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Miscellaneus

Miss Mustard Seed’s Wuslu Pick of the Month & Giveaway

It’s that time again!  Wuslu and Miss Mustard Seed (Why am I speaking of myself in the third person?) have paired together again to make something I love available for you to purchase.  My pick for this month took a few months of hard work on Yasmin’s part to bring it to you.  Not only did I love this wheeled laundry basket, but so did Country Living Magazine, which made it hard for Wuslu to get a large quantity. They did it, though and it is now Miss Mustard Seed’s Wuslu pick of the month!    I love wired baskets.  Put one on wheels and I’m sold.  This would look perfect in a bathroom holding white, fluffy towels or in the corner of a family room keeping some extra pillows handy.  I think it’s also perfect for seasonal decor.  Can’t you see this filled with pumpkins and gourds or with a petite

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Milk Paint & Wax Giveaway from John Millen Hardware

If you’ve read my blog for at least a few months, you know how I love Milk Paint and soft furniture wax.  If you haven’t tried either of these products or you have and want more, you’ve come to the right place at the right time.  Milk Paint is the product I use to get the super chippy look on some of my pieces.  People go nuts over these pieces.  (Color – Slate) It’s an interesting paint to work with and unlike any of the “usual” paints.  It comes in a brown bag in powder form.  You mix the powder with warm water to turn it into “paint.”  It’s delightfully unpredictable and has a slightly funky smell and I love the stuff.  The finish is porous and not water-safe, so I seal the finish with Fiddes & Son’s soft furniture wax.  It gives a warm, hand-rubbed luster to the piece

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Painting a Brighter Future

As some of you know, I am a member of the True Value DIY Blog Squad.  There are a lot of perks that have come with that privilege (like freshly painted kitchen cabinets) and it’s been a treat to work with such a great company.  I recently was made aware of the True Value Foundation program that supports schools around the country in need of a face lift.   The program, “Painting a Brighter Future,” asks schools in need to apply for a grant that will give them paint to refresh their school. Graphic Credit – The Lettered Cottage The Facts More than 14 million American children attend deteriorating schools About 30 percent of rural, 38 percent of urban and 29 percent of suburban schools have at least one building requiring extensive repair Help Your School Go to the “Painting a Brighter Future” page to download a grant application The school must

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allora handmade giveaway & shop for sharlie

At Blissdom last year, a lot of things caught my eye.  Girls sporting ruffled bags, cute camera strap slipcovers, and custom laptop cases.  One specific necklace, though, captured my fancy.  Gorgeous, isn’t it?  Even The Nester wore one on the plane ride home when we sat together.  I did my best not to drool on her or snatch it off her neck.  Well, I finally have one of my own…not stolen, I assure you, but straight from the hands of Jessica, the owner and artist behind Allora Handmade.  Isn’t she a cutie?   She offers an amazing line of handmade jewelry, hair accessories, t-shirts and artwork.  One of my very favorite things is her bobbies.  I’m sure they look great in hair of all lengths, but I love them in my short, unruly hair.  She is now offering new felt ones…hmmm…might have to get some of those… Jessica, being the great

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packages, pillows & paper

The posts you have read over the past two days were written on Sunday and if you follow me on Twitter, you know I took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Kentucky.  It’s been a busy few days…yes, even busy by my standards…and now I’m home.  Whew.  I apologize for not posting a winner of the Stella and Dot giveaway, but I just didn’t have the time to do it, so the winner is announced at the bottom of this post.  When I got home, it was amazing to see my husband and little boys and I was also greeted by several boxes of goodies.  I love goodies.  I received some Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint (including the new white), some t-shirts and pillow cases from Dear Lillie, a shelf and soap dispenser from Post Road Vintage and an amazing haul of hand sewn runners, pillows and stockings from Sutton Place Designs.  I’ll

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Stella & Dot Giveaway

I was a cleaning fool today.  I have been a little lazy with my house work lately and I finally couldn’t take it anymore.  It’s amazing how nice a space looks when it’s picked up and clean.  It was a lot of work, but it’s oddly therapeutic for me and gets my creativity flowing.  Anyway, let’s get to the meat of it.  I love supporting women who are stepping out and starting their own businesses or finding ways to earn money from home while nourishing their creative desires.  I met one coincidentally a few months ago.  I posted a headboard on Craig’s List and she bought it from me.  Heather recently took “the leap” and became a stylist for Stella and Dot.  Here’s some of Heather’s story… “I am a stay at home mom to 2 little girls, ages 6 and 3. When my oldest was born, I quit my full

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the battlefield

My posts are almost always home/furniture/blog/DIY related, but as I shared yesterday, we spent a morning at the Gettysburg battlefield as a family, so I thought I’d share some pictures from that  We live about 6 miles from it, so it’s an easy thing to do on a nice day.  As we drove to our first stop, we were pleasantly surprised by a cavalry reenactment.  My husband is a huge Civil War buff/dork, so he was excited to see it.  I have an interest in history, so I must say it was pretty cool.  There was something powerful about seeing 20 or so horses with riders dressed in Civil War uniforms, galloping down a field with flags flying and sabres drawn.  So, after the charge, we drove to climb the tower by the Eisenhower farm.  There are my boys, headed toward their “mission.”  I will state that I am not scared of

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Vintage Market Giveaway

Do you love handmade wares and cool vintage finds?  Well, this is the giveaway for you.  Freckled Laundry’s Vintage Market is a collection of talented ladies who make and find lovely things.  They have come together to offer up an amazing Vintage Market Prize Package for one lucky winner.  Here’s what that winner will receive… Ruffled Satchel, Needle Felted Wool Brooch, and Needle Felted Wool Ring from…   Union Jack Pillow made from creamy white grain sack linen and new floral cotton from… Paint Tarp Pocket and Lavender Linen Sachet from… Blue Painted Brass with Brown Glass Hoop Earrings from… Set of Handmade 0-9 Numbered Clay Tags from… Custom Pennant Banner from… Three Petite Feed Sack Pillows with Antique Buttons from… Burlap and Cherry Ruffles Runner from… Custom Sterling “Chloe” Necklace from…   and Collection of Etched Floral Vintage Black and Silver Buttons from… A fun collection, don’t you think? 

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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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