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pillows, upholstery & a dresser

I had a very productive day today and it felt great. I made three pillows, upholstered an arm chair, painted a piece of furniture and caulked and primed some trim.  Whew!  There are a few things that are contributing to the flurry of activity.  First of all, we have a big photo shoot happening over the next two days.  Second, I need to take some more shots for the cover of my book.  Lastly, we are soooo close to finishing some projects that have dragged on for years, so I’m ready to have things done.

Here’s one of the pillows I made…

A good friend of my mother-in-law gave this unfinished needlework piece to me and the colors were perfect for my house.  The second pillow is a tea towel with simple ties on each side.

I’ll show the pillow and the upholstered chair another day.  I ran out of light today.  I will share the piece of furniture I painted, though, since we were all missing my furniture projects.  Here’s the “before”…

…and how it looks now…

It’s a pretty typical “Miss Mustard Seed” piece.  I refinished the top in a dark walnut stain with a waxed finish and the base is painted in ASCP Paris Gray with Old White detail.

And here are the winners of my weekend giveaways…

Trish from Uncommon Designs  is the winner of the Haven Conference ticket

and

the winner of the $150 Post Road Vintage giveaway is Sarah (swade148)

Congratulations!

If you would like to learn more about Heather, the woman behind Post Road Vintage, you can follow her blog and if you’re thinking about making a purchase from her online shop, you will get a 10% discount by subscribing to her newsletter.

Marian Parsons 

Paint Enthusiast | Writer | Artist | Designer

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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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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.

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