Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.

We made the national news here yesterday due to our state’s propensity for crazy spring snowstorms. Which I guess is a pretty good way to make national news given all the less weathery and more crimey and social unresty ways that normally make the headlines.

So maybe you heard about the blizzard that made its way through Colorado yesterday. But the blizzard part is already over and the inevitable awaits.

So at 10:00 am I am out shoveling snow and marveling at the wonders of mother nature. Everything is covered in a heavy white blanket. It is truly beautiful and I think isn’t spring snow amazing!

We don’t have to go anywhere so I don’t plan on tackling the whole driveway today. I start by carving a path toward the sidewalk. Some of you may be wondering why I would bother to shovel any of the driveway since we are not planning to drive. Presumably, you are from some more tropical climate. You see, what happens sometimes during snowstorms is that there is a lot of snow swirling around and this can result in snowdrifts that block doorways. So while I am taking the long way, the objective here is to be able to open the front door.

So I am shoveling and feeling all good about myself for getting a little exercise. The sun is shining and I am looking forward to the day ahead.

Just for fun, I dig a few small snow caves in my driveway and secretly wish I had a reason to make an actual igloo. You can almost hear the happy little trill of the snow fairies, can’t you?

11:00 am – I have not yet reached the sidewalk. I am getting hungry and the snow caves have lost their magical charm.

11:15 am – My neighbors are conversing about all the snow and one of them says something about “thanks to global warming” which I take as sarcasm because we are all literally standing in knee-deep snow the day after a blizzard. Well, that and the fact that nobody calls it global warming anymore. But my other neighbor takes the statement to mean something to the effect of climate change being responsible for the crap ton of snow that has just been dumped here. I don’t ask for any clarification. I do put my two cents in, but only in my head because it would have been weird to interject.

“Well if you think this is bad you should have seen the blizzard of 1989.”

Not only because that would have made me sound like a wrinkle-faced old man from a tacky western film but also because they weren’t talking to me.

I have lived in Colorado my whole life except for a brief moment of insanity when I lived in the midwest. Just kidding. Minnesota and Wisconsin are beautiful but they don’t do snow like Colorado. They do do cold though. Hands down they are the best at that.

Anyway, I am thinking to myself this is pretty typical. We probably don’t get this big of a snowstorm every year but it is not that uncommon.

“You youngins should take it from a Colorado native. This is no big deal.”

Anyway, that’s what I was thinking. But somehow it made me feel like I should have a corn cob pipe in my mouth and be teetering in an old creaky rocking chair on a dusty wooden porch. And besides, I really don’t know what I am talking about since for all I know my neighbors might have lived here longer than I have.

11:30 am – Hallelujah! I have made it to the end of the driveway and excavated a little bit of the sidewalk. But my hunger levels are dangerously close to reaching the hanger effect. I determine that it might be a good time for some breakfast. Because it is always smart to avoid the pitfalls of snapping at someone just because you are hungry. Particularly since that person is someone you most likely live with and they know where you sleep. Just because your stomach is like “If you would have put something in me before now I wouldn’t have had to make you feel delirious.” You still shouldn’t take it out on your loved ones. I don’t know about you but my stomach is sort of a smart ass.

11:45 am – Back to the salt mines. Does that sound like the old raisin-faced western movie guy again? Sorry. A past life I guess. Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

The shoveling has become a little back-breaking and monotonous. But at least I am not alone. My neighbors are still at it as well. I suspect they are starting to wonder where John is and why I am out here slaving away by myself. So in my head, I am trying to prepare a witty answer. If I am asked, I don’t want to be caught off guard and lead them to believe that I have murdered him. Because, really, why else wouldn’t he be out here helping me?

The truth is, he hates the snow and he has a bad shoulder. I am sure the latter is the main cause for his not assisting with the shoveling. But since I am the reason he lives here in Colorado I do give him a little deference for the snow-hating thing too. But really come to think of it since I met him in Minneapolis he should probably be thanking me for moving him here. Right? I mean the cold is 10 times worse than the snow and we don’t drive on lakes here in Colorado. Cuz that’s just crazy! So really I don’t think it is unreasonable of me to expect a little more gratitude from him.

It is a good thing I have eaten breakfast.

But, just as I am pondering the awkward “where is John?” conversation with my neighbors, he appears to check on my progress. Probably because he is feeling guilty. He tells me that he has made me some cinnamon blondies which is sweet of him. But it’s also an obvious attempt to make up for the bad shoulder thing. So I am all “thank you love that was nice of you.” But what I am really thinking is thank heavens the neighbors can see with their own eyes that I don’t have John’s mummified remains buried in our back yard. So really thanks, honey!

12:30 pm – Yes it is officially the stinking afternoon now! I decide to go inside and put on some sunscreen. It’s probably already way too late to save my pasty white forehead from turning scorched rosy red. But I reason that late is still better than not at all. That’s Colorado for you blizzard one-day blazing sunshine the next.

1:00 pm – I am so hot my hands are sweating. I can’t take off my hat because I have been wearing it to hide my unbrushed hair which is two days past a much-needed washing. I can’t remove my coat either because I haven’t actually gotten dressed yet. And while I realize I am not participating in a fashion show here I still draw the line at prancing around our yard in my pajamas. Well in the front yard anyway. Clearly, I didn’t think things through before coming out here. I have been at it for almost 3 hours now! So much for the rest of my plans for the day. Shut up little snow fairies!

So I am shoveling and sweating and thinking there should be a word to describe my current predicament. But nothing fits and that’s when it comes to me.

Snoflucked! Pronounced Sna-flucked. The o is silent. Deal with it people this is my word. It means – Any problem or affliction caused by massive snowfall.

Like when there is so much snow that you have to “cut” the snow while you are shoveling. For those of you not familiar with this term it’s like shoveling sideways or straight down to make a canal through the snow. Yes, shoveling sideways is as ridiculous as it sounds but it keeps the snow from breaking all pell-mell and spilling all over the area you have already shoveled. And it looks way nicer but that’s just my OCD talking.

It’s not a contest Cindy!

Some other examples might be when you can’t get your front door open due to excessive snowfall. Or when you run out of places to put the snow you are shoveling because there is just so dang much of it. Or when your husband has a shoulder injury coinciding with winter storm warnings.

Anyway just to make this simple if you have more than 10 inches of snow you are probably snoflucked in some way or other.

1:15 pm – I am feeling tired, but at least the end is in sight. I have finally made contact with our front porch.

My muscles are aching, my eyes are irritated from the snow and sunshine glare. My nose is sunburned. My head is itchy and I fear I may have a heat stroke if I don’t take off my parka soon. But I am nothing if not stubborn and a code is a code. So I am definitely snoflucked although come to think of it most of my problems may have less to do with heavy snowfall and more to do with some sloppy decision-making.

And that my friends is what it is like to live inside my head the day after a big Colorado snow storm. The rest of me is uselessly tapped out on the couch.

Aren’t you glad you are you? 🙃

What? You are here for the craft project. Well why didn’t you say so.

If you saw my last video/post then you know I have a new crafting toy. It’s not really made for crafting but well since when has that stopped me?

Today I am sharing my first three projects that I made using this tool.

Project 1 – A Cash Stash

Project 2 – Sun Catcher

Project 3 – Big Hoop Earrings

What’s this amazing new tool you are wondering? Well is is called Draft Top and it is made for opening aluminum cans. But instead of just opening the tab it takes the entire top off of the can. Amazing! Right? Ok maybe it just me.

But if you would like to know more about how I made these projects you can check out the video I made because I am tired of typing and my guess is if you have made it this far you might be tired of reading.

Happy Upcycling,

Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.