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Furniture Makeovers

Before and Afters

fun with film holders

Here’s my little project with the antique film holders I bought last week… As soon as I saw them, I envisioned making them into mini chalkboards.     So, I taped off the frame and spayed the film directly with two coats of chalkboard paint.  Very simple and very cute (in my opinion.)     (And I decided to keep this little alarm clock and I’m selling a different one that I’ve had in my house.)       I’ve been very busy the last few days with milk paint stuff (so crazy exciting) and book writing stuff (crazy exciting, too) and getting things ready for Lucketts.  I finally got out my paint sprayer to paint the 100+ letters I found at a yard sale a couple of weeks ago.  I was considering painting them by hand, but that was a silly thought.  I was able to get them all sprayed in about 15 minutes.  Work smarter

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Before and Afters

white washed desk & tutorial

Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and encouragement in response to my recent big announcement!  I really do feel like I have a huge group of friends who have been with me through this journey and you’re cheering me on.  It’s an awesome feeling and it means a lot to me. The next three weeks are going to be insane.  I’m getting stocked up for the Lucketts Antique Market, which means lots of shopping, painting, pricing, packing, upholstering, sewing, glittering, gluing…whew!  On top of that, I’m working on rewrites for my book and developing this line of milk paint.  I need to find a way to duplicate myself, so I can get it all done and still make dinner and keep my guys in clean clothes!  I know it’ll all work out.  It always does. So, here’s the latest piece of furniture I just finished today…  

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Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

my pie-in-the-sky-dream-come-true

A few weeks ago, I shared a list of my dreams for the future in a post here on my blog.  I was thinking in terms of things that would probably happen a few years out, but here we are three weeks later…and one of my dreams is coming true. I am getting my own line of milk paint!  Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint!! I hardly even know how to express my excitement.  It’s too big for typed words on a screen.  I’ve been giddy and planning and swimming through my thoughts about colors and packaging and a display and all of those things.  I’ve never done any of this before, so it’ll be quite an adventure! So, how did this happen?  I was contacted by a milk paint company in Canada called Homestead House a few months ago.  They sent me some of their paint to test and pitched the

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Before and Afters

French Grain Sack Chair

Unfortunately, I do not have a before picture of this chair.  I bought it last summer off of Craig’s List and never snapped a picture of it.  It had a wood frame and lavender plaid upholstery.  It was in great condition, but it just wasn’t “me”, so I gave it to Ruthie, my upholsterer to let her work her magic.  I also gave her two antique grain sacks to use as the fabric.  I can hardly take credit for how amazing this chair looks.  My contribution was a naked chair frame painted white with some grain sacks and Ruthie did the rest.   I love her choices on the position of the grain sacks.               My *plan* was to sell it, but I am so in love with it that it’s not leaving my house.  Ever.  Well, I guess I shouldn’t say that, because I do often

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Antiques

Milk Paint Dresser

For those of you who have missed my furniture before & afters – this post is for you!  Today I’m sharing a classic Miss Mustard Seed dresser makeover.   I bought this dresser off of Craig’s List a couple of weeks ago.     It looks like it’s natural wood, but it’s actually painted brown.  It did have the original hardware, though and it’s solid as a rock.     I painted it out in one coat of a custom mix of milk paint by Homestead House and lightly distressed it.  (I’m going to make some video tutorials on milk paint soon.)  Milk paint did the magical thing it does and created this awesome flaked finish.  I finished it off with a clear coat of Annie Sloan’s clear wax, so it’s super smooth, despite the textured appearance.   I decided to paint the top on this one, since it was already painted brown

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Before and Afters

Inside the Armoire

Over the past couple of months I’ve been working on my work office (not to be confused with our home office) for a magazine feature.  It’s been so fun moving things around and adding some pops of color to inject a bit more personality into the space. The art director asked me to move the fabric from my mirrored armoire, which wasn’t being photographed to my French armoire, which was.  Well, the inside was an orangish-yellow pine and I was not going to have that in a magazine.   Here’s the best before picture of the interior I could find.  See…knotty, yellow, orangish, not cute.   So, I went to my paint stash to decide on a color.  Since this was the inside of a piece, I could have a little fun with it.  I decided to use ASCP Antoinette, which is a soft ballet pink.     Since there are inset

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Furniture Feature Friday – Feature & Link Party

I’m so glad to report that I’m feeling much better. I still have staples that need to be removed early next week (ugh), but I’m able to do some cleaning and straightening up and I think I’ll be able to start painting, shopping, etc, next week.  I definitely don’t have the endurance I’m used to and I have to take breaks, but I can tell that things are going to get back to normal soon. Another piece of good news is that my parents closed on their home in Florida today and a new house is being built for them just 10 minutes away from my home.  I am so excited about having them so close, so my boys can know their grandparents really well and my parents can help me with the business they encouraged me to start.    My mom and I won’t have to stuff three weeks of

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Before and Afters

my hospital visit

For those of you who are familiar with me, you know it’s torture for me to just sit and rest.  Home decor is my hobby and my business, so it’s hard to keep me from it.  Well, when I checked into my hospital and was faced with this room, I knew it needed my help.   A little painting here, some sewing there and ta-da… traditional bedroom design by los angeles interior designer Elizabeth Dinkel   Don’t ask me how I got those windows in there.  It was quite a chore.  I would show you what I did to the operating room, but they wouldn’t allow me to bring my Nikon in there. OK, totally kidding.  I nabbed that beautiful bedroom picture off of Houzz.  I was a good patient and went through the same blue shower cap, airy gown experience everyone else does.  Things were a little rough and blurry

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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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