Splashes of Color!

So a few weeks ago...outside was all gray and dead brown not pretty brown. Just ugly and blah! It was beginning to get me down...and I am an annoyingly happy person most days.  It was the week all my Christmas decor was coming down too, which always seems to leave the house a little empty. All these blogging gals with awesome ideas had me dreaming of some color. 

It was also pouring down rain that day. So I headed to the little section of town not far from our home. Stopped in the feed and seed and they had FUN summer flags and mailbox covers for $2!!! They had some stuff not on sale too. I went by the clearance aisles of Dollar General and Family Dollar too...just hunting some stuff to put outside in the harsh weather.

Do y'all see all the goodies I found to add splashes of color! 

It makes me smile...that is what my Winter motto is gonna be...if it makes me smile during the snow and 'deadness' I am gonna leave it. 

Of course AFTER I got everything out ...it snowed and snowed and snowed some more...so now all my color splashes have some glitter! 

♥ Heather

Winter Color and Love Month Wreath

Inspiration

Inspired ideas [Okay I am tried to give them full credit but I am still learning so click on the I of Inspired ideas and you will see their AWESOME website]

and the Southern Living Christmas Magazine

Hey yall! Okay so I am sitting at the orthodontist waiting room with two of my teenage girls. And I pick up the above magazine because it has Christmas on it. I am obsessed with Christmas, I will talk about it all the time at any time, completely random to the common observer... Anyway I love several ideas in the magazine,  so to my teenage daughters mortification I asked the receptionist: "Do yall throw these out?" In which she replied: "Yes, actually that one is old [it was already February]...Why do you want it?" Well I said: "Yes that would be great, thanks" ...so I didn't steal it but I did get it from the orthodontist office lobby.  Sometimes life is that sweet... you get a free amazing magazine and you get a chance to embarrass your teenagers.

Okay back to the wreath. So I had planned on working on the wreath and documenting exactly how I made each part of the wreath BUT the kids are all home due to the Winter Storms [two of them...will blog those later] so the girls helped with the wreath and  I didn't get as many pictures. But clicking on the link above will show you how to make cover the hearts. Yall we had tons of fun....so any 'craft' that gets a mom laughing with three teens and a duchess is an outstanding project.

Supplies:

Grapevine Wreath [magazine suggests Styrofoam but I chose cheaper], hot glue gun, moss to cover wreath, various ribbons...varying in length, width, colors, etc. also, wooden hearts different sizes, different craft/scrap-booking papers, Modge Podge, crystal glitter, sponge brushes and a pencil.

The girls traced the hearts onto the paper, we Modge Podged the paper to the wooden hearts then applied Modge Podge on top then dipped them in glitter. While the hearts were drying we tied the larger ribbons to the side back of the grapevine wreath. Make sure to mix it up. And then we glued the moss to the front of the wreath. Next you randomly glue the dried and finished hearts on top of the moss. 

What do yall think? 

 

Loosing Weight, Adjusting and Keeping it Together

I shared with yall earlier that I had gained weight since our move. My doctor recommended South Beach Diet. I already had the book and decided to get started this summer. Then in the fall I joined First Place for Health at church. BOTH work and together they help me stay on task.

Above is an example of a NO carb meal for Phase 1 of South Beach. The steak is grilled. Fresh greens from the garden to make a great salad...pairing protein and vegetables are key in the South Beach Diet. The amazing thing was the NEW side. It's a stuffed portabella mushroom cap.

RECIPE

Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Cap

Spinach [frozen or fresh]

Egg

Parmesan Cheese [grated works better]

On the stove top I cooked the spinach just long enough to change the color with enough water to keep it from burning. Then add the egg and cheese...stir and cook a few more minutes [till cheese is melted and egg is cooked]. Then I stuffed the caps and placed in the oven on 350 degrees for about 20 minutes [or till the caps look cooked].

DELISH. Much better choice than a loaded potato for those watching carbs.

I started parking at the end of the parking lot to force myself to walk. 

Instead of sitting at the computer in a chair...I switched to an exercise ball. This works on your core and increases activity during a somewhat NON active addiction.

During commercials, get up and clean something.

Run up and down stairs or walk instead of elevators and/or making kids get things. 

Find activities you love vs exercise...walking in the woods with family looking at nature, hiking, gardening, swimming, etc.

I have lost 27 pounds with a few more to go but I feel much better and I don't feel like I have punished myself. 

Good Luck.