Log Cabin at Running Deer Farm - Prairie Schooler

The colors are a bit yellow on this one because of the lighting. I mounted this on a little wooden slat from Michaels that I painted dark red. Then I used green cording from Joann around it.

Running Stag - Carriage House Samplings

I found a set of 100 (100!) business card magnets marked half off at Office Depot, and had to get them. I used the first one to turn this little piece into a magnetic pinkeep - it's on my fridge now.

If you'd like a free business card magnet - you peel off the paper to get to the sticky part - email me at cholmaneee at uia dot net and give me your snail mail address. First 10 will get a freebie magnet! You have to agree to make a magnet and post it for everyone to see!

My Daughter's Team Won the Championship!

Some of you may know about my daughter's health issues (ulcerative colitis, which failed to respond to 3 years of steroids and chemotherapy, followed by colon removal and 8 additional surgeries over 2 more years) but now she's "back to normal" with a j-pouch and great health. She was urged by her best friends to play soccer again, so she joined their team in the local Over-30 league (they allow 3 under-30 players on the field). They won the league championship the other night. They'll start again in October, so I look forward to watching her continue to play and find joy in her favorite activity.

She's the goalkeeper in black in the middle.

Happy Trails - Corinna O

I decided to make a cube from the squares Corinna sent me for F & S. I found some cute pushpins at Office Depot - flowers, stars, and hearts. This will sit on the counter in my trailer.

Plover - Martha B

There's nothing like an office supply store to get your creative juices flowing! No, I guess I have to admit I was inspired by Heather Daly of Monsterbubbles. She used cork to finish a piece, so I decided to give it a try with these F & S squares from Martha.

I used little brads leftover from my scrapbooking days on the corners, and two large eyelets for the hanger.

It's going to hang in my trailer to remind me of the beach and Martha's creativity.

Online Needlework Show Favorites N - Z

More of my favorites!

Recipe for a Snowman - Whispered by the Wind

Les Poules de Can Cliquettes (Mad Hens) - Tom & Lilly Designs

Pair Tree - Sue Hillis Designs

Snowman - Stitch Bitch

(I love all their designs!)

Deck the Halls Heart - Sekas & Co.

Candy Corn Heart - Sekas & Co.

Multiplication Sampler - The Sampler House

Christmas Eve - Queenstown Sampler Designs

Kringle's Christmas Tree Farm - Praiseworthy Stitches

Moose Crossing - Prairie Grove Peddler

Falling Leaf Celebration - Periwinkle Promises

Heart of Fire - Northern Pine Designs

Christmas Wishes - The Needle's Notion

Online Needlework Show Favorites A - M

Wow! So much to see and WANT.

Here are some that caught my eye:

Have a Happy! (An Everything ABC) - Marilynn & Jackie's Collectibles

Country House Sampler - The Linen Sampler

Woodland Quilt Bearclaw - Handblessings

Aurora Borealis - Gitta's

Puzzle Pisces - Funk & Weber Designs



Chocolate - Lilipoints

Cotton Candy Biscornu - Enchanting Lair

American Promenade - Annie Beez Samplings


Reindeer Games Ornament - Historic Stitches


Celtic Medallion - Vickery Collection


Subordinate Clauses - Carousel Charts
(I'm an English teacher so this one makes me giggle!)


Smell My Feet - CherryWood Design Studios


Bottom Heavy - CherryWood Design Studios


Bone Appetit - Cricket Collection
(can you tell I like the clever ones?)

Squares for Corinna - Cinnamon Samplings - Cinnamon Heart Needleworks

I got this booklet from a fellow stitcher who was unloading her stash - for only $1! I saw someone else on F&S do a square one-over-one, so I decided to do it, too.

Designed Just for Me!

Corinna in Texas stitched me this really clever and cute square for F&S. What makes it so special is that she took the time to read my blogs, and saw that I have a trailer, I love to travel, and my husband loves to fish. I also love her signature block - with the two of us exchanging our squares. The card says "All for the joy of doing."

from Rune Keeper - Dragon Dreams

I stitched this panel for Georgena's RR18. What you can't tell from the photo are the metallic threads - they really make it look nice.

A Photo Meme!

Kyri told her readers to give this photo meme a try. So I did. Here are the instructions:

For those who have digital cameras (bonus points if it’s inbuilt in your computer or webcam)

take a picture of yourself right now.
don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair…just take a picture.
post that picture with NO editing.
post these instructions with your picture.

It made me go figure out how to use the camera fixture on my computer!

F & S Squares for Staci - Fall into Autumn - Erica Michaels

Staci was my partner for the Seasonal Exchange - Autumn round in Fair and Square. I like the Erica Michaels designs from her "Stitchers' Surprise" series, so I stiched "Fall into Autumn" for Staci.

You've Gotta Try This!

I saw this on Melissa's blog, and thought I'd see how it worked for me.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto
2. Green Smoothie
3. Tofu Scramble
4. Haggis
5. Mangosteen
6. Creme brulee
7. Fondue
8. Marmite/Vegemite
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Nachos
12. Authentic soba noodles
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart
16. Boba Tea
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Gyoza
20. Vanilla ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Ceviche
24. Rice and beans
25. Knish
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Caviar
29. Baklava
30. Pate
31. Wasabi peas
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Mango lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Mulled cider
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Fast food french fries
41. Raw Brownies
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans
43. Dahl
44. Homemade Soymilk
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Stroopwafle
47. Samosas
48. Vegetable Sushi
49. Glazed doughnut
50. Seaweed
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Tofurkey
54. Sheese
55. Cotton candy
56. Gnocchi
57. Piña colada
58. Birch beer
59. Scrapple
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Soy curls
63. Chickpea cutlets
64. Curry
65. Durian
66. Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Smoked tofu
69. Fried plantain
70. Mochi
71. Gazpacho
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies
73. Absinthe
74. Corn on the cob
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can
76. Pomegranate
77. Cupcake
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. Jerky
80. Croissants
81. French onion soup
82. Savory crepes
83. Tings
84. A meal at a vegan restaurant
85. Moussaka
86. Sprouted grains or seeds
87. Macaroni and cheese
88. Flowers
89. Matzoh ball soup
90. White chocolate
91. Seitan
92. Kimchi
93. Butterscotch chips
94. Yellow watermelon
95. Chili with chocolate
96. Bagel and cream cheese
97. Potato milk
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Raw cookie dough




I don't even know what some of those are!

Me, Half Geek?

50% Geek

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites

I'd have never thought it. I'm wondering - should I be proud or embarrassed?

F&S Halloween Squares Received from Jenn B!

So now, what shall I do with them? I'm thinking a little flat piece stitched together along a seam, so I'll have to stitch a little "frame". Isn't this a cute piece? Jenn put her own initials in the tombstone. Love it!

Cabin in the Woods - Bent Creek

When I first saw this pattern, I just HAD to have it. I live in a cabin in the woods with a waterfall about a half mile away. Perfect! This one is stitched one-over-one on 28-count lugana, so instead of being about 9 x 13, it's going to fit in a 4 x 6 frame.

Making Your Own "Boxer" - Using a CD Case for Finishing

In the years between my two stints at cross stitching, I was a scrapbooker and stamper. One of the things I used to make was little calendars for gifts, decorating a small square calendar - one each month - and mounting it all in a little CD case frame. You would show one month, and store the other month's pages in the back. A couple of weeks ago I was at a LNS and saw Lizzie Kate's Boxers - and knew I could try to do the same things with cross stitch that I did with my calendars. This is my first attempt at a tutorial, and I know it's not nearly as good as some other tutorials I've seen, but here it goes.

You'll need: Your stitched piece, a blank crystal CD box, mounting board, materials for attaching piece to mounting board, Glue Dots

First, take apart the CD case and remove the insert that the CD sticks to.
It's on the right in the photo below.

Next, flip the cover around and re-attach it to the other half.
This other half becomes the base.
You'll be able to stand it up and see how it's going to look.
NOTE: The picture below is WRONG! I realized you'll have to flip the base over, too, so that the slant is not as severe. You'll see what I mean in the last pictures.

Cut a piece of mounting board to fit the top part of the CD cover.

Using whatever technique works best for you, mount your stitched piece on the mounting board. (I used masking tape - not the best method, but I was in a hurry and that's what was the quickest).

Attach finished piece inside CD cover top. Use the glue dots where the little "clamps" are to help hold the piece in place behind the plastic.

Now that I figured out the way the cover goes, it stands up quite nicely. In addition, I'm sure I could come up with some great embellishments - buttons, ribbon, raffia, etc.

Night Owl - Prairie Schooler (for F&S)

Now that Jenn has received the squares I sent for the Halloween Round of Fair & Square, I can post the pics. Being a Prairie Schooler fanatic I knew I just had to stitch the design from this month's Just Cross Stitch.

Finished! All 12 Fruits from Little House Needleworks

I finally got this one done, so I need to take it to Joann's to get framed. Maybe. I might be able to do it myself. This is done one-over-one on 28-count - see the penny for scale? It's nice to finish this piece.