To all my friends...

FLICKR FRIDAY INSPIRATIONS: HALLOWEEN

candy corn witchy poo! by beelicious

Halloween pinkeeps by deep fried cupcake

Halloween orange organza felt hanging ornaments by Natasha Smart Design

vintage style toy ornament HALLOWEEN CAT "whitey" by julibird

Handmade ornaments by Notabelle

fall in love with prim raggedy anne pumkin doll by Sweet Treat Dolls

Stitchery Freebies (Alphabet)

I am always on the lookout for stitching...whether motifs or alphabets. I have collected these freebies online from various sources and thought I'd share them. You can right-click on them to enlarge and then I always open with Microsoft Office Picture Manager...and print away in any size you like!

GIVEAWAY

I just had to share this giveaway...Amy at Irish Corkies Primitives made these and I think they are just adorable! Wouldn't these be great for the holidays? Drawing is on Nov. 6, so hurry over and get a chance to win!

Hope you're having a great Wednesday!

Tea on Tuesday: Pumpkin Cake Roll

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions:
Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Cover and freeze until firm. May be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Yield: 10 servings.

~~yummy recipe and photo from: tasteofhome.com~~

INSPIRATIONAL SUNDAY

FRIDAY FLICKR INSPIRATION: EMBROIDERY

prairie.mouse "fairy bread"

prairie.mouse "honey pot"

m.m.mimi "dragonfly and dandelion"

beths bagz "hydrangea bag"

moss mountain "Ophelia Mae, a white flower mouse with pink flowers"

jiggs images "baby slippers in pink"

incywincystiches "french knot sheep"

kristinllibrarian "embroidered tree"

Dixie Darlin, Pigeon Forge, TN

Hello friends!

I had to share with you one of my favorite shops when I go to Pigeon Forge, The Dixie Darlin. A wonderful cross-stitch and needlework shop where I can actually find punch needle patterns. One of my favorite things about this shop is they actually cross-stitch each pattern they have and hang it on the wall. The owner and staff are so friendly and you have to meet the office manager...I posted her pic below. ;) I snapped some quick pictures when I was in the shop a week ago (no, I'm really not the best photographer), but it really is a neat shop!

Directions:
Turn at traffic light #7 on to Old Mill Ave. Proceed across the bridge to the 3rd street on the left (Butler St).

My favorite wall...the punch needle!! :)Lots and lots of cross-stitch pattern, kits, books, floss, materials...you name it, Dixie Darlin has it!

Macy, the office manager! ;)

I LOVE this Halloween cat!

Tea on Tuesday: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 30 cookies)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
GARNISH:
Whipped topping, optional
Additional gingersnap cookies, cut into wedges, optional

Directions:Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and pecans; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.

Place 1 cup filling in a small bowl; stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining sugar. Remove 3/4 cup pumpkin filling and set aside. Pour remaining pumpkin filling into the crust; top with plain filling. Drop reserved pumpkin filling by spoonfuls over top; cut through filling with a knife to swirl.

Place pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.

Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipped topping and cookie wedges if desired.

Yield: 12 servings.

~~yummy recipe and photo from: tasteofhome.com~~

Pigeon Forge, TN

Dear friends,

More pics from our trip last week to TN. I just love all the fall colors and decorations! I might be biased because my anniversary is in October, but it is my favorite month! ;)

Hope you're having a wonderful Monday!

Hugs,
Sheri

Views coming into Pigeon Forge:

A drive-thru wedding chapel? This just cracks me up! What?? You're in such a hurry, you can't even get out of the car?? LOL.

The Old Mill Restaurant:

Shopping area around The Old Mill:
"Fall in love" (how sweet!):

Popular showplace (one of the many!):

Popular western wear store:

Arcades and mazes:

The Christmas Inn, owned by The Christmas Store, and located directly across the street:

The Christmas Store:

Another Christmas store!Really, what is about pancakes on vacation??I always thought this looked interesting.Beautiful Smokey Mountains:Arcades everywhere!Of course, I had to take a picture of the quilt store! We bought our wedding ring quilt here the year we were married. :)More beautiful decorations:Decorations at The Dixie Stampede:It's truly hard to capture the beauty of the mountains: