2015 - Q2 Finish Along

I have decided to join the Q2 Finish Along over at On the Windy Side.  So instead of drooling over everyone else's projects, I hope to have two of my very own finished by the end of the Quarter (well let's be honest, I'll still be drooling because everyone makes such amazing projects!)

The two projects I want to have finished are

1. Jelly Fish & Octopus Quilt
This one I started just because I loved the fabric!  I started piecing the squares quite a while ago, as I mentioned in this post Taking a Jelly Fish Break.

Then once the rows were together, I did nothing.  For a very very long time.  I didn't want to iron my seams.  Can anyone relate?  My ironing board and iron were away, and it just didn't seem fun.

Last weekend I decided I need to get this one finished so I can start my next project, so I've got it put together with ironed seams - well, except the one in the center because my iron had shut off and I didn't to wait around any longer.

So for this Finish Along, I need a little fire under me to get this guy finished!  After I'm done ironing I am going to attempt to quilt it myself using my walking foot.  I think it will be good practice, since its not going to anyone.

Once that one is finished, its on to the real deal project. The make or break, I gotta get this baby done!

2. Field Day Wedding Quilt
One of the girls who works for me is getting married in July!  She's a fun, vibrant, exciting girl so for her wedding I wanted to make a quilt with colors that I believe reflect her!

I have had this Field Day Fat Quarter since August and I think that this Squares & Strips tutorial at Cluck Cluck Sew will be perfect.  Doesn't she have the best Tutorials?

I feel like this is an agressive plan with working full time, all of the every day things, as well as a vacation to Seattle scheduled.  But I need to find more time to sew, if not just to keep myself sane.  Well and a Deadline of a Wedding date doesn't hurt either!

Do you have any projects you want to get finished before the end of June?  Join us!

Baseball Opening Day!!

Something that most people don't know about me is that I LOVE baseball!!  I grew up watching it with my parents, we would make a Saturday of it watching local teams or even fast-pitch softball.  In addition, my great-grandmother was a die-hard fan, I remember as a little girl her watching the World Series with her in her nursing home room.  So I'm pretty sure its in my blood.

If we had a closer MLB team, I would totally have to buy season tickets! Since we don't, I have to settle for going to games when we travel to new cities!  Lucky for me, my hubby is a good sport and we have gone to some great games!  We've been to a few Rockies games in Colorado, and last year we had so much fun at a Milwaukee Brewer's game, that we are going again this April!

And no Wisconsin baseball post would be complete without mention of Hank the Ballpark Pup who is proudly displayed on my desk at work  .

If you are unfamiliar with Hank, he is the cute little doggy the Brewer's team adopted last year at Spring Training.  You can learn more about his story here.

Spring Baseball & Dogs!  What could be better?

Play Ball!!

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!