Fireplace Safety

Baby-it's cold here in Louisville this morning!  Negative 9 degrees with 35 mile an hour winds and 5 inches of new snow.  Here are some tips to keep you safe and warm if you use a fireplace to help heat your home.

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a CERTIFIED Chimney specialist.  This is vital to prevent the buildup of creosote which can cause fires.
• Keep your roof clear of leaves, pin needles and branches which hang near the chimney, flue or vents.
• Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester to prevent wayward sparks from 
• Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from your home to prevent bug infestation
• Keep the hearth free of decorations, newspapers and flammable materials in the event of a wayward spark
•  ALWAYS use a metal screen
• NEVER use flammable liquids to start a fire
• Don't be tempted to burn cardboard boxes and trash in your fireplace or wood stove
• Never leave a burning fire unattended.  Extinguish a fire before leaving your home or going to bed
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container to transport
• Have working Smoke alarms which you test when you change your clocks twice a year
• Have a working fire extinguisher in your home

Now, enjoy a cold winter day in front of your home fireplace.

Resolution Fatigue?

If you are like MOST Americans you've given up keeping your New Years Resolutions!  But you can resolve to start anew month, day or hour!  No need to WAIT until January 1

Here are a few hints to get you back on track if you Resolutions are to DIET, LOSE weight or EXERCISE more

1)  GO meatless one day a week, DO a Sugar free day or give up snack foods one day a week.  It's easier to go without toady if you know you can indulge a little tomorrow

2)  Get the idea of the PERFECT PLATE in your mind.  Use a visual if that helps.-25% lean protein (beige), 25% whole grains (yellow) and 50% vegetables and fruits (green or red).  And  9 inch plate is ideal for cutting back on portions.

3)  Start with the right breakfast.  I keep a box of granola in my desk and use warm water when I forget to bring my yogurt.  I check off Breakfast on my daily to do list

4)  I also check off my vitamins, calcium and other supplements.

5)  Ditto on my water intake.  I feel better when I am properly hydrated.  Men require about 16 cups of fluid a day while women require about 11 cups of fluid (your fluid intake can be liquids other than water.  You'll know you're properly hydrated when your URINE is almost colorless and you are urinating every 90-120 minutes.

6)  Move-walk around your building once a day, wear a pedometer to get 10,000 steps a day, take a b risk walk when you are feeling stressed,  Walk the dog, take an exercise class or sign up to do a fun run.

Get ahead of the Game

I have good intentions but often fail to get birthday and anniversary cards in the mail BEFORE the special event.  I always have a stash of cards on hand because I create cards as a hobby so I don't have a good excuse except that the day to day to do lists prevents me from executing this important task.   This year I am taking a different approach:

1)  I will buy all the birthday cards I need for the coming year this week
2)  I'll review my "Birthday calendar" for the upcoming month the last week of this month
3)  Pull cards from my existing STASH
4)  Address envelopes
5)  Add the date the card needs to be mailed in the area where I place the stamp
6)  Seal the envelope UNLESS I need to write a personal note closer to the mailing date
7)  Place the cards with the bills to be mailed (yes, we still mail several bills)
8)  Put cards in mailbox on Sunday
Viola!  No missed birthdays or anniversaries!  Less Stress

For card making ideas, check out my creative blog

http://whimsiewear.blogspot.com/

The year of less

This year I am going to do more with less!  

This means using up what I have, finishing projects instead of acquiring stuff to make something else and giving away those items which I no longer use.  I admit I am a bit of a hoarder-I keep broken potter and STUFF because I may be able to use it in a craft project.  I "collect" cardboard boxes because they are good to store stuff in and I also keep flat cardboard because I can use them as paint protectors.  I buy stuff when it  is on sale to use as gift or for Christmas shoe-boxes, etc so I have drawers FULL of items.  It isn't saving money if I never use it!  I have drawers of fabric, yarn, craft supplies and beads.

This is going to be HARD!

What do you have in your closets, drawers and under the bed?

What are your plans for these items in 2014?

This year I resolve to

1)  Make decorative seasonal pillow cases out of my fabric stash

2)  Finish my googly eye picture frame

3)  Use up most of my yarn before buying more--

I want to learn to knit or crochet hats, washcloths and a pumpkin 

(I bought an adorable pumpkin knitting project in November and I MUST make before it turns warm)

4)  I will use up some beads and make earrings for a November craft show and make 20 sets to donate

5)  I will begin making my GIFTS in January (not sure what I should make yet--your ideas are welcome!

Please leave your comments and get started!

Christmas Cheer-cheap!

I always log on to the Library this time of year and reserve all the Christmas books, recordings and DVDs I can think of.   That assures me I will have Holiday reading, listening and viewing materials I need over the Holidays.  The books get me in the mood, DVDs keep our family entertained on a snowy evening or while we are wrapping gifts and the music works when we can't find a station this early in the season that plays all Christmas music all the time!
Best of all in this season of excess...it's FREE!

Here are a list of some books/DVD and Music we enjoy

A Christmas Carol
Mannheim Steam Roller-music
Trans-Siberian Orchestra-music
Charlie Brown Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life
Irving Berlins White Christmas
Holiday Inn
Miracle on 34th Street
Debt Proof your Christmas by Mary Hunt
Unplug the Christmas Machine
The Christmas Shoes
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
Christmas with the Kranks
Christmas books written by Debbie Macomber
Elf
The Polar Express
The Perfect Holiday
Santa Claus is coming to town
The Santa Clause
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Cartoon and Live versions, the book and the SONG!)

Check Good-reads, Amazon or your library catalog for other ideas.  Please REPLY as I'd love to hear your recommendations!

Transitions

It is officially Fall here and last night we had our first hard freeze!  A week ago we were wearing shorts and complaining about the heat when we were running!  What a difference a  week makes!  But...I love this time of year.

It's time to get out the sweaters-I have one on today!  Take time this weekend to make the transition to this season

1)  Remove summer decorations from around the house
2)  Change out the door decoration
3)  Buy some pumpkin spice coffee, air freshener, candles or body wash
4)  Buy a bag of your favorite Halloween Candy
5)  Remove summer clothing and place it in a less accessible spot in the closet and drawers
6)  Take any summer clothing to the dry cleaners so stains will not invite damaging moths or fabric wear and tear
7)  Change to your "winter linens".  DH put flannel sheets on the bed and I am replacing the summer weight comforter with our winter comforter.
8)  Change up your candles
9)  Check your wood supply if you build fires.
10)  Bring in any outdoor plants to avoid frost damage.  Pull the last of the vegetables from the garden!

Enjoy the changing season!

Diana

Pick your Pumpkin

Our church hosts a pumpkin patch each October to raise money for youth missions.  Next year the high school youth group will be heading to Imperial, Pennsylvania for a week of home repair.

This photo is only a small example of the 48,000 pounds of pumpkins we unloaded earlier this month.  Our patch is open from 11:30 am-8 pm daily.

So...get out and pick a pumpkin from a local patch, charity (like ours) or the grocery.  You don't want all the good ones to be taken!

A pumpkin should not have any soft spots and (IMHO) should have a have a stem.  Don't pick your gourd up by the stem or you could find your self with smashing pumpkins.  Store in a cool place until ready to carve (we carve only a day or two before Halloween)

I bought 20 pumpkins for a work "pumpkin-carving" event.  Will post pictures later!

Happy Pickin'
Diana