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All Things Home

Patio Makeover Reveal

Disclosure: This patio makeover post is sponsored by .  As always, all opinions and words are honest and my own. Welcome to a typical suburban patio makeover!  These are scattered all over suburbia…the concrete pad just off the walk-out basement sliding door, shaded by the deck.  It’s the builder-grade default. We’ve seen our neighbors do some beautiful things with this space…resurface the concrete, extend the patio out beyond the deck, use it as a pad for a hot tub, etc.  Ours was a sad, neglected dumping ground.  It was where we dumped rocks that we removed from the front garden beds.  There was a burn pile, wood from a sectional that was delivered a few weeks after we moved in, wires and cinder blocks that were left by the previous owners, and lots of weeds.  Even as I look at it now, it’s just sad.  I’ve said many times on

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Art

Live Painting Class | Landscape for Beginners

Last Friday, I held my very first live oil painting class and it was such fun!  I have to admit I was very nervous, butterflies in my stomach and everything, but it ended up going well and I was floored at how many people participated and then shared their work with me.  And I was even more impressed by the quality of the work that came from people who were painting with oils or painting period for the very first time! Anyway, Friday morning I got my workspace set up and tested out my computer camera to make sure I could get a good angle.  The tough thing about recording live is that I have to use the computer camera and the viewers need to be able to see the canvas, my palette, and me!  That’s a lot to fit into the frame!  So, I did the best I could

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All Things Home

How to Crochet a farmhouse dishcloth (for beginners)

Just so you don’t miss it, I’m giving away a set of three of these dishcloths towards the bottom of this (rather long) post!   Ever since I started showing my crocheted dishcloths, I’ve been asked by readers and followers if I could share a tutorial for how to make them.  Since I’m a beginner myself, I have been directing them to YouTube to find tutorials from people who have been doing this for a lot longer than I have!  But, I’ve learned over the years that blogging is about sharing my journey and what I’ve learned along the way.  And I’ve also learned that my audience wants to learn from me.  And I get that!  I like learning from people I know and trust.  Maybe I helped you make a slipcover for the first time or planted the seed that you could start a business.  So, why not teach

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Artistic Endeavors

How to Crochet a farmhouse dishcloth for absolute beginners…

Just so you don’t miss it, I had to crochet this farmhouse dishcloth three times for the tutorial, so I am giving away a set of three of them towards the bottom of this (rather long) post!   Ever since I started showing my crocheted dishcloths, I’ve been asked by readers and followers if I could share a tutorial on how to make them.  Since I’m a beginner myself, I have been directing them to YouTube to find tutorials from people who have been doing this for a lot longer than I have!  But, I’ve learned over the years that blogging is about sharing my journey and what I’ve learned along the way.  And I’ve also learned that my audience wants to learn from me.  And I get that!  I like learning from people I know and trust.  Maybe I helped you make a slipcover for the first time or

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All Things Home

Arhaus Outerbanks Sectional

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Arhaus.  All words and opinions are honest and my own. It’s here, it’s here!!  Well, if you follow my Instagram Stories, you know it’s been here for a couple of weeks, but I wanted to get Christmas cleaned up before I took pictures of the new sectional and shared it here on the blog. Back in the fall, I ordered the Outerbanks Sectional from Arhaus in a beautifully textured blue & cream checked fabric (called Ponder Lakeland) and it was delivered just a few days after Christmas.  Leading up to the delivery, I had the usual doubts that come with ordering such a substantial, cornerstone piece off of the Internet.  Would the check be too busy?  Would the sofa be quality and comfortable?  Despite measuring, would it fit in the space?  Would it fit through the front door??? I’ve ordered pieces through Arhaus before,

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Popular

Most Popular Posts in 2019

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a great holiday and enjoyed that lull between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.  That might be one of my favorite times of the year.  All of the work, anticipation, and the hurried pace slows to a creep.  Our family doesn’t plan any big outings or shindigs.  We just spend time together without a schedule or to-do list.  We hang out in our jammies, eat leftover Christmas treats, do puzzles, play board games, have brunch instead of breakfast, and watch movies snuggled with a dog at our feet and cats on our laps. And, perhaps the best part, I take guilt-free time off from posting here on the blog.  I really love this little corner of the internet and it’s hard for me to stay away and intentionally neglect it.  But, in the case of this blog, absence does make the heart

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Artistic Endeavors

so, you want to learn to crochet?

Since I started crocheting, many readers and followers have asked me to share how I’m learning and the books and patterns I’m using, so this post is the answer to those requests!  Now, keep in mind that I have just been crocheting for a few weeks, so take all of this with a grain of salt.  If you’re an experienced crocheter and have some tips, resources, or patterns to share, please do so!  This is just what I’ve discovered so far… I have learned through a mix of books and videos.  I have tended to use videos when it comes to specific projects, like hats or mittens, and books to learn specific stitches.  I looked at a few different stitch books and my favorite one is the Crochet Stitch Dictionary. (You can get this book used from $2.99 on Amazon).  It has a wide variety of stitches and it feels

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All Things Home

Hand Painted Mora Dresser | Part 2

In case you missed part one of this dresser makeover, you can check it out HERE. At the end of yesterday’s post, I said I would show how the dresser turned out as well as how I distressed and finished it, so this post is fulfilling that promise. And here it is… I did a light distressing with 120 grit sandpaper, just to “knock down the newness” of the fresh paint.  I also wanted to soften the decorative painting.  You can see how I did it in the video… I also replaced the broken caster, added new glass knobs, and finished the piece in MMSMP’s Hemp Oil… This piece still followed my tradition of scrolly decorative painting on drawer fronts, but I changed it up a bit by adding the folk art animals as well as some different strokes. I love the rabbit and I think I need to play

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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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