Slow Roasted Cinnamon-Sugar Vanilla Almonds

For the month of February, nuts.com is looking to spread the word on the health benefits of almonds! I couldn't be more excited to help. This girl loves almonds!

And if you've ever been through Chicago O'Hare airport, more than likely you smelled the amazing almonds as soon as you step off the plane.  If you're like me, you can never pass them up!  Since I can't be flying back & forth to Chicago, I came up with my own version to make here at home.

With only 7 ingredients these are much easier to make than you'd think!

I think they look good before they even get in the oven!

Slow Roasted Cinnamon-Sugar Vanilla Almonds

Ingredients
3cups - un-salted almonds
1 egg white
1tsp cold water
1tsp vanilla
1cup white sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Using a whisk or hand mixer, beat egg white until foamy.  Add cold water and vanilla, mix.

In a large bowl measure out 3 cups of almonds.  Pour egg mixture over almonds and stir to coat well.
In a separate bowl mix together sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Sprinkle over almonds and mix well to ensure there is sugary goodness on all almonds.

Grease a cookie sheet and spread evenly in one layer.  Bake for 1 hour.

Resist the urge to take them out when the sweet aroma takes over your house.  Letting them get slow roasted and glazed on the outside will be totally worth it!

What are your favorite recipes using almonds?  If you need any inspiration, check out nuts.com's almonds page to see their health benefits and more recipes.

Lazy Day Flannels

Riley Blake Lazy Day Flannels are the newest addition to my Etsy Shop!

If you've been around my Blog a while, you'll know how much I love flannel.  It is my favorite type of fabric!

In fact my first two quilts were rag quilts!

And I made this little monkey quilt for my friend Renee. 

So when I saw these Lazy Day Flannel's by Riley Blake, I knew they would make an adorable rag quilts and a great addition to my Etsy Shop!

What to you think?  Cute right?? My mom even said that they reminded her dresses her and her sister had when they were little girls in the 70s.  

I'm also thinking of putting together 1 yard bundles, would any one be interested in that?  

Let me know!

Taking a Jelly Fish Break

Sometimes you just need to take a break and make a Jelly Fish and Octopus quilt for no other reason than the fabric makes you smile :)

Shared at

NEW ARRIVAL - Lost & Found Love

I'm SUPER excited to share with you the newest arrival in my Etsy Shop.

When I saw this Lost & Found Love quilt featured on the Riley Blake homepage, I knew I HAD to have this line!  It is BRAND new and beautiful, I couldn't wait for Valentine's day to share with you so I listed in my shop today!

The pattern for the 45x54 quilt, starts with a Fat Quarter bundle of all prints in the line - which can be found here in my Etsy Store :)  Lost and Found Love Fat Quarter Bundle

 I also have the main red print in my store, the main print in black, pink hearts, and the  2.5" Rolie Polie. 

To make things even better, the pattern is FREE on Riley Blake's website! Doesn't get much better than that!!

 http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/media/uploads/Free_Quilting_Projects/2014/LostandFoundLoveFreeQuilt.pdf

Hope you love it too!  Get it? Love? Yeah sometimes I try to be funny LOL.  And if you're not quite ready for Valentine's Day, I also still have cute Christmas Fabric in my store as well - so check it out!

Awkward Corner Makeover

Does every house have that one place that's just a bit awkward & they don't know what to do with it?  In our house its the corner.  Its between the kitchen and dining room, on the other side of our fridge.

I knew it had potential but I just never knew what to do with it.  That is until I found this at Target!  I hoped it fit and loaded it up in my Honda and brought this baby home!

I thought the glass doors gave the perfect opportunity to display all of my cookbooks, while keeping them dust free.  I made a table runner for the top & my mom got me these antique cake platters for my birthday, the perfect place to display them - aren't they fabulous?!

And finally I came across two pictures at Shopko.  Since one was damaged I was able to negotiate with the manager and get them both 50% off!  Little did they know, this "damage" was going to be perfect to fit over the ugly phone jack in the middle of my wall!  Put it all together, and taaa-daa!  Awkward no more!

September Reading Recap

When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde (5 Stars)



I really enjoy a book that isn't the typical story & "When I Found You" was one of those books.  Well-written, unexpected, and touching - this was the perfect book to read while lounging under a blanket watching the leaves fall with a cup of tea.

The story begins with Nathan McCann.  The author immediately makes the reader feel for Nathan who seems to be lonely and in a loveless marriage.  In a moment that changed his life, duck hunting one morning Nathan and his dog find a tiny baby left in the woods wrapped in a sweater.  Nathan bonds with this child in the short time it takes to bring him to the police and decides he wants to adopt the boy.  However, this is where the story starts to depart from the expected.  The baby is given to its grandmother to raise, yet through the years Nathan always carries a soft spot for him.  A story of heartbreak, trauma, and unconditional love despite all odds made me truly enjoy this book.  On a scale of 1 - 5, I give it 5 stars.

August Reading Recap

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart  (4 stars)

Whimsical and mysterious, We Were Liars grabs you by the hand and pulls you right in.  Teenager Cadence Sinclair is the oldest grandchild of the prestigious Sinclair family which comes from old East-Coast money.  The Sinclair family summers on the private Beachwood Island, Cadence spending her time with her cousins Johnny, Mirren, and family friend Gat - the 4 of them referred to as The Liars.  However, after a mysterious accident when she was 15, Cady is now trying to figure out what exactly happened.  Amnesia, heartbreak, and a family of secrets, this is the type of book you cannot put down.