Top Soccer Shoot Out Ever

Mr. Cactus received two degrees from Brigham Young University.

That is one reason I love to watch 

BYU's TV Studio C

Our Son-In-Law was a top Soccer player.

Now our Grandchildren, even at their young ages, are playing soccer too.

Top Soccer Shoot Out Ever

Scott Sterling, Face of Steel

Make sure to especially watch the very last play.

To watch more 

Studio C 

*I especially like their Hunger Games The Musical clips

 go

HERE

Do You Know How To Use A Typewriter?

I know this will date me,

but, did any of you own a typewriter?

Do you know what they are?

Do you know how they work?

I never would have guessed that 

Typewriter quilt fabric

 could possibly be a mystery 

to the next generation.

Kids React To Typewriters

actually made me feel a little better.

This will probably be my one and only opportunity

to actually know more about 

how to use a device

than they do.

Quilting Anonymous by Superior Threads

Before moving to Arizona

I used to work for 

Superior Threads

The names in this video have been 

changed to protect the innocent,

but I know these men 

PERSONALLY

Can you help me to help them?

The Sewing Machine Song

Betty Hutton 1947 

from the movie The Perils of Pauline

The Sewing Machine Song

Too funny!

It certainly made me wonder

how many lives would

"come to a no good end"

if it wasn't for our sewing machines.

I can only speak personally,

but I am well aware

my machine has provided years of 

calming therapy :)

*Wouldn't this song be fun to sing at Quilt Retreats?

Ohhh the sewing machine, the sewing machine
A girl's best friend
If I didn't have my sewing machine
I'd a come to no good end
But a bobbin a bobbin and peddle a peddle
And wheel the wheel by day
So by night I feel so weary that I never get out to play

Ohhh the sewing machine, the sewing machine
A friend in need
If I didn't having my sewing machine
A wicked life I'd lead
But a bobbin a bobbin and peddle a peddle
And dream about romance
So by night I feel so weary that I never get out to dance

Ohhh the sewing machine, the sewing machine
Me pride and joy
If I didn't having me sewing machine
I'd a married James McCoy
But a bobbin a bobbin and peddle a peddle
And that's the end of Jim
'Cause by night I get so weary I don't even look good to him

Moss Stitch Crocheted Afghan Finish

Last May I started crocheting

an Afghan using an easy to do 

Moss Stitch

and wrote about it 

HERE

Today I went into my dashboard to check on how many view

that post has received so far

and was shocked to see over

3,700 hits!

W.O.W!

I guess crocheting attracts more of an audience than I ever imagined.

This Moss Stitch Afghan was so easy to make!

 I worked on it a little bit here and there

and now have a finish.

I really am a beginning crocheter.  The only skill required was a chain stitch and single crochet.

Very relaxing and required very little thought.

 Using bits of leftover balls of yarn

I alternated each row with a different color

which gave the Afghan a scrappy look.

 Finished size:

58" X 61"

Just the right size to fold over the top of a couch.

 The bright happy colors make me smile :)

This will be a comfy throw

to snuggle under during the cold winter months.

 A Christmas present for a family member.

If you would like a tutorial on how to 

crochet the Moss Stitch

I included a You Tube Video

by Lisa of All Free Crochet

on my previous May 1st post

HERE

If you have any other questions,

please feel free to e-mail me

at 

nedras@mstar.net

Seam Fix Seam Ripper

Recently I was in a local quilt shop

and saw the

Seam Fix Seam Ripper

on display right at the front counter.

I've heard of this nifty little notion

and for $7 thought it was worth a try.

Have you seen it 

or tried it yet?

In a perfect world, 

we would not need seam rippers.

But, in MY World

I need to keep one 

close at hand :)

You use the seam ripper part first,

and then rub the fabric with the white rubber ends 

to clear away the stray threads.

I gave it a try, and it really works!

I have a friend with arthritis

who struggles with finger dexterity

and she feels this tool is quite helpful.

Heirloom Creations 

has done a short little demo

on You Tube

After watching the video

I found out there 

are also

 Electric Seam Rippers?!!!

oh my

It's Not About The Nail

When I first saw this
You Tube video
It's Not About The Nail
I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks.
I grabbed Mr. Cactus and
had him watch it with me.
I must admit
we have had this conversation several times
in our 35 years of marriage :)

Moss Stitch Crocheted Afghan

 We arrived back home yesterday

from our quick trip to Utah.

Beautiful tributes were offered to our dear Uncle,

and we were able to visit

with many family members

that we haven't seen in years.

In our grief, we also feel

the joy of connection with family

 that often accompanies a funeral.

 Mr. Cactus and I decided to make the long drive from our home in Arizona

to Northern Utah

in order to make a stop off 

in Southern Utah.

We checked on our home in St. George

and enjoyed an overnight stay with family.

In just a few short days 

we put in a lot of miles.

I knew I needed something to keep my hands busy

during the long drive

so I grabbed a stack of left over yarn

before we headed out the door.

 Working the 

Moss Stitch

I started crocheting an 

easy to do afghan.

 I've always loved scrap quilts,

and I'm pleased with how this

afghan is turning out 

using a wide variety of colors

of leftover yarn.

 I'm at a beginner level in crochet,

and the Moss Stitch is an easy one to do.

The only skill required is a 

chain stitch and single crochet.

 I alternated colors with each row.

There are a lot of tails still to be woven in :)

 Using a 5.5 crochet hook,

I chained 250 for the base,

which makes the width about 61 inches.

I'm not sure what the length will end up.

It may be determined by how 

much yarn I have left!

*I'll keep you posted.

There are a lot of  easy to follow

 You-tube tutorials

 that teach the

Moss Stitch

(also known as the Seed Stitch or Granite Stitch)

Lisa from All Free Crochet helped get me started:

Bumble Bees In Flight Quilt

 It must be Spring

because I have been drawn 

to quilts

sharing the theme of

bumble bees

lately.

 Bumble Bees In Flight 

by Clarene O. Smith

was on display at the

Arizona Quilter's Guild Show

 I really like Clarene's use 

of yoyo clusters through out the quilt.

Very striking  

3-D effect

 set against the black background.

 Clarene wrote:

"This quilt is scrap yo yo's, 

miscellaneous squares,

and leaves, 

and my first attempt at machine track quilting"

 I think another reason I really liked this quilt

is because the layout is very unique

and quite different than anything I've seen before.

 The yo yo's along the bottom

form a hexagon shape.

A very original look.

I'm not sure how Clarene came up with the name 

for her quilt,

but I can tell you that

as I stood there viewing her work,

I kept humming

parts of

Flight Of The Bumble Bee

Easy Easter Table Decorations

 Last night I helped teach a class at my church on

Easy Easter Table Decorations

and wanted to share a few of our

ideas with you.

Many times we are looking for fun ways 

to spruce up our tables

that don't take a lot of time or money.

 My part of the program was

to teach

a Proper Way to Set a Table &

Bunny Napkin Fold

 These easy napkin folds only take a minute to make

and add a bright spot to the table.

I followed the instructions from this

You Tube Video

by Better Homes and Gardens

 Dorothy taught us how to make

Baa Baa Black and White Sheep

using cookies and marshmallows.

 One lady liked her sheep so much she named 

one "Marsha" and the other one "Mallow".

(tee hee)

This would be a great project for 

the kids and grand kids to help with.

 Tutorial offered by Tip Junkie

HERE

 And Corrie had the supplies ready for us to create

Easter Egg Carton Chicks

Another easy project perfect

for the kids to make.

Tutorial offered

HERE

 by 

Jeromina Juan of

Paper Plate and Plane

The Christmas Story

This is the true meaning of Christmas!

The Christmas Story

presented by

the Children

of St. Paul's Church

Auckland, New Zealand.
*which one is your favorite character?

"Pardon Me I Didn't Knit That For You"

I already can't get this song out of my head.
Come on ladies, lets sing along!
Pardon Me, I Didn't Knit That For You
(or quilt, crochet or embroider)


Mr. Cactus has a saying:
Do you know what happens when you play a Country Music song BACKWARDS?
You get your dog back, your truck back, your wife back...