Boy it is Cold!

I am so over this weather!  I am just so happy that I don't live further North and that we do have a nice warm home.  This morning I said a little prayer for all those having to work out in these bitter temperatures, those that have to stay bundled up in their homes, because they can't afford to keep it real warm and for god help the homeless. For most of us, these bitter temps are just a disconvenience.  We gripe and complain, and I am with you on that one, but I was thinking.....I really don't have a thing to complain about.  We are warm, healthy and have plenty to eat.

So what have YOU been doing in these cold temps?

I have been exercising more...picked up a few of those winter pounds.

I am drinking a ton of water

I am not dieting, but really paying attention to what I eat. I am trying to eat clean.
Eating clean means:
*Cutting out processed foods (not a biggie),  I cook.
*Cut out sugar (I don't crave sugar), but I do like my Sweet Tea (limiting to 1 glass a day)
*Cut out Alcohol (OH we have a problem Houston) That is Just NOT happening.  This girl loves a predinner drink, a little glass of wine (Yes, I think the heart needs a little Red wine), or maybe a Crown & Coke.
*I don't eat anything with DIET on it, period! Those artificial sweetners were killing my joints. Check out my story about that http://simplebutfabulous.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Better%20You
*I am sure there is more to the Clean diet....

Barn Chores, they just take longer when it is cold.  Carrying hot water out to the barn from the house.

On the to do list....Fix hot water faucet in barn, when it get warmer....it has a little leak....run.

Working on the taxes....:( Boring, that is why I am writing this, taking a break.....and thought, well, I need to check in and see what all the bloggers are up to.

I am pulling out a quilt to work on tonight...Yes, I am going to show it to you soon.  I don't really sew and I started this quilt years.......(20+years ago) I know, I know, it was in my moms closet, out of site, out of mind.  She brought it back to me last year.  I would work on it at night.  When it gets warm, I have other things to do.

I am fixing to tear up something....It feels like I have a fan on under my desk, and my desk goes to the floor.  Where is all that air coming from.  My legs are cold, but Maggie (the Blue heeler) doesn't seem to mind.  Her bed is under the desk.

I read just a minute ago, one of the bloggers put those little insulator things under her wall outlets to block any air from coming in.  Has anyone used those?  I got up and felt the ones on the outside walls vs the inside walls.  There may be a bit of air coming thru.  Which gets me to thinking.   My office floor is just the concrete slab and is on an outside wall.  I wonder if all this air is coming out from under the baseboards.  I am about run some silicone (I have to see if I have some) across the bottom and see if it helps.

Hubs is home, I need to look busy!  LOL!

Leave me a comment and let me know what you are up to!

A Chair Update!

After my Nanny passed, I was given the old desk and chair out of her home.  I promptly painted the desk red with a crackle finish and black showing through.  I painted the chair the opposite, black with red showing through.  The seat needed to be updated with a new fabric.  I have shopped and shopped.  Nothing, quite struck me as being the one......I was in Hobby Lobby looking and found a scrap piece of burlap with black circles for $3.00 and I thought why not.....

The desk! You can read about this project, under Pages, Painted Furniture.

 And here is the Chair!  I think I like it.

I had other plans for this piece, but I put it in the Dining Room, because the other space was not ready.  It has stayed and I love it there.  

Have you covered any seat cushions?  This one was Simple Suzy.  If your intimated, I have pictures of the process.

My seat cushion was attached with screws, so out came the screws and off came the seat.

Before

I used a cotton batting to add a little cush...

I attached with a staple gun

Now, for the burlap.  You can not cut burlap straight.  But, if you pull one string like shown, you can.  Pull the string all the way out and it will leave a gap to cut.

Again, I used the staple gun to attach the burlap and then I wrote on the bottom where the chair came from and that I recovered the seat.

Cute!

 Reattach with screws.  I had to go buy some, because I took so long to finish this project, I misplaced the ones that came out of the chair.  I will probably find them now!

New Year, New Resolutions!

Did you make any New Year Resolutions!  Like loose weight?  I didn't!  But, I have to watch my weight Every DAY and I HATE it!

So, I really did good over Christmas.  I ate in moderation and stayed away from the sweets for the most part.  But, then this really crappy weather set into the whole country, keeping us in the house.  Messy muddy ground, means no riding horses, my biggest activity.  When the weather sets in, then I just want to hibernate, so I haven't been exercising like I should and I didn't weigh for about a week.  Was I overeating? NO! Did I eat more sweets than normal?  YES, but I promise not much.  I Really try to stay away from sweets because of weight.  It just isn't worth it to me! Now, we are talking 5 lbs.  I can put on 5 lbs in a week.....sigh......It is easier to catch it now, then later. Later ain't happening, because that would mean bigger clothes. I need some new clothes, but not a another size.  I keep one size in my closet.  It is a good way to make sure you don't gain to much weight.  Clothes snug, loose the weight!

So, what have I been doing? Drinking my water, water, water!  Exercising!  Along with weight lifting, which I always do.  I decided that I was going to have to do some cardio.  I see all those ads, T-25 and blah, blah, blah, but I really don't want to invest in those.  And then, what if you don't use them, what a waste.  I get so bored just walking on the thread mill, so I have been jogging in place, kicking my legs, jumping jacks, marching fast, line dancing....getting that ole heart rate up and then I do my weights. 

So, what seems to happen right off the bat?  I weigh more.....boy, that just really put my @@ in a wad.  But, this has happened before...I am guessing, because muscles weigh more than fat.  But, it motivates to keep on!

What have you been doing?  Any New Year Resolutions?  What do you do to maintain your weight?

Please share with me what yours is!  Comment section at the bottom.

Burlap Coat Rack

The coat closet, houses a hot water heater......I don't know who decided that the closet by the entry would be a great spot, but they did.  But, none the less, I needed something for guest to hang coats on.  Since burlap seems to be the in thing, this is what I came up with.

For those that may want to do something like this.
1. My big board is 48" long, 8" wide. The cedar board is 4" wide, 44" long.  That gave me 2" all the way around.

2. I covered the large board with some cotton batting, I used a staple gun to attach it to the back.  Then the same with the burlap.

3. You may need help with this step, I did.  I got the cedar board placed were I wanted it, then flipped it over (carefully) to attach it with screws from the back.

4.  Then, I measured out where to place the hooks and marked them.  Then, we pre-drilled the holes. We put the 3 middle ones on.  I know what your thinking..... Why didn't you put all them on.  WELL, you have to get it attached to the wall, firmly enough to hold 5 coats. 

5. Check the area where your coat rack is going to hang.  We had a stud we could hit on one end but not the other.  Hold the coat rack up, get it where you want it and have hubby drill one hole on each end thru to the wall *****The reason the outside hooks are not on.  You hide the wall screw under them.**** We then put in a wall anchor on the end that we didn't have a stud.  Now attach it to the wall.

6. Final step, put the last two hooks on.