The Project Linus Retreat

Every year the Rockport Chapter of Project Linus (www.projectlinus.org) has a 3 day, 2 night retreat at The Retreat House on Club Lake Road.

The first year they had it Sue Laza came to town and we went out there together. She showed up with her cute fleece blankets all ready to turn in. I on the other hand got sick. I don't know, some kind of bronchial pneumonia. So while Sue sewed labels onto blankets, I sleep on the couch under a human size roll of polyester batting. Sue became a blanketeer 2 years before me.

The second year I was sick again and didn't even show up. I still had not turned in one blanket, but this time my friend Cheryl brought to my house a "kit" of fabrics to make at home and turn in next year. The "kit" is the one featured in my last post: "On Becoming a Blanketeer".

This year I was determined to make it, even if it meant wearing a hazmat suit. Not only was I going for all three days, but I also decided to show up with 5 (O.K. 4) quilt tops all ready to go into the final steps of batting, backing, and binding.

Lori came down from Dallas and we decided to sleep at the Retreat House (www.theretreathouse.com). Cheryl and Stacy both took a day off work and each spent one night (consecutively). We had the freedom to come and go as we pleased. Some spent the night while others went home. Those who stayed could stay up into the wee small hours of the morning and then emerge the next day and sew for a couple of hours in their pajamas. We got to raid the fridge and take naps whenever we wanted, but mostly we made blankets.

As blanketeer's finished a blanket they yell, "TA-DA!" and then the place would yell back "TA-DA!" and she would get a round of applause. Kindness and laughter abounded while our pile of blankets went from 0 to 130 in three days.

My friend Mary Ann sewing on her Singer Featherweight. She is also the person who took most of these photos.

Project Linus' Chapter President Marsha Files (far left) receiving a SURPRISE gift quilt of appreciation. At the last retreat Cheryl (second from right) passed out 6 inch squares of fabric that had Linus and Snoopy on it. We were instructed to create a 12.5 inch block using shades of blue, AND to keep our mouths shut. We did it and when Marsha was presented her quilt we were all laughing and crying at the same time.

Cheryl's first TA-DA!

Lori's 1st TA-DA!

Lori kept flip-flopping on how she was going to finish this quilt. GET IT!

Stacy hard at work and me, well...

Stacy's first TA-DA!

My first TA-DA and the quilt that made me a blanketeer can be seen in my previous post. You can also see more pictures of quilts my friends and I made at the Retreat by clicking on Cat’s Random Pics to the right of this post. Once there, click on “my public gallery” and look for the album titled: Project Linus Retreat. There are 81 pictures and I KNOW some of you will not want to look at all of them, so I moved all of mine to the top of the list.

Your Welcome!

On Becoming a Blanketeer

First you must clear a space.

Then cut your fabrics.

Sew them together.

Laugh with others when they point out the caption on the bulletin board behind you, especially when it applies to your quilting experience.

TA-DA! Strike a pose for the paparazzi.

Project Linus

I want to tell the enterweb about my experiences at the Project Linus Retreat but then I realized that if you aren't a quilter, or "Blanketeer" as they call us in Project Linus, you would NOT know of what I am referring.

For some background information please (pretty please) click on the link below and watch this short news report on what Project Linus does and how it got started. Maybe you should get a tissue if you are the sensitive type.

Once on the site, click on the word "launch" under the cute child's picture. She's holding her blankee.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16711082/

Recipes from the Crypt

While sitting here at Command Central waiting for my computer to "defrag", I grabbed the recipe book my step-mother made for us before she died. The thing about recipes from my mother and step-mother's generation that interests me is they always give credit to who they got the recipe from. For instance, who is Ona Gifford? She is only known to me by her Chicken Spaghetti recipe. What about Coyla? Evidently she made an awesome cheese cake and now I have the recipe. And someone named Alice Beth was famous for making a great chocolate cake. My Aunt Fern (also dead) gets credit for a recipe titled: "Yummy Salad". It's made with those colored marshmellows from Kraft. I think I'll make it again for Easter.

At this time I would like to note that in my step-mother's recipe book there are two recipes that do not give credit to whom credit is due, the recipes are: Broccoli and Rice Casserole and Pineapple Ice Box Cake. I know that these came from Carlene so today I give her credit for them here on the web. Mom, do you remember where you got them? And do you know Ona Gifford?

Chicken Spaghetti from the kitchen of Ona Gifford (serves 10-12):

1 fat hen
1 pkg. long spaghetti
1 green pepper (diced)
1/2 bunch celery (diced)
1 large onion (diced)
1/2 lb. grated sharp cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)
2 pods garlic (minced)

Directions: Stew hen to make plenty of rich broth. Reserve the broth. Debone and dice the chicken. Skim 1 cup of fat from the chicken broth and saute all the vegetables and garlic. Add cheese, soup, chicken and spaghetti (that has been cooked in chicken broth reserve). Let simmer about 30 minutes to mix flavors. Umm, Umm, good!!!