All pictures for this post are used with the permission of Miss Mustard Seed Interiors.
When’s the last time you were searching on Pinterest and you saw a home or a diy designer that you absolutely love? Well that was me a couple of months ago. I was browsing on Pinterest and I came across Miss Mustard Seed.
I was so blown away by the beautiful slipcovers, murals and furniture that filled her home I had to get off of her site before I felt totally inadequate as a DIYer!
If you are not familiar with Miss Mustard Seed, aka Marian Parsons, she describes herself on her site as a “wife, boy mom, accidental entrepreneur. paint & textile enthusiast.” Marian started a blog to make an extra $200 a month for groceries, and now has exploded into her own brand!
She has a very long list of accomplishments including her own paint line and fabric lines, and being regularly featured in HGTV articles and products at Hobby Lobby and Antique Farmhouse.
Anyway let’s just say.. she is pretty amazing!!!
So why am I telling you all this? Well the crazy thing is I recently found out that Miss Mustard Seed happens to be my neighbor!
When we moved to Rochester, MN this fall I was praying that I might be able to meet other bloggers in the area. Well little did I know this incredible blogger would be one of them!!
Once I found out that she lived so close to me I knew I just had to meet her! I emailed her and to my surprise she was willing to sit down and talk with me!!
I was soooooo excited!!!
And since I didn’t want to keep all her great insights to myself. I recorded some of our conversation to share with you here. Below is a short interview with Miss Mustard Seed herself.
Me: How are you liking the Midwest?
Miss Mustard Seed: I love it here! I had only visited twice before moving here. But I love Rochester specifically. I actually like snow! I am always cheering for the next snow storm. Moving here I think is the best of both worlds. With Mayo and IBM Rochester is a very transient city. We have made lots of good friends. And I also love how rural it is.
Me: Looking at your blog you can do some pretty amazing things. What would you say is your secret for being so good at what you do?
Miss Mustard Seed: I am an avid reader. I love books to learn new things. I read whatever I am curious about. I also love watching Youtube channels to learn from people. But the best way for me to learn is just by doing it. When I wanted to learn about slipcovers. I just did it. I had this ugly blue and mauve chair. I just picked it apart and tried to do an upholstery job on it. It looked terrible but I was so proud of that chair. Because I just did it.
With any new skills. Just try it. knowing you won’t be good. But every time you produce something that is not good you are going to learn how to do something better.
With any new skills. Just try it. knowing you won’t be good. But every time you produce something that is not good you are going to learn how to do something better.
Miss Mustard Seed
Me: You are known for paint and textiles. Are those the type of projects you like doing best?
Miss Mustard Seed: I think the reason I enjoy what I do is I get to do a lot of different things. I like that I can have this variation in my creative endeavors. I am not an assembly line kind of person. I love writing, styling and photography. Anything to do with paint whether it’s home, or furniture or painting on a canvas.
Me: With all the DIY you enjoy. Is there any type of DIY that you don’t like?
Miss Mustard Seed: I don’t like quilting. I don’t like knitting or crocheting. With quilting you have to be so precise or your squares will be bubbled. And it takes too much time for me. It can take weeks, months or years to finish it. I want to be done in a day or two if I can. And with crocheting and knitting I don’t like all the counting.
Me: What would you say to someone who is browsing around on your site who is really inspired but feels like they could never do what you do?
Miss Mustard Seed: I think it’s important to remember a home is a process. It’s one project at a time. My home wasn’t snap like that. But what can you improve today? What can you do for free today? Can you re-arrange your furniture? Decorating is a learned skills. There are things you can follow that are going to make a room a beautiful space. Start doing things that are free. Play around with your accessories. Find a tip you saw on a blog or Pinterest.
“A home is a process. It’s one project at a time.”
Miss Mustard Seed
Me: Do you have a favorite blog or designer that inspires you?
Miss Mustard Seed: There used to be several bloggers that I followed and I still follow them. But I have learned its better for me to follow a broad range of creatives. People who do travel blogs, people who do painting, people who do home decor, who do calligraphy. 1980’s, mid century modern, Victorians. Instead of just one person. I try to get collective inspiration from several hundreds of creatives. That’s what feeds my creativity. I think that’s what keeps my work more authentic.
Me: That’s great advice. Now here’s more of a diy type of question. Where do you recommend someone to find upholstery fabric if they are just starting out and working on a budget?
Miss Mustard Seed: I think the best upholstery fabric on a budget is cotton duck. Look online there are a lot of great sources where you can get cotton duck at 60″ wide for $10-11 a yard. I have done many pieces with drop-cloths. Some of them were fine for years. But I had others that the seams would rip after a point in time. Cotton Duck is a good alternative.
Me: Now what about paint. If I am someone who primarily uses chalk paint. Why would you recommend I try your milk paint?
Miss Mustard Seed: Well, cause it’s milk paint! (laughs). No, it’s just a totally different kind of paint. Chalk paint will stick to anything it’s pretty reliable. It just has a different finish. Milk Paint has a real depth and variation of the colors. It’s a thinner paint. It’s very forgiving when it comes to brush strokes and dripping. It’s pretty much self leveling. You can get a lot of looks with it you can’t get with other paints. Like the chipping or distressed looks. Which is particularly suited if you are doing farmhouse style furniture. It’s also the best paint for raw wood. Funny thing we are meeting today because I actually launched my paint line 7 years ago today!
Me: Oh wow, congratulations!! That’s so exciting. And neat to see how far you have come. So looking forward what are your goals for the future?
In 5 years I definitely see myself still blogging. I don’t have any plans to stop that. But I also have been interested in creative business for a long time. I have always loved encouraging others to do what I do. So I have been working on a lot of creative business courses. I am going to be opening up a 1:1 mentorship program. I am going to take people under my wing and help promote their businesses. Share them with my audience. There will also be a group mentoring aspect.
Me: So exciting!! Sign me up!! Thanks so much for taking the time to meet with me today. You are an amazing inspiration to so many of us!!
What a treat to sit down with Miss Mustard and to hear her secrets to making a beautiful home! She gave us great advice to take one step at a time and just try to do what interests us. She truly is inspiring and such a wonderful person too!
I am hoping to share more tutorials and projects with you this week! Hope you are having an excellent week!
Elizabeth
What a neat experience to get to sit down and chat with someone you admire! Loved this post.
Hi Martina, thanks for stopping by and thanks for reading! It was a very neat opportunity!