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All Things Home

five reasons you need hemp oil in your life & answers to FAQs

When you’re around something for a while, whether it’s a smell, an environment, something you created or wrote, it’s easy to not appreciate or notice it any longer. Sometimes I’ll go back and read a post I wrote years ago, that I have completely forgotten about and it makes me laugh and I can see my blog in a fresh way.  It’s a reminder.  Oh yeah, this is why I like doing this every day.   I recently saw a piece someone finished in Miss Mustard Seed’s Hemp Oil, a product I have used, promoted, and sold for over six years now.  The piece was an old wooden trunk and it was so beautiful and rich.  It almost glowed.  Oh yeah, that is why I love hemp oil so much. It’s not that I’ve stopped using, but I may have stopped appreciating it for how amazing and versatile and simple it is. 

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March 26, 2018 56 Comments
All Things Home

indigo pysanky egg tutorial

I confessed on my Instagram Stories earlier this week that I still had my white lights and greenery hanging up outside.  As in Christmas lights and greenery.  I think mid-March is past the line of Christmas decor looking wintry and acceptable!  But, it’s been cold and snowy and, when it’s been warmer, I haven’t wanted to spend my time taking down Christmas decor.  Anyway, it finally happened today!  The funny thing is that I had it built up in my head as this big, annoying thing I had to do and it took less than 10 minutes. So, with the Christmas season now officially over (or way beyond over), I decided to dust off an old Easter project I did years ago.  I was introduced to Pysanky, or traditional Ukrainian eggs, by my dear friend Shari.  She was the perfect friend for the stage of my life when I needed

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March 23, 2018 51 Comments
All Things Home

making way for hardwoods | ripping up carpet

I’m sharing everything in reverse when it comes to the office makeover, but that’s just how it goes sometimes!  I usually write about what is most “at my fingertips” and sharing progress on the room was a lot more fun than talking about ripping out carpet.  But, it’s an important bit that some of you might want to know more about, so I’m circling back to share the details on removing carpet. Here is a before picture of the room, so you can appreciate how far it’s come… …and how it’s looking today… (Yes, I’ll work on the cord situation, but curtains will help a lot with hiding those!) Obviously, the first step is to take out the carpet and padding, which is surprisingly easy, although it does take some muscle!  Just pull up a corner and, in most cases, it comes right up.  Jeff did this before I even

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February 22, 2018 27 Comments
All Things Home

living room curtains

Man, it has been a long, productive day and I am pooped!  Of course, I decided to start exercising the day I had a bunch of physical work planned.  That was brilliant.  I use the word “exercise” loosely, though, because it was pathetic how out of shape I am.  I am still babying my shoulder and about 10 minutes into interval training, modifying everything, feeling stiff as the Tin Man, I realized I just needed to stretch and work on core strength.  I switched gears and did some Pilates and that felt great, but I have been sore all day as I painted window trim and shoe molding and moved furniture back into the dining room and my office. I still have a lot of work to do on those two rooms and a lot of cleaning up to do after having the entire contents of two rooms dumped into

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February 13, 2018 46 Comments
All Things Home

green art cabinet makeover | part 1

When I bought this piece, I knew I wanted to freshen it up a bit.  It didn’t need dramatic plastic surgery.  It just needed a little makeover, so it could look its best.  Before we even brought it in the house, I put wheels on the bottom and my mom and I gave it a good scrub.  I also hunted for and ordered some pulls to replace the mis-matched ones.  I know there is a charm to it as it is, but just wait until you see the makeover… The pulls arrived over the weekend and, earlier this week, I took some time to remove the old hardware.  What I found was not what I was hoping for… Someone had painted over the hardware. Bummer. This isn’t such a big deal, except it left some unappealing beige paint exposed and the new pulls weren’t going to fully cover it on

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February 8, 2018 32 Comments
All Things Home

master bedroom curtains

I had lots of projects lined up for my mom’s visit.  We are both doers and thrive on productivity, so it suits us to have an ambitious to-do list.  As her 10 day visit was winding down, we had checked almost everything off my list.  My mom looked at the sad curtains in my master bedroom, a hold-over from the previous owners. “Let’s just take care of these curtains.” She knows that sewing is something I do, because I like the end result.  But, I don’t really like sewing.  I could completely do without it in my life.  I do, however, like expanding my options beyond curtains and pillows that are ready-made.  I believe that sewing is one of the best DIY skills you can have in your arsenal.  For that reason, I just suck it up, put on some good music, do it, and enjoy it when the project

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February 6, 2018 88 Comments
All Things Home

Thrifty Painting Tips & no spend February

I’ve put in a lot of miles on a paint brush and roller over the years and, during all of that painting, I’ve picked up a couple of small, money-saving tips. First of all, it’s worth investing in sample pots of paint (about $5/each usually) to make sure you get the color right.  This is one of those things where you have to spend money to save money.  Ultimately, though, it’s better to spend $15-20 on samples than having to buy a whole other gallon if the color you just put all over your wall makes you want to cry. (I’ve actually been there and did that very thing.  And I didn’t get a t-shirt.) Painting the right color the first time is worth it. If you’re going to use the same color again soon, wrap up the roller covers in cling wrap.  This will keep the roller ready to

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February 2, 2018 45 Comments
All Things Home

customizing a house | painting interior doors

I’ve been contemplating a way to describe my current house and the changes I’m making.  It’s not outdated, it’s not ugly, it’s not run-down, it’s not in poor taste…  In fact, it’s a beautiful home.  So, how do I explain why I view this perfectly nice suburban home as one that is ripe for a makeover? Then, it hit me.  It’s not customized.  That’s one of the reasons why it appealed to me, but it’s also why I view it as a home that’s perfect for a makeover.  It’s a great foundation that could use some color, texture, and choices that reflect some personality! One simple way to customize a blank-slate home is to paint the interior doors.  I didn’t think this was that crazy of an idea, but my mom made me think it’s a bit more unusual than I thought.  She was opening the (painted) door to my

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January 25, 2018 61 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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