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Running a Business

Losing & Finding Myself

I’ve tried to write this post many times. It just seems to be a tough one to write. One that could be misunderstood, but I kept coming back to it, so I’m just going for it. I get a lot of e-mail. Some people need help with paint or furniture or a room. Some have comments or stories to share. I love them all, but my very favorite are the e-mails from women who are sharing how their creativity has been “awakened” through reading my blog. We are a society that defines someone by what they do. When you’re a stay-at-home mom, what you do is laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, dropping kids off, picking kids up, picking toys up, putting kids in time-out, taking the trash out, filling the water dispenser, emptying the dishwasher…and on it goes. Day after day. Now, I will stop here to insert that I find great joy

August 15, 2011 263 Comments

cream of crab, humble pie & venison

On Thursday, my mother-in-law and I snuck away for an amazing lunch and a trip to Lucketts to restock my space. If you’re ever in Gettysburg, PA, you must go to Herr Tavern and savor a bowl of their cream of crab with corn soup. Oh my. Velvet in a bowl. Heaven in a bowl. The very best shopping day ever in a bowl. And crab. AND cream. I ordered my usual soup and 1/2 sandwich combo. The sandwich, chips and pickle, while good, are sort of like a garnish on the plate. Just an accoutrement to the soup. So, after a good lunch, we drove down to Lucketts. Remember this dresser? Yeah. This is the one with the gouged top. I was in a big rush at Lucketts, so I didn’t get pictures of how the top turned out, but it looks really rustic and cool. (I just found out it sold

August 13, 2011 44 Comments

blogging & photography

If you take a poll of new DIY bloggers asking what’s on their Christmas list, probably over half would say a nice digital SLR. It doesn’t take long for a blogger to realize the importance of photography in the blog world. The above shot is from a recent Cottages and Bungalows photo shoot. The above picture is from my first blog post. It’s not bad. I had taken a photography class years ago, so I knew the basic principles. It’s just not very dynamic and I didn’t have enough faith in myself to use manual mode. I thought the camera was smarter than I was. I knew flash was no good, so I would shoot on the portrait setting and just hold the flash down with my finger. I also didn’t know anything about the wonders of Photoshop. The photo above has been edited in Adobe Photoshop Elements. I used actions from Florabella

August 10, 2011 45 Comments

huba huba

Today was a typical day in the life of an antiques dealer. Tag items, load the van, drive to the shop, clean, fluff and reload the room…just my normal weekly routine. Here’s how the room looks now… (See the newly finished top on the dresser?) As I was leaving, I noticed a little message in the bottom corner of my magnetic chalk board. I love a good sense of humor. Is this a statement about my room? Anyway, it made me smile as I was melting in the humidity and weary after hauling everything up to my third floor room. It also reminded me that I need to make more “A’s.” Yesterday I finished my Cottages & Bungalows photo shoot for the October issue. Here’s a peek… I rounded out the day by having dinner with my husband followed by public humiliation in a Zumba class. I just kept telling myself it’s all about

August 3, 2011 55 Comments

my own little corner of the world

For those who have read my blog for a while, you know The Old Lucketts Store is one of my favorites places on the map. I have said for years that it would be a dream to be a vendor there. Even last fall, I considered it a dream that would probably be out of reach for many years. Now, I have my own room on the third floor of the old home and general store turned antique haven. I still walk in with my things and feel like an impostor. It’s like being a groupie of a band for years. You’ve gone to their concerts, acquired signatures, worn their t-shirts and listened to their music. Then, you find yourself as a member of the band. Pretty wild. So, as I show off my space, know that I count it a true honor and blessing to sell out of such

July 30, 2011 44 Comments

Curio Makeover

For the past few months, pieces of furniture have been coming and going at such a rapid pace that it is difficult for me to get before and after shots of every piece. You may have noticed this curio cabinet in the corner of my room at Lucketts. When I shared the pictures a couple of weeks ago, some may have thought, “Hmm. I don’t remember her ever showing the before and after on that.” Well, if you thought that, you’re super observant and deserve some kind of prize. Tell your hubby that I said he needs to wash the dishes for you tonight or something. Here’s what this piece looked like when I first got it. Great lines…everything else was a mess. It was filthy, broken and looked depressing. I could envision this cabinet stuffed to the gills and buried under a pile of possessions in an episode of Hoarders.

July 28, 2011 35 Comments

My New Room

I moved into my new room on the third floor of The Old Lucketts Store last Thursday. It was quite a workout and my legs were like noodles when the day was done, but it was worth all of the work. I love how the room looks now and I really haven’t done a lot to it. I have more ideas of how to put my stamp on it and showcase my goods. Here’s a tour… Notice the fabric wall decal from Baby Jewels?

July 16, 2011 71 Comments

yet another French chair

If you are not fond of French chairs, you have unfortunately found yourself at a blog that is not for you at all. If you are a Francophile and enjoy armchairs…well, you are a kindred spirit and you will want to read on. If you don’t have a strong opinion about French chairs (How could one not?), you can probably handle it, too. I found this chair at a yard sale a few weeks ago. The details, shape and frame were great, but the avocado burlap was the “fly in the ointment”, so to speak, and it was a little hard to overlook. I painted the frame in ASCP’s Old White and upholstered it in a nubby canvas drop cloth with bright white gimp trim. A slight distressing of the paint brings out the details on the arms and legs…which are yummy. I’m definitely into furniture appendages. Some chicks like shoes,

July 13, 2011 55 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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