I've attached a quick and dirty tutorial. Of course, be creative on your own for better results. The attached image has a few additional enhancements (mainly color/sat adjustments).

Just realized that, on the poly step, you need to set the edge opacity to completely transparent (I didn't state that in the tut and no, I'm not going to re-write it. lol).

Thank you so much Lyle for your tutorial to get such an attractive outcome. I like it a lot.
I attach your PDF with the missing step. (I hope) if wrong, please tell me.

My effort,combined with Conbagui's Chrissie background from Google+. My pine branches now have blue flowers.

Just discovered changing Blend Mode to Grain merge gives me Snow. Thanks Lyle and Issabella.

Thanks Issabella. Like your result Kimba. Like I sort of inferred, if you set the edge opacity to completely transparent, you can rid the lines.

I couldn't see an edge opacity setting so wasn't sure about which setting to change.

Here you go Kimba.

Lyle, I like this style yours on pics. Following your tutorial and added a few additional enhancements to get this.
I didn't get your personal touch but I like it.

Nicely done Issabella. Another trick to get the Icy colors is to use gradient mapping with the Metallic Something preset.

Thank you Lyle, I'll try it using gradient.

I did another try, I think it is a little closer to an icy look but not totally. I must practise much more.

Thanks Lyle. I worked it out. My Pines have turned into Jacarandas which is appropriate for Queensland in Summer. I like to do snowy pictures to take my mind off the heat.

Lyle, I've tried hard to get a closer result to yours, but it's impossible even using metallic something. Any other tip, please?

Again, when you have two layers, then, either convert the top layer to b/w or run the engrave preset and then run Delaunay on both layers setting the top layer to difference, you will get a more crystallized result. If you run it on your target, the result will look more like what you have (and indeed I originally had to do all kinds of manipulation on the elf original and still wasn't happy with that result).

Thank you so much Lyle for your patience, I did this other new try.

Now you got it. Do some level adjustments and use the metallic something gradient mapping and you would get a result like mine (prior to the sparkle step and other blends that I sometime add such as my ruby texture (did I not tell you all that too? lol). I do this very subtlety; almost not necessary, but for the large dark voids, it helps (of course I desat/adjust the color as I see fit with this texture as well as lower the opacity to taste).

Thank you Lyle. Nice ruby texture, I'll use it.

Darn, just discovered I don't have the engrave filter. I cannot add new filters until I get a new mcgimp with the latest G'mic. sigh.

You can try other blends such as paint then dup and apply cartoon (both G'MIC presets that's been in existence for a while) 2-ton. The blend possibilities are limitless. Just play I say. Don't take anything I share as gospel. More than one way to skin a cat.