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All Things Home

quartz counters one year later

Last May, we had Hanstone Quartz countertops (in the pattern Monterey) installed in our kitchen and I thought I would give an update now that we’ve been using them for over a year.  Of course, a review after 1o years or 20 years would hold more weight, but well…I don’t have a time machine, so you’re getting a one-year review! The original posts about these counters were a part of a sponsored collaboration with Hanstone, but this follow-up post is not. I will go ahead and destroy any suspense that may have existed and let you know that I love these counters and they were a great decision.  If you remember when I was in the process of selecting new counters, quartz felt like a bit of a compromise. I had my heart set on marble.  Or so I thought.  What I actually had my heart set on was the

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July 18, 2019 56 Comments
a slice of life

mastery & all things worthwhile

Mastery… I’ve been thinking about that word a lot lately and have been challenged by it as I’ve been reading books like Essentialism and The Creative Habit. If I had to draw a diagram of my creative journey, it would probably look more like a spiderweb than a straight or even meandering path that heads in one direction.  And, I have to be honest, these books have made me feel like that’s wrong. I once was on a straight path that led to Broadway. The markers on that path were plays, voice lessons, dance classes, monologues, auditions, stagecraft, improvisation, and hours of rehearsals. It was practicing a routine until I could do it without thinking and rehearsing a script until I could mutter it in my sleep. It was singing scales to improve my range and learning how to stand in the hotspot of a light without looking at it. 

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July 16, 2019 95 Comments
All Things Home

options for the master bedroom

Last week, I shared that our master bedroom was not quite finished and I was mulling over some ideas for how to take this beautiful room and push it over the edge.  I received so many wonderful ideas, thoughts, and suggestions on that post, so thank you for that.  As I read your comments and thought through the possibilities, I settled on a few options that could work and I thought I would share them. As a refresher, here is how the room currently looks… A few of you mentioned the desk and, in my last post, I failed to say that this is on the list of things to remove from the space.  I just haven’t found the perfect thing to replace it, so it’ll hang out there until I do.  At that time, I’ll move it into the sewing room to use as a sewing desk.  It’ll provide

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June 27, 2019 115 Comments
All Things Home

five recliners I’d have in my house

As many of you know, I’ve been having issues with my right shoulder for a couple of weeks.  At first, it just slowed me down a bit, but then it stopped me in my tracks as the pain intensified and started involving my bicep.  My days and nights have been focused on pain management and doctor’s appointments to find some resolution.  Yesterday, I had a procedure to remove the calcium deposits embedded in the tendons in my shoulder and had a cortisone shot to relieve the inflammation.  I’m now resting and allowing my tendons to heal.  I know it’ll be several weeks, maybe even months, before my shoulder is completely back to normal, but I hope to be feeling much better in the next few days. The good news is that a calcific tendonitis flare-up, while painful and debilitating, is treatable and temporary.  Even at my lows, I tried to

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February 8, 2019 96 Comments
All Things Home

two cents on tidying up

I’m going to say right off the bat that I have never read Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  I read some reviews on it and a summary of it a few years ago and felt like I got the gist.  The concept of keeping only what you love (or what “sparks joy”) isn’t a new one, so I didn’t purchase the book. I have, though, started watching the new series on Netflix, Tidying Up and decided to throw in my two cents on it. First of all, Marie is so endearing.  She is kind and never shows a judgemental face when she’s nose-to-nose with mountains of stuff.  She is gracious to her clients and that’s heart-warming to watch, especially in an age where nasty judges and show hosts have a high entertainment value. I also like how the guests on the show are very realistic and

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January 11, 2019 73 Comments
All Things Home

HGTV Dream Home Tour

Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by the   As always all opinions are honest and my own (and I would’ve written this post with or without the sponsorship!) From a young age, I would dream about houses.  I would style my dollhouse and rearrange the furniture more than I played with the dolls.  I would draw houses in church and floorplans on graph paper at the desk in my bedroom.  And as a teenager, I loved going with my parents and grandparents to look at model homes and show houses.  I can’t even remember why we did that other than to occupy a Saturday, but I soaked in all of the clever decorating ideas, thoughtful choices in the floorplans, and the combinations of furnishings and fabrics. Having the opportunity to tour the 2019 HGTV Dream Home this year in Whitefish, Montana, brought me right back to that place.  I was invited by

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December 21, 2018 38 Comments
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a new standard of measurement

It’s that time of year where we get our planners out and start to fill the pages with the goals and dreams and to-dos for next year.  And, as I’ve been pondering my own 2019 and all of the promise it holds, I’ve been thinking about the push for more that is so prevalent in our society and more specifically in the online creative community. There is this trend, this idea that is being perpetuated in this world of “girl bosses” –  that you have to have big dreams and you were not “made to be small” or live a small life. And, I have to admit that it all sounds good. But, there is something that doesn’t sit quite right with me… Who defines small?  Small is relative.  A mouse is small compared to an elephant, but it’s enormous compared to a flea.  Something can really only be defined

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December 11, 2018 219 Comments
a slice of life

No-Fail Apple Pie Recipe

I attempted to make apple pie many times and it never turned out quite right.  The dough was tough or the filling was runny or there was a big pocket of air under the top crust or the apples weren’t fully cooked, but the crust was burnt on the edges.  I finally threw in the towel.  We’ll just buy a stupid pie since I can’t make a proper one.  Then, I was taught the recipe and all of the secrets to making a perfect, no-fail apple pie. We had just moved to Pennsylvania and a couple had us over for dinner.  For dessert, she served the best apple pie I ever had.  Ever.  After all of my pie-making failures, I was not shy about asking if she would teach me her ways.  And I was learning from an expert.  She grew up on an apple orchard and then owned an apple

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November 2, 2018 89 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.

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