.  The high headboard and curved footboard were about as good as I was going to get, I think.  It was beaten up and the finished was crackled, probably from being stored in an attic, barn or garage, but that worked to my advantage when it came to creating an authentically antique-looking finish. I painted it in MMS Milk Paint French Enamel. I

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Before and Afters

the unpainted desk & hemp chair

Despite what some may think, I don’t paint everything. Most of the furniture pieces I buy are in need of some help.  They’re tired, worn, spotted with water rings, sporting chipped & bubbled veneer and have seen better days.  Because of that, I don’t feel the slightest hesitation about painting them. Some pieces, though, are just perfect as is.  Such was the case with this oak desk… The wood and finish were in beautiful condition and the vintage glass knobs were perfect.  We did have to add some new stops to the drawers to keep them from sliding all the way to the back of the desk, but that was a quick fix. Usually, I feel that painting a piece brings out the details, but the graining of the wood made the details, like the cubbies and carved embellishments, really shine. So, the only thing I did beyond adding drawer stops

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Before and Afters

Typewriter Desk Makeover

…and there’s still more!  Furniture makeover reveals, that is. I have to tell you that I have really enjoyed the frenzy of painting and upholstery as I was getting ready for Lucketts.  With everything else I was working on, I didn’t have much time for it.  Truth be told, I was probably a little burnt out on churning pieces out over the past few years and a break ended up being really good for me.  I’m now looking around at all of the furniture in my house and I’m looking forward to tackling some pieces that have been hanging out for a while.  I’m also feeling inspired to work on some spaces and pieces for others!  I’ve always shied away from that, but I think it would be fun.  So, we’ll see… In this furniture-makeover-episode, I’m sharing the before and after of this desk.  Since it’s prettier, here’s the after

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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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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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