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1.02.2023

warm new year greetings

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happy new year, my friends!
i hope 2023 finds you healthy and happy...

every year, i learn something new. sometimes MANY somethings.
and this past year, i think i could sum up what i learned as:
"sometimes, you just have to do the thing."

this winter i've added a new element to my studio, shown in the photo above -
it's a heater that looks like a wood stove, 
and it works perfectly in tandem with my fake fireplace mantel built in 2020!

i had been thinking about doing this for over a month, but put it off.
(procrastination is my biggest challenge, seriously.)
then in Mid-December the temps dropped waaaaay lower than normal,
and my studio windows frosted over.
sometimes nature gives us a lil' helping hand to get us moving.

continue reading to learn more about my solution...

two decades ago, i had a similar fake wood stove heater
that worked far better than the old open fireplace in 'the Cottage' did...
that heater showed up in this photo on the blog in 2013:
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i kept remembering that one and thinking that a similar one would work in my studio,
and when i finally got myself in gear, i found it online in less than a minute. on sale. 
so i bought the new heater online from Walmart and had it delivered in two days!
(not an ad, just a link for your convenience)

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the visual aspect of the faux 'flames' and the actual heat put out by this heater
are working well to defrost me in my very cold North-facing studio
that has three walls exposed to the elements. brrrrr.

part of the success of this is psychological:
 looking at flames will indeed make you feel warmer.
it was a relatively 'fast, cheap & easy' task to complete
and has made a huge difference to my mood.


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so this post is my 2023 encouragement for you: just do the thing.

start the year off by doing the thing that you know you need to do to make your life better.
whatever it is. maybe you can't do a BIG thing, but you can do A thing.
(clean the junk drawer in the kitchen. finally get those unworn clothes outta' your closet.
read one of the books in your tbr stack by the bed!)
even if it makes your life just 10% better, it's worth it.

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the more i think about it, 'just do the thing' just might be my 2023 mantra! 

oh, btw, guess what happened AFTER i got the heater?
 two days before Christmas the temps started soaring...
we ended up with a high of 81 degrees on Christmas Day and the 26th.
no heaters needed! LOL

note: i placed books and props on and near the heater for these photos - 
but i do not turn on the heating element unless
the area all around the heater is completely clear. safety always!!! 


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