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IF you follow my other blog "Slaying the Dragon" You will already know that my son has and extreme allergy to milk and to soy. the doctor also says that any "milk substitute" like rice or almond could trigger the same result. SO we read LOTS of labels and I make a lot of things for him from scratch.

However i have some stumbling blocks. shortening for instance is 100% soy....  so what do you use Crisco for? Baking. what do we love in this house? baked stuff...... see my dilemma? Matt cant have cookies.  Matt cant have rice crispy treats,  Matt cant have kid cant have yadda yadda seems like we say  "Matt  can have" all the time! well after going to the fair, I made up my mind that Matt was gonna have! so I have decided that we are going to have a new page on the pages tab. "Soy free & Dairy Free"

As I tweak recipes I will keep them all in that tab so anyone else that has milk & soy allergies can find good  recipes that don't require expensive "alternatives"  to the common basic baking ingredients. I think i will also go through my other recipes that i already have and the ones that are "Matty safe" i will list there as well.

Skip Stitch

I am getting a lot of Skip stitch questions, and i have found a website that explains it all, and you can order the blades there as well (although they are cheaper at Project Linus)

I thought I would make any of my readers aware of this site. Please click here to go to the site!

Unacceptable Project Linus Blankets

There are requirements to Project Linus blankets, and I have taken this directly off the Project Linus website.

Project Linus chapter coordinators are instructed to NOT accept blankets that are not of excellent quality. In addition they must be free from contaminants. Special care should be taken to insure that blankets are free of smoky smells or any chemicals which could cause problems for a child. Hospitals will not accept these blankets, and they will most likely be discarded. Recent studies show that laundering these blankets does not remove contamination, and in some cases can even make it worse. Again, if unusually strong smells due to chemicals used in detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets, mold and mildew or smoking products are apparent, most hospitals will discard the blanket rather than jeopardize the health of a patient. Always check blankets carefully for pins, and remove any embellishments such as buttons that could be swallowed. Thank you for helping to make sure that Project Linus blankets are safe and healthy, and will bring only comfort and security to a child in need.

Friends of Project Linus

Project Linus also has a group of businesses they depend upon who provide monetary and/or product donations to aid us on our mission. They are their “Friends of Project Linus.”

You can also help project Linus by shoping at these locations.

Please click here to see all of the sponsors.

How to find a local chapter

If you want to donate to your local chapter and you don't know who is in charge of your area here is what you do....

First go to the "chapter listings"
then click on your state and then you will find your county/ town

If by chance your area is not listed simply call the area closest to you and ask that person who covers your area. They will also know more about where you can drop your blanket off at.

Please keep in mind that everyone at Project Linus is a volunteer. Personal issues, travel, work, and family all take priority at times over chapter duties. Please be patient in waiting for your reply.

How you can help

I Have told you the mission statement of Project Linus. And you now know the reason I do this and not another blanket charity.

And Possibly you are thinking I would love to help with that, but how can I help?

There are lots of things you can do to help this cause.

1. Become a "blanketeer" basically thats what I do. I make blankets
2. You can Give your time. you can contact your chapter and help distribute them
3. If you cant find a chapter in your area, you can start one!
4. Of course there is always donate cash if you have it.
5. If you cant do any of these things you can earn $$ for Project Linus though your search engine. here is a link for that click

Thanks for checking out my favorite charity. any help you can provide is useful.

OH one other thing you can do is donate supplies to a blanketeer. your local chapter could put you in touch with someone who could use the supplies. yarn, fleece, quilt-able fabric.

WHY Project Linus

To get ready for "Make a Blanket Day" I thought it would be beneficial to learn WHY I make these blankets.

When I started making blankets it was merely to have something to do. Then My sister introduced me to this project. Well it was something to do with my blankets when i was done with them.

Then I got sick. In the beginning of my illness I was hospitalized. it was in a hospital an hour away from home. people i didn't know, in a town i didn't recognize. barely knowing how sick I was. I was lonesome and I was VERY afraid. I was also nearly 39 years old. Late one night (i had trouble sleeping) I got to thinking about Kids that had cancer. Kids that had Hodgkins disease just like me. Little kids. How scared were they? I mean if I were that scared, how terrified would a five year old be?

That moment is when i realized How important this charity is.

Linus blankets are only distributed to kids 18 and under. So my sister Who is also a blanketeer Stopped making Linus blankets to make one just for me. (I had a special Blanket since i was what BORN?) to see my blanket look here And even though i did not get my blanket in the hospital like a linus child would, I still knew the impact of what it could do.

I Make Linus blankets for all the scared little kids.... because I know

The Project Linus Mission

For those of you who do not know much about the cause I thought I would tell a bit about it.

Here is the Project Linus mission statement.

The Project Linus Mission

Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve our mission statement, which states:

First, it is our mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”

Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Together we have distributed over three million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.

To Learn more about Project Linus please go to their website

http://www.projectlinus.org

Gearing Up

Does it sound like I have been gearing up for something for Project Linus? Well you are right!

Make a blanket Day is coming up!

Make a Blanket Day (MABD) on the third Saturday in February each year. that would be Saturday, February 20, 2010. Every year, participating chapter coordinators around the country band together to make blankets and spread the Project Linus word.

I am getting my supplies around and getting ready for it. Its just one month away.

During the next month My posts will be focused on Project Linus. What it is what it does and how you can help. Along with projects I have done thrown in here and there. Join with me for this worthy cause!