Running a Business Archives | Page 25 of 49

Running a Business

buying & selling antiques

While getting ready for Lucketts…

A lot of food gets burned, because I’m trying to fit too many things into one day. I’ll check my e-mail or set up a photo shoot while I’m trying to cook and inevitable food burning happens. I should be making my bed and picking up every day, since our house is on the market, but that doesn’t always happen. I stay up way past my bedtime, because I’m working in the basement all day and then doing computer work at night and there just aren’t enough hours… We carry a lot of furniture. A piece gets carried to the car, to the basement, up to the house for photo shoots, back to the basement, up again to be loaded, unloaded at the fair and then loaded one last time into the buyer’s vehicle. It’s a lot and I’m sore! I get really dirty during the day. We should have

May 8, 2014 24 Comments

buying & selling antiques

Lucketts Giveaway #2 |

It’s time for Lucketts giveaway number two! We’re still sorting out the winner of the “Lucketts is worth hours in the car or taking my shoes off at the airport” giveaway and will announce the winner soon. Until then, here’s our next giveaway – it’s called “the gang’s all here” giveaway! Can you guess what that is? Shopping at antique fairs is something that’s more fun to do with friends. Well, usually…if you’re not elbowing each other over a piece of ironstone, that is. The Lucketts Spring Market has been growing each year, partly due to word of mouth and friends inviting friends. We want to reward those who are caravanning and carpooling to attend this awesome event that totally lives up the hype. We will be giving away free entrance to the fair PLUS 30 minutes early admittance to the largest group attending the fair together. That doesn’t

May 3, 2014 14 Comments

Before and Afters

One of my favorites… |

This is one of the pieces I finished yesterday… Yes. I painted it that way on purpose. That’s not the before. I’ve learned that some people get it and some people don’t! I’ve been really inspired lately by pieces that are heavily worn, distressed and chippy, so I decided to take the distressing on this piece to the extreme. And the result is one of my favorite pieces that I’ve done in a while. Here’s how it started… I did take process pictures, so I’ll share a tutorial, but as a quick rundown, I painted it in a base coat of MMSMP Grain Sack followed by the Wax Puck and Hemp Oil to act as resists. I then applied a coat of a custom mixed color – equal parts Shutter Gray and Trophy. After a heavy distressing, I finished it with Furniture Wax and a little bit of Antiquing

May 2, 2014 58 Comments

buying & selling antiques

the fabric & Lucketts furniture

Do you remember when I wrote about my guest room a few weeks ago? I showed a scrap of fabric that I’ve been holding in my stash for about 12 years. I love this fabric and it was, unfortunately, discontinued. I held onto my one yard remnant, feeling it was too precious to even use. I laid it out on the guest bed as I was playing with fabric options for pillows and the duvet cover. The fabric looked so beautiful with the hand painted bed, but I didn’t have enough to make much…maybe a pillow. And I couldn’t find the fabric anywhere. Well, my blog readers came through. Suzanne came through, to be more specific. She had a few yards of the fabric in her stash and, more than that, was willing to sell all of it to me. It came last week and I will admit to hugging

April 30, 2014 29 Comments

buying & selling antiques

The "Lucketts is worth hours in a car" giveaway

A few weeks ago, I did a little brainstorming with Heather, the very hard worker and organizational genius behind the Lucketts Spring Market. (She’s also the vendor Boots & Burlap at the Lucketts Store. Killer stuff.) Anyway, we thought it would be fun to partner up on a few giveaways leading up to the big weekend, which is May 17-18, 2014, 10 am – 5 pm. I usually offer some giveaways on my own, but this year, because we’re partnering up, I have one of the best prizes ever. Not only do winners of these giveaways get money to spend at The Lucketts Store and at my booth, but they get early entrance to the fair. Yes. That’s right. Thirty glorious minutes to shop before the gates are open. As Jeff Probst would say, “Worth playing for?” If you don’t think so, take a look at some of the goods

April 28, 2014 145 Comments

buying & selling antiques

a balance, a baby quilt & a pair of chairs

Yes, I’m showing off more of my finds for the Lucketts Spring Market you’re going to get a lot of that over the next few weeks. It’s approaching fast! I still have some freelance things to wrap up, but I am almost done with those. This weekend, I’m heading to Salt Lake City to teach a milk paint workshop at the SNAP conference. Traveling is always tiring, but it will be a nice break from all of the work at home. Once I get back…it’s all about Lucketts…painting furniture, more shopping, upholstering, pricing and planning. Normally it’s a stressful time for me, but this year I’m more prepared than ever and I am really excited to delve into all of the projects head on. Painting furniture is like therapy for me. So, I should feel like a new woman once Lucketts is here! Anyway, here’s one of my favorite finds

April 21, 2014 19 Comments

buying & selling antiques

cleaning the basement & a stool for Lucketts

Today, my mom and I spent a few hours cleaning out the basement. After all of the project-finishing, organizing, cleaning, shopping for Lucketts, shipping for the online shop, etc, the basement was a mess. I can tolerate a messy basement for a while, because I can close the door and not look at it. There comes a time, though, when I’m tripping over things and can’t find things and it feels like things are everywhere and they are crowding out my productivity and creativity. We worked really hard and both the old and new parts of the basement are cleaned and organized. Everything that’s finished for Lucketts is priced and packed… …and we have a holding area for pieces I’m still working on. It feels amazing to have those spaces cleaned and ready for work! Next week I hope to get some of these pieces finished, so I

April 11, 2014 21 Comments

Running a Business

Building a Creatively Made Business 2.0

*** this course is now closed *** Those who have followed my blog since I started in 2008 know how far my business has come. Mustard Seed Interiors was born after a teary breakdown on my sofa and a strong push from my mom and was launched with hours of painting wooden ornaments at my kitchen counter to sell at a craft fair. MSI has grown to a blog with over 1 million hits a month, a Milk Paint line sold in over 230 retail locations around the world, a book and so much more. Sometimes I even need to pause and be in awe of how an accidental entrepreneur, amateur photographer, self-taught DIYer got here. My family was so supportive along the way, but I wish I had a community to plug into. People who could talk to me about social media, marketing, taxes, business strategy…just everything. I had

April 5, 2014 106 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

August 13th, 2026 at 1pm EST

NEW ONLINE ART COURSE

Paint a Pet Portrait You’ll Love

Learn to paint pet portraits in oils with confidence, even if you’re a beginner. In this new course, Marian will guide you step by step through creating expressive animal portraits filled with color, personality, and your own artistic touch. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the course opens.

Now Available

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.