DIY – Getting Into The Swing Of Spring

For a while now I've been wanting to do a “DIY” project. I have plenty of them on the to-do list, but recently I just haven't “felt” the inspiration to complete one. I blame the weather, and I guess you can say , the long winter has finally had its affect.

At heart, I'm a dual personality – half homebody, and the other half, outdoor adventurer. Usually I am content to sit on the couch with a nice book or a Hulu episode and enjoy the down time, but being a “dual personality-type,” I need balance (not to mention, sitting on the couch is not doing my ass any favors.). Flying hasn't been an option now for many weeks, so a lot of my excess energy has been spent running the dog and painting walls! Well yesterday, I hit a limit – the dog's.

There's only so many times you can drag my dog through a storm before he decides to protest. In the middle of a giant puddle he ambushed me in a play-fight. After leaving two giant claw marks the size of my fist with matching bruises on my right leg, he decided to walk me home. I sat for the rest of the day pondering my boredom and wondering if it was possible to out-wait a storm, sort of like you out-stare someone in a staring contest. As I perused the internet with mild disinterest, the dog at my feet in peaceful slumber by the heater, it suddenly came to me! -- via a blog by Tim Ferriss called the 4 Hour Workweek. Finally, a DIY project. And I was going to do it today.

It's not like this project is something I hadn't thought about before. My husband first turned me onto Tim Ferriss years ago. Honestly, until now, I never gave his blog much interest.  I did like the idea of a supplementing my running with some core training though, and a Kettlebell sounded like the perfect tool to help me. With pointers from Tim Ferriss, I would be able to build my own. So I leashed the dog, grabbed an umbrella and off to the supply shops I sloshed.

Four hours later, most of that being a weather-enhanced hike with 30lbs of iron cradled in my arms, I completed my Kettlebell. You can access how-to videos directly from the 4 Hour Workweek, but here is all I needed: 1 t-bar, 1 flange, 2 pipe nipples, 1 pipe, and a bushing (which I needed because I couldn't find the right size flange). I also purchased 3 weights to start off with. In total, it cost me $45.00, and can be converted to any weight of Kettlebell I want – a huge savings if you plan to use it to build strength. Note: I could have gone cheaper by buying parts online, or getting a different type of iron, so this is something to keep in mind if your on a budget.

After the walk home with the dog, an umbrella, and what felt like five bowling balls worth of iron in my arms, I was happy just to assemble the darn thing. Today I will put the “spring in my swing,” but was so excited, I had to share the news immediately. I mean just look at it!

It can be used indoors or outdoors. It can be made of recycled parts to make it Eco-friendly. It can also travel well, disassembled, which is important for me. Finally, it looks slightly “steampunk” too, which is another huge interest of mine. I couldn't be happier to “weight”-out the storm now. Ha ha.

What have you done as a DIY project this winter? Any tips for the rest of us? I'd love to hear about it!