Let It Snow

Thank you to all of the wonderful people who have left the kind words on my Operation Write Home Blog. I so enjoyed seeing the awesome ideas and getting to know some new friends. You can still leave a comment and qualify for the Blog Candy drawing on March 12. If you are looking for the post it is under this post.

One of things we enjoy as a family is sledding. I can't sled anymore, due to the arthritis issues from my Behcet's and Lupus. Behcet's is a rare auto-immune disease of the blood vessels. My blood vessels become inflamed and it affects whatever organ is being fed. So when I get up in the morning I have no clue as what blood vessel will be inflamed and how it will affect me. Sometimes it does a number on my brain and affects my ability to use language. Gibberish comes out of my mouth and what I write. I sound as if I have had a stroke. It can last for a few hours or for several days in a row. I understand what is being said to me, but I am unable to communicate to others. Or it is a slow stuttering that is just as painful to listen to as it is to try to get out. The most frustrating part is that strangers will talk to me as if I have no intelligence. Or they will talk to others around me about me as if I am not there. Yet I understand EVERYTHING!

But the gift Behcet's and Lupus has given me is the ability to be able to spend time with my boys during their teenage years. I have been available to them when they needed me. Because of my Bechet's induced heart attack, we all realize how special every moment is.

So snow days are fun days for us. We go to the park together to sled and snowboard. Sometimes we build a snowman. I am the official photographer. And at the end it is a trip to Starbucks for peppermint hot chocolate! The ultimate in comfort food according to Scott.

Since this was an outdoor layout and I spent most of my teaching career teaching environmental awareness I decided to use recycled materials as much as possible. The paper snow is scraps of embossed white card stock. You could use Cuttlebug's Dotted Swiss Embossing  Folder instead. .I used recycled plastic drink stirrers broken into pieces for the penguins ski poles. The "fur" of the hat is distressed mulberry paper.

The penguins were designed by me. They are available for purchase at $6.50 a piece or$20.00 for the entire set of Four.  If you would like to purchase a set please use the contact me button at the top of the right side of the blog.

At the top of the picture frames I made "Snow" . I mixed Tulip's White Puffy Paint and mixed it with Doodlebug white glitter. I then used a heat gun to puff the paint and dry it. My suggestion is to practice this a few times. The paint expands as it is dried so it takes a little practice to know how to hold the gun to make sure the paint expands in the direction you want.

 The bottom ric rack I found at a garage sale and it didn't have a label. The white snowflakes are by Jesse James Dress It Up. I found it at Michaels. The evergreens are outlined in green stickles and hand sketched.  The mats are by DCWV, I couldn't find them, so I think they may be discontinued.  I have had them around for a while. I am in the mode of get as much used up as possible so I don't have to move it to the new scrapbook room at the end of the summer.

Ok enough of this snow stuff. Spring needs to get here ASAP!

Have a wonderful day filled with snowflakes of beautiful moments.

Elizabeth