Jan. 7 - Lisa's Musings on Every Day Life

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow -- paper snowflakes that is.

Dr. Snowflake, aka Dr. Thomas Clark, picked a perfect day to teach a large group of people how to make his amazing signature paper art.

I was not one of them, however. It's dangerous to attempt to take photos, conduct interviews and use sharp objects at the same time.

Remember what you were told as a kid: Don't run with scissors.

The author of 11 Snowflake books graciously assisted about 50 would-be and veteran snowflake makers during a two-hour workshop at U-M Hospital today while the real deal fell steadily outside.

The secret, he said, is in folding the paper, and participants left the '20-somethingth' annual workshop with several designs in hand.

The workshop was presented through a terrific program called Gifts of Art, which, among other things, brings numerous rotating art displays to the hospital to cheer up both patients and visitors alike.

Gifts of Art has also published an incredible coloring book that's given to patients as well. And, nope, before you ask, it's not for sale because it was put together through grant funding that prohibits its commercial sale.

If you missed the workshop, it usually takes place in January, but you can check out the extensive display of Dr. Snowflake's most recent work inside the hospital.

It's worth a trip to the hospital and the $5 valet parking fee to see what can be created by folding and cutting paper.

Copies of several of the delightful Dr. Snowflake's books with pictures of his beautiful and intricate snowflake books depicting topics from Christmas motifs to Shakespeare's sonnets to Biblical themes are available for sale at the hospital's gift shops for $20.

I know because I purchased one titled "A Twinkling on the Roof, a Visit from St. Nicholas in Snowflakes" while I was there because I want to give this snowflake making a try.

It will be another art project I plan to try in 2010, in the privacy of my home, of course.

But I'll bravely share the results of my artistic side sometime soon.