The Master Bedroom Dressed For Winter

When the kids were little, we took them to a place called Arbuckle Wilderness.
It is one of those wildlife parks. You know the kind that I mean.
You drive through the park to feel like you are on a safari. That is the theory, anyway.
We bought feed corn to give to the animals. It was fun and games until I was sneezed on by a ram.
The poor ram got his head stuck in the car. Chunks of slobber and feed corn were all over me.
My family howled with laughter. I have never forgiven them.

That has absolutely nothing to do with this post. It's just a good story.

I didn't have time to share photos of our bedroom dressed for the season.
It was not overly Christmasy so we've kept it up for winter.

I found a new gray velvet pillow at Tuesday Morning.
We already had the matching throw.

We've had this Lane set since 2010. The bed is fine but the tops of the nightstands are trashed. Bill's is buckled and mine is flaking. We will probably be doing something to repair or replace these. It's a little disappointing since it was supposed to be our "forever" furniture.

I found the plaid throw the same day that I found the pillow.
I love it! You know how much I love plaid during the fall and winter months.

The darling yarn and cotton pillow is from Tuesday Morning as well. We have had it for two years.

I used to retreat to our room and sit on the chaise when we had teenagers.
The teenagers have morphed into adults so the chaise is a receptacle for pillows at night.

I loved my planter filled with berries and greens. The rose print is from an antique book.

The amaryllis came from my friend, Judith. She has a darling pop up shop at Christmas.
 The red berry wreath was a thrift store find.

It was only $2.99.

That is about it.

I'll see you on tomorrow for Keep In Touch.
I will be back on Wednesday for Ten on the Tenth. I'm so excited to be a part of this collaboration.
I have the cutest shabby chic heart to share with you.
It's "no sew"!
There are some rooms around here that need repainting.
I haven't finished blogging about France.
We also haven't taken out the trailer yet. There is a reveal still in the works for that.
It's a new year and I'm excited about fresh possibilities.
Have a wonderful day.
Stay away from those rams.
Katie

Here is where I party:

Worthing Court

Savvy Southern Style

Essence of Home 

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Share Your Cup

Kicking The Sugar Craving

My blog has returned to normal after this post. 

I'm not complain-a-bragging here. 

It was fun sponsoring a post for the Paisley Grace Boutique. 

I would love to do it again. 

It was odd seeing my blog go crazy and having the thought that so many people were reading my blog who didn't "know" me on the internet. 

My foray into fashion blogging was a different experience. 

I have never liked pictures of myself. 

A thought that didn't occur to me until I offered to do a post for Paisley Grace. 

I really need to take some vitamins or something for my thinking skills.

We took over 100 photos. 

No, you can't see them. 

It caused me to contemplate my choices of late. 

I know better but the stresses over the past 6 months caused me to go a little sugar crazy. 

I knew it was happening but I tried to tell myself that my pants were tighter because we were putting all our clothes in the dryer. 

Drying clothes shrinks them, right? 

Don't ask me why it is important to dry your clothes. 

I know this from experience, so trust me. 

When I say "we" started drying our clothes, I mean we because Bill helps with the laundry.

I know! He's a saint. 

Don't tell him I said this but he helps because I lose his socks. I don't do this on purpose...

I gave up refined sugar on Monday. I had to start Monday because my sister left pie at my house and we ate it on Sunday. 

After three days without sugar, I sent out a desperate plea for Pop-Tarts on Facebook. 

Can you believe no one came to my rescue? 

One friend offered me Little Debbie. 

That is what I used to buy the kids so I wouldn't eat their snacks.

I'm so hungry. 

I made it through the initial cravings by eating fruit. 

I'm so glad it is Honey Crisp apple season. 

It is a struggle at first but I wanted to share what happens to me after just a few days off of the white stuff. 

The cravings start to lessen and my pants are easier to button after only a few days. 

This causes encouragement to keep going instead of giving up and going out to get my own package of Pop-Tarts since my friends won't bring me any.
I might need to evaluate my friends list on Facebook.

 I watched a documentary about sugar on Netflix a few months ago.
It was eye opening to see how the industry pushed the consumption of sugar onto the populace.
If the documentary is to be believed, it was planned and calculated and we were manipulated.
The average American consumes 66 pounds of sugar per year.
There are between 50+ names for sugar and it is hidden in our our processed food.

In my case it is very addictive.
I know I have reached a critical point when I want dessert after every meal.
At this point you might like to interject that you don't have a sweet tooth.
I can no longer be your friend, if that is the case.

I do know that after a few weeks anything with sugar tastes too sweet.
Until then, you will find me in the kitchen eating an apple, strawberries or grapes or all of them.

Have a wonderful evening, my friends.

Katie

Come back for:

&

If you don't feel like buying clothes at this moment, bookmark the Paisley Grace Boutique. 

Wrinkle Cream?

I was walking through Saks Fifth Avenue the other day. 

(I just love the way that reads.)

I'm a New Yorker. 

I should know better. 

I've been in Texas a long time. 

I made eye contact. 

"No, no, no!"

Never, ever make eye contact. 

I did and the next thing I know a lady from the _____ make up counter is telling me that she has the perfect thing for the dark circles under my eyes.

Well, this is awkward. 

Did she just tell me that I look haggard? 

I believe she did. 

She set me down on the stool and proceeded to get her little magic eye cream/gel. 

I was starting to get annoyed but she was massaging the stuff all around my eye and it soothed any annoyance straight out of me. 

I still wasn't going to buy it-not for $150.00.

I will splurge on a purse or a pair of shoes but not makeup. 

Once she had massaged all the tired lines and dark circles away, she proceeded to make up my face with a foundation that looked two shades darker than my natural skin tone. 

She rounded it off with some bronzer. 

I felt like I looked ready to make an appearance on The Tonight Show. 

I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel to clean off my face. 

It wasn't all bad. 

They praised my gorgeous hair and my hair cut. "Thank you, Natalia." 

They raved over my skin and bone structure. 

Haha. 

Do they say that to everyone? 

Probably. 

It was still nice to hear it even if it didn't result in a sale. 

Do you splurge on makeup? 

Before you do. Check out this site. 

I don't buy anything until I've read the reviews. 

It turns out that the expensive eye cream got only two stars.

I'm so glad I trusted my instincts. 

Katie 

  

Twin Sweater Into Sweater Pillow

Hi Friends,

I have a funny story. 

At least, I hope you think it's a funny story. 

My son got me a vintage sweater for Christmas.

I tried it on and it was too big. 

I didn't want to hurt my son's feelings and I didn't want him to feel bad that I would think, he thought I was bigger than I am. 
Kind of like "My mom is this size." 
Bill always gets me teeny tiny tee shirts.
I think it is so sweet that he still thinks I'm that size. 
Bless his poor heart that I am not still that size.
#over50 #momjeans #don'twearmomjeans #babyboomersaging 

I decided to make a sweater pillow out of it but I didn't want him to read about the sweater being made into a pillow on this blog. 

So the other day I sent him a text. 

"The sweater you gave me could fit two moms at once which would work if I were a conjoined twin." 

"Do you care if I make it into something?" 

He said, " Haha, yeah of course. I didn't even look at the size." :)
Whew. He doesn't think I'm that size. 

This was not easy and it doesn't look perfect by any means.
I don't have the correct needles for sewing knit fabric.

But I think it's cute and it reminds me of him.

I think I'm going to make something else out of the sleeves - maybe a sweater pumpkin.
I hope you are having a great week.
Katie 
Linking with,
From My Front Porch to Yours 
French Country Cottage 
Between Naps on the Porch 
A Stroll Thru Life  
Savvy Southern Style