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Tutorials
Painted Signs

Antique Sign Tutorial

If you’re looking for the full tutorial on making an antique sign, you can find it HERE. I can hardly believe that I have been writing for Cottages & Bungalows magazine for over a year! Wow.  It’s been a real honor to write their DIY Essentials column to share everything from how to make no sew drapes to building a simple bird house to building a shelf.  In the issue currently on newsstands, I show how to make an “antique” sign using graphite transfer paper.  I love any project using paint and this photo shoot was one of my favorites… If you want to see the tutorial, check out the magazine.  I’ll post it on my blog in a few weeks when the magazine is no long available.   I tell you, you never know what is going to happen when you start a blog.   I never, ever, EVER thought

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July 25, 2012 No Comments
Miscellaneus

Milk Paint Video Tutorials!

I just uploaded my first three video tutorials on working with my Milk Paint!  The milk paint won’t be widely available until August 2012, but I wanted to start putting the videos out there to answer some questions about Milk Paint and to show what kind of tutorials will be available.  Enjoy!   Subscribe to my You Tube Channel if you want to see the latest videos when they come out! More to come…  

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July 7, 2012 No Comments
Tutorials

The Mustard Seed Workshop & the Bagster Bag

For some crazy reason, my husband and I felt like we needed to get our basement organized, cleaned and functional right after the Lucketts Antique Market and before my Milk Paint launch.  I don’t know what we were thinking, but it’s been nice to see things coming together.  I don’t know about you, but I feel stressed out when things are messy, so organizing is a way I can regain some control over my house (and a little bit over my life.) We ended up with a lot of trash and we were just piling it up in the back yard (our neighbors loves it, I’m sure.)  The plan was to drive it out to the dump when we were finished.  Then, I received an e-mail from Waste Management, the company who makes the Bagster Bag.  I’ve heard of the Bagster Bag and I’ve even seen people using them, but I never thought to

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June 28, 2012 No Comments
MMS Milk Paint Boxwood dresser before and after - www.mms2.wpengine.com
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Milk Paint vs. Chalk-type Paints (again)

The number one question people ask me when I tell them about my milk paint line is, “What’s the difference between milk paint and chalk-type paints?” That’s a fair question!  It seems like boutique paint lines are flooding the market and it’s causing a lot of confusion.  Which one is best for your project?  Why would you choose one over the other?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? First, let’s take a look at examples of pieces painted in milk paint… Now, let’s look at examples of pieces that were painted in a chalk-type paint… Now that you can see the looks that can be achieved with both of them, let’s talk about the similarities and differences. What is milk paint and chalk-type paints?   Milk Paint: Is a 100% natural paint that’s been around for hundreds of years.  It’s called milk paint, because one of the ingredients is

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May 2, 2012 No Comments
Before and Afters

white washed desk & tutorial

Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and encouragement in response to my recent big announcement!  I really do feel like I have a huge group of friends who have been with me through this journey and you’re cheering me on.  It’s an awesome feeling and it means a lot to me. The next three weeks are going to be insane.  I’m getting stocked up for the Lucketts Antique Market, which means lots of shopping, painting, pricing, packing, upholstering, sewing, glittering, gluing…whew!  On top of that, I’m working on rewrites for my book and developing this line of milk paint.  I need to find a way to duplicate myself, so I can get it all done and still make dinner and keep my guys in clean clothes!  I know it’ll all work out.  It always does. So, here’s the latest piece of furniture I just finished today…  

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April 28, 2012 1 Comment
Popular

How to Make Slipcovers – a five part video slipcover tutorial series

A little over a year ago I made a five-part video slipcover tutorial series.  I used a wing chair as an example, but you can take these skills and make a slipcover for any piece of furniture.  I’ve received so many wonderful e-mails and comments from people with all levels of sewing ability who used this series to make their very first slipcover.  Some were even sewing for the very first time. Being able to sew a slipcover is one of the best skills to learn when it comes to buying (or accepting free) used upholstered furniture.  Upholstery can be dated and stained, but the shape of the piece is beautiful and the overall bones and condition are still useable.  A slipcover can give it a new look while addressing those issues.  Slipcovers can also extend the life of a nice piece and tie mismatched pieces together with coordinating fabric. 

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April 17, 2012 4 Comments
crafts

Pinwheel Tutorial

I posted these last week and was asked by several for a tutorial. I aim to please, so here it is! This tutorial is really from Mini Mustard Seed aka “Mini” aka Charlene. She’s my babysitter/nanny and helps me out with my business during busy seasons. She’s super crafty, so she makes most of my glitter letters and helped out a ton with the Christmas ornaments last year.  She brought a paper folding book home from the library one day and we both immediately spotted the pinwheel.  Sheet music…glitter…let’s mustardize these pinwheels. We’ve since made some out of vintage division flashcards, scrapbook paper and a vintage “Dick & Jane” book. (The Dick & Jane book ones are so cute, because of the soft colors.)   Here’s how to make your own… Supply list: 5/16″ dowel rod paper scissors paper cutter (optional) Elmer’s glue 1/2″ artist brush hot glue gun and

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April 16, 2012 1 Comment
Before and Afters

Best of MMS – French Chair Makeover & Tutorial

Welcome to another “Best of MMS” post. A few of you offered up the brilliant idea of sharing some of my past posts while I’m busy working on things for the book, so that’s what I’m doing.  (I’m sorry about the wonky spacing in the post.  Something funny happens when I put code from my old blogspot blog on my new site.)   I painted these French chairs before I had tried ASCP or Milk Paint and I thought I would share the makeover and technique again, so you can see a great look can be achieved with latex paint, which is less expensive and more readily available.  I really love ASCP and Milk Paint, but latex shouldn’t be totally forgotten. Here’s how the pair of French arm chairs started… (I had two arm chairs, although only one is pictured.)  The back of one was upholstered and the other was caned, but the

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February 11, 2012 4 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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