The Retreat Razzie Award

Gail’s mistake

It was exactly a year ago that me and my quilt buds (Gail, Patti, Marg and Becky) were at our retreat, came home and then the world shut down! To say it’s been quite a year is an understatement.

But, at every retreat we go to, no matter where or when, there's always trash talk going on...or teasing each other about mistakes made (see Gail on the right)...or one wacky phrase that keeps getting bounced around the entire time we're there...or any number of things that make our retreats memorable. I’m sure many of you can relate to the silliness that happens at retreat.

One time somebody (can't remember who) made the off-hand comment “you get the award for reverse sewing!”. I can't remember who that was either, but it got me to thinking that we really did need an award for our times together at retreat. Let me introduce you to what I called the Retreat Razzie Award. And just so you know, it gets “awarded” to a different person each retreat…depending on who we collectively think is worthy (unworthy?).

A few trips to Value Village were in order to find a suitable trophy. During my first couple of trips they only had hockey and soccer trophies available, and even though I'm pretty resourceful I figured it was a stretch to try gearing them to quilting.

During the third trip I hit pay dirt. There was a $3 “Winged Victory” sitting on the top shelf waiting to be used for this very special project.

When I got home I started to gather all my supplies that I thought would work for jazzing her up…a too-small thimble, empty thread spools, metal bobbins from the dollar store from an old craft project, an old dull seam ripper, star beads, safety pins and a scissors craft charm.

The “participant” plate was removed from the front of the trophy and the gathered supplies were attached using my favourite glue, but many other good quality glues will work. The thimble was glued to her head, the scissors to her hand, the spools and bobbins were glued to the base, the stars and safety pins were glued to the wings and the seam ripper was added last. Once the glue dried she was spray painted in antique silver and then sealed with a spray sealer.

I went to my local trophy store to have a new front plate made for about $15 which finished it off beautifully. Wouldn't you be proud to have her sitting on your shelf?

Have fun making your own Retreat Razzie Award...and if you can't find a Winged Victory let me know if you're able to make the hockey player work!