Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Archives | Page 20 of 42

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

Before and Afters

Lucketts Green Highboy

I told Kriste today that we’re in “final push mode.” This is the time when preparing for Lucketts that it gets hard for me. I’m getting tired. I feel like I’ve done enough, but there’s still more on my to-do list to see my plan through. So, I just need to work through the list and scratch things off one at a time until it’s done. The push today was to get the painted furniture finished and were we able to get all but one piece finished, which was quite an accomplishment and a boost. I have five pieces I still need to style and photograph, but tonight I’m sharing a highboy dresser I finished late last week. This is another piece of furniture that was delivered right to my doorstep. Here’s how it started… It was a pretty piece with sturdy bones and a finish that was just a little

April 30, 2015 29 Comments

All Things Home

bHome, a desk & the most awesome typewriter ever

Before I get to the desk and the typewriter, I wanted to share a home & garden community app that my blog is a part of. It’s called bHome and is a great way to connect with some amazing bloggers. It not only grabs our blog feeds, but it also shares our most recent social media posts, so you can get the full picture of everything we share. It’s really pretty cool how it gathers posts and pictures from across different platforms. The bHome app is free and you can get it for your smart phone or tablet HERE. Today, Kriste and I started working around the studio, pricing pieces and adding them to the unorganized pile of things to take to Lucketts. We both have a hard time creating when things get too messy and out of control and things were definitely getting out of control. We had an

April 29, 2015 17 Comments

All Things Home

cottage dresser & checked chairs

Before I get into today’s post, I wanted to announce the winner of the Sailrite sewing machine giveaway. A big congrats to Missy Bun! (I sent you an e-mail with the details on claiming your prize. Enjoy!) Now, onto the furniture makeovers! I will start off by saying that I am totally in love with this little cottage-style dresser and those chairs. Trust me, I tried to mentally find a spot for these in my house! Hard. I couldn’t, so they are getting sold. Here is how this dresser started… It really was lovely just as it was and I even considered not painting it, but I decided to in the end. It had a glossy poly that was applied at some point, after the piece was stripped of its old layers of paint. It wasn’t the original finish, so I didn’t feel too bad about painting it. I did

April 27, 2015 20 Comments

All Things Home

making a new table look old…

Before we get into the process of making a new table look old… I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! We spent a much needed Saturday at home. Between sickness and traveling over the past few weeks, we were all behind on our chores, laundry, cleaning, mowing, etc., so we took a day to take care of those things. Picking up toys turned into organizing the basement and picking out toys to give to younger boys. That turned into hours of great playtime with toys that had been buried and forgotten. So, it was a balance of work and fun and a great lesson on the joys of being able to actually find your stuff! Sunday was a bit more restful and involved church, some light yard work (the day was gorgeous), errands and dinner out with my parents. It was a nice break from the frenzy-that-is-my-life in the weeks

April 27, 2015 32 Comments

Before and Afters

“Swedish” secretary desk

Sometimes I need to spend a little time with a piece before I know how I want to “mustard-ize” it. Other times, inspiration hits me immediately and I can’t wait to get to work on it. My furniture does not get the first-come-first-serve treatment. So, even with a bunch of other pieces that have been “in line” longer, I set to work on this desk that I had just acquired from Craig’s List. Just the night before I got it, I had been trolling Pinterest and came across some beautiful antique Swedish desks that were painting in various shades of bluish greens. So, when I saw this secretary in person, I knew it wanted to look like one of those Swedish desks. So, I painted it in a custom-mixed color – one part Kitchen Scale to two parts Shutter Gray, both from the MMSMP line. When finished with Hemp Oil,

April 22, 2015 43 Comments

Before and Afters

the china cabinet on my doorstep

Usually I have to hunt for my furniture, but lately a few pieces have been finding me. That was the case with this china cabinet… An antique store owner who I’ve shopped from a few times stopped by my studio a few weeks ago. He knocked on the door. “I have something in the truck that I think you might like.” He showed me the china cabinet, quoted a price. I nodded and he carried it in for me. How easy was that?! Now, I have to do something with this china cabinet… After painting several of them over the years, I’ve sworn that I would never buy another one to paint. They are a royal pain in the rear to work on. The tight interiors, the fretwork up against the glass…all, a royal pain in the rear. So, I put it out of the way against a wall and

April 20, 2015 59 Comments

Before and Afters

workbench turned kitchen island

I went to a local antique store a few weeks ago and bought a few pieces, including this workbench… Jeff was surprised at my choice. It doesn’t have the curvy lines I usually go for and the top is some kind of wood composite. I just had a gut feeling about it. It had a nice shape to it and, with the right additions and changes, I felt like it could be a really special piece. And here’s how it looks now… Kriste can’t even look at it. She is so sad she doesn’t have a spot for it! I feel the same way, although I could make an excuse to keep it in the studio, but there are only so many tables and workbenches someone needs…at least that’s what Jeff thinks. Everything just came together serendipitously for this piece. I was thinking about what to do with the top

April 9, 2015 48 Comments

All Things Home

upholstered ottoman & painted cabinet

Sometimes when I have a huge stash of furniture to work on, I’m overwhelmed and find it hard to even know where to start. That is definitely not the case as I’m getting ready for Lucketts this year. ALL I want to do in the studio is work on furniture. My e-mail inbox was being so woefully neglected because of it, so I had to pin myself down and get it cleaned out last night. I’m really enjoying painting, upholstering and seeing the pieces transformed. I hope you’re enjoying it, too! There are a lot more furniture makeovers to come. I bought this stool at an antique store a couple of months ago and it’s been hanging out in the stash since then. I was planning to make a slipcover for it, one that laced down the legs and had a short, ruffled skirt. The day was winding down last

April 8, 2015 29 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.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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.

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.