WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE SO COLD YOU CAN'T THINK!

How is everyone doing with this North-American wide cold snap we are all living under?  Even for us here in Canada, it has been extreme.  I was watching a segment on the news yesterday where a climatologist was interviewing a scientist, and she said that as time goes on we can expect more and more such extreme weather events, as the polar vortex is changing, dipping lower and lower for longer periods of time.  Extreme weather in every season will soon be the order of the day, so I guess we'd all better learn how to adapt.

-50's temps and wind chills make it very difficult to be outside.  I have continued to venture out each morning, wrapped in layers of clothes covered with a long down coat to top it all off.  I can honestly say I have not been cold at all.  My coat has a fur hood which cinches in around the face.  The only complaint I have had while being out in the cold mornings, is that my glasses fog up.  So aggravating!

But I guess if that's all I have to complain about, I will shut up. 

Life goes on, business are open, schools are running - but school buses might not be.  People here continue on because we live in a cold climate.  However there are always  the vulnerable who cannot cope.  The homeless, small children, the sick, the elderly, small animals, birds... we must be aware that there are many out there who are at risk  - it's up to us to watch out for them and give them a helping hand when and if we can.

Don't forget to top up your bird feeders, keep your pets indoors.  Wrap your little ones up with lots of layers, mittens, scarves.

Wear wool!  Wool is a natural insulator, it breathes, allows air to circulate through it's fibers.  It is much warmer than any man-made fiber.

Don't go out, if you don't have to. 

And personally  - if you don't have to go out  - craft!

That's what I have been doing when I could get my studio warmed up enough to be up there working.

I have been continuing with my junk journal project.  I changed my mind on the cover and have re-covered it with old jeans.  I have added some jean pockets on the outside for gel pens etc, and I made a totally funky, shabby, blue-jean tassel by unravelling strips of jean fabric. 

I have also made a cute bookmark using a child's poem from an old book of children's poetry by Emily Dickinson - some more envelope pockets, and also some fancy paper clips.  Tomorrow I am going to start work on making the page sections of the book. (signatures they are called).  I think this journal will have 3 signatures of about 15 pages each, so that will be 90 journaling pages in total.  We'll see how this goes - this is my first journal, so perhaps I am thinking way too many pages. 

I will take some pictures this weekend to show you my progress, and then perhaps do a show and tell video once the journal is complete, before I send it off to it's recipient.

So my friends - stay warm, stay busy - be happy.  Spring IS coming...

Till later -