Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

Preorder the Book
Facebook Instagram Youtube Tiktok

My House
All Things Home

master bedroom Christmas decorating

I don’t decorate every single room in the house for Christmas, but our master bedroom is right off the family room, so I like to bring a few festive touches in the room. I decorated the room pretty much as I did last year.  I don’t feel like I have to keep things the same, but I also don’t feel like I have to change what looked really pretty the previous year. My dress form is wearing an antique costume jewelry necklace that belonged to my Oma.  I also wrapped a length of wool mini pom-pom garland around her neck.  It’s the same Anthropologie garland I used on the Christmas tree, but I added some homemade poms on both ends. As I did last year, I draped our grain sack stocking advent calendar on the foot of the bed.  Each day, I fill the stocking with a mini Lego set and

Read More
December 13, 2015 13 Comments
All Things Home

Christmas room tour | family room

As a part of the Just a Girl “One Room Tour”, I’m sharing my family room all decorated for Christmas. If you’re coming from Decor Chick or Just a Girl for the first time, welcome.  (And, of course, my regulars are always welcome!) I decided to share my family room today, because it’s the room we spend most of our time in.  It’s where we play and do homework and watch TV.  In fact, I’m sitting on our family room sofa as I write this post…on my usual side, leaned up against my usual pillow. This is probably my least favorite room to photograph, though. The living and dining rooms get amazing light and they totally spoil me when it comes to photography.  This room faces north and it is just a tough one to shoot without bringing in lights and scrims and all of that gear that I would rather

Read More
December 10, 2015 19 Comments
All Things Home

the most popular horse in blogland

You know when you’re out shopping and you find a little gem?  Something that screams out at you to buy it.  It speaks to you. Well, I was rummaging around in the somewhat ransacked Christmas section of TJ Maxx and I spotted this sweet wooden horse, just one, with a red bridle and saddle and the sweetest shape.  I think it was $25.  I grabbed it up without hesitation and immediately imagined it painted with milk paint.   And then, as I was perusing Instagram, I realized that just about everyone else in the blog/Instagram world felt the same way about this horse and they bought it, too.  It would seem it’s the poster child for Christmas 2015. And my little gem was feeling more like the mass-produced, trendy horse it actually was.  Because it was everywhere!! I clung to the hope that my plan to paint it would make it my

Read More
December 10, 2015 20 Comments
All Things Home

teacup & pedestal advent wreath

Last year, I made an advent wreath out of an ironstone ring mold.  I was planning to do the same this year, but my ring mold was at the studio when I was in the heat of the decorating moment, so I shifted gears.  (Of course, I could’ve hopped in the car and made the two-minute drive to the studio to get it, but that seems like too much of a disruption to someone who is in the thick of a creative moment.) I tend to thrive on decorating MacGyver-style, anyway.  Well, sometimes.  Some of my best ideas have happened on the fly.  But then again, sometimes I get impatient and force things and it’s a disaster.  And the worst part is that I know it’s a disaster even as I’m doing it.  Like the time I thought it was a good idea to hot-glue exterior velvet ribbon to the

Read More
December 4, 2015 43 Comments
All Things Home

trading horses again

Remember my rocking horse?  The one I bought from Restoration Hardware and then painted with MMS Milk Paint to make it look chippy and old?   Well, in typical Marian fashion, I sold it. I wasn’t planning to, but a client asked if I could custom paint the same horse for her.  I agreed to the job and we tried to schedule a time for her to drop her horse off at the studio.  As we tried to schedule and reschedule, it occurred to me that it would save her a trip if I just gave her my painted horse, since she wanted hers to look exactly the same, and I could take the unpainted one and paint it again. Are you tracking with me? So, when I was in Virginia for the Holiday Expo, we met and traded horses. An interesting thing…  I really don’t mind buying and selling pieces, but

Read More
December 3, 2015 55 Comments
All Things Home

dear reader | to the one with “internet intimidation”

One of my milk paint retailers sent me an e-mail, asking for some decorating advice for her home.  I gave her my opinion on it and this was her reply… “Thank you. I lived so long with wrong decorating choices that I started to get too used to the way things are.  Wrong mindset. I’m tackling things now. I started with the toilet haha, it felt safest. All three bedrooms got a makeover. Working on the kitchen now.  It’s not blog-worthy but I got over that, it’s our home!! It kept me from moving forward: out of fear that it wasn’t going to look like a look book or magazine, I froze. Blogs can be inspiring and intimidating at the same time. Your before-after posts from a couple of months ago made sense. I realized that renovating and decorating your home was a long process.” I think this is a

Read More
November 13, 2015 56 Comments
All Things Home

idea overload & glass glitter banner kits

This weekend, I’m presenting at the Holiday Expo at McLean Bible Church, just outside of DC.  (I shared the details HERE, if you’re interested in attending.)  With a sick kid, I was a little behind with getting my presentation together, but I’m going to the set up and rehearsal tomorrow, so I needed to get myself in gear today! As I’ve been thinking about what table setting I want to present, I found my head swimming with ideas.  Too many ideas for one table. Idea overload.  I don’t usually feel that way, so I was very indecisive about which direction I would go. In that moment of feeling overwhelmed with all the possibilities, I realized that a lot of blog readers and Pinterest lovers must feel that way. This expo is about bringing Pinterest and Etsy to life, so I felt like I should share ideas that are popular on those

Read More
November 12, 2015 33 Comments
All Things Home

an inspired room

I love celebrating friends and their achievements.  And one of my blog friends has something to celebrate.  Melissa Michaels of The Inspired Room, just released her latest book, also called The Inspired Room! I had the pleasure of spending time with Melissa as we prepared to teach a workshop on writing a book at the Haven conference this past summer.  I respect her a lot as a designer and an entrepreneur.  She’s also a pastor’s wife, so we have a lot of common ground. In celebration of the book, I’m sharing one of my “inspired rooms”. I was really torn with what room to share.  Those who have read my blog for a while have seen all of my rooms many times.  You know I love my dining room.  I’m slightly obsessed with the “bed wall” in our master bedroom.  But one room I’ve loved longer than any other, the room that

Read More
November 4, 2015 21 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.

Facebook Instagram Youtube Pinterest Amazon

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Get Early access →

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.
Explore the shop →

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.
Shop Now →

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest