Candied Pecans

My Aunt was kind enough to share this recipe with me yesterday so I got down to business.... I am not disappointed!  They are yummy!

  Candied Nuts

1 lb. raw nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tblsp. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 250.  Place parchment paper in large baking pan.

Mix 3/4 c. sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix well.

Whip 1 egg white, vanilla and water with a whisk till foamy. (1 min.)

Add nuts to egg whites and mix till coated.  Add sugar mixture to nuts
and mix till coated.

Place nuts on parchment paper in single layer.  Bake at 250 for 1 hr.,
stirring the nuts every 15 minutes.  Remove and let cool.  Enjoy!

If you know where the original recipe came from, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

More Squares

At this rate, I will have my quilt squares finished by the end of the week! 

I didn't realize how many options there are for making squares! I am sure there are some styles I am missing!

Relaxing

I took yesterday night to relax.  Put my feet up with a bottle of hard cider, turned the tv on and worked on knitting a hat.  I wasn't even tempted to sew.  This weather seems to be putting people in a funk!

I'm trying my luck at a gluten free Udi's party on Saturday.  My choice is hotdogs.  I am looking forward to seeing who comes because it is supposed to be warm!

Thought for the day - give somebody a complement - it might boost their self-esteem and make their day!

More Purple

Happy Tuesday!

At this rate, I will have the squares done for this quilt by the end of the week.  I haven't decided what size I am going to make yet but I am having fun putting pieces together without stressing if they are "just right." 

There is nothing like thinking that you have all the purple scraps and turning around and finding more! It was really exciting!  I am liking the wonky-ness (is that a word?) of the squares!

My goal for this quilt is to try to machine quilt it with my cheap machine.  I did one a while back and it was a mess but according to other blogs, it takes practice!

On another note -  My niece received her birthday blanket last night (I couldn't wait so she got it early!

It was really different for me to use this color and combo - however, my sister-in-law picked it out and by the time it was finished, I was in love with it!  I am hoping to make my niece a baby blanket for her doll to go with it... We shall see!

This blanket also used over one package of satin binding - I had never combined two together so I looked at a lot of tutorials.  I am really happy with the finished product and have decided that I have the patience to make more of these!

Purple Scraps

What do you do when you make a quilt for a lady and are told that it is too manly?  Well of course, you make another one!

I LOVE purple and have always wanted to put together a quilt with no pattern, rythm or reason so here you go! 

The only theme for this quilt is that it has to be mostly purple.  So far I have succeeded.  Some of the squares I cut wonky - just because I can :)

Happy Monday!

I learned several things today....  Making mistakes is a perfectly normal part of being crafty!  My first attempt at a wallet flopped because, believe it or not, I had NO clue how to attach a snap.  And I did not have the proper tool!  So... I made another one and used the button hole feature (A first for me) on my sewing machine... and it turned out!  YAY!

The worst critique of our crafts are our own.

My Sitting Craft

I was gifted a box of yarn that had some scraps in it..... I decided to make hats while at lunch or sitting at home watching tv rather than sitting idol (Anybody that knows me, knows that me sitting still is slightly impossible).  These will be donated to the Homeless Shelter this winter. 

I use the knitting looms (brand doesn't matter) and can typically get one done in a few hours.  And they don't take a lot of yarn!

Some are single strand (when I thought I wouldn't have enough and had to use another color) but most are double.  Once I use up my scraps I will start doing solid colored hats.

I was also gifted two large bags of fabrics... Oye!  The possibilities are endless.. Pinterest has given me so many ideas!  My goal is to make a bunch of quick projects throughout the year and then have a table at a craft bazaar somewhere local.

Baby blanket complete

This blanket was semi-requested... I am not one to be given colors and then go buy and make a blanket.  For some reason I struggle with that.  I would rather see something that I like and simple make something.  This blanket was a lesson to me.  I learned that when you buy cheap solid syphmony cloth from Joann's, it can shrink when you iron it, even if it was previously pre-shrunk!

Hopefully the Mommy-to-be likes it and it fits her color scheme.

I have another one that I finished last week also but I am waiting for the recipient to receive it before I share.