Post Prom Gifts

Just a pic of the cute post prom gifts The Quilters Candy Shoppe is donating to the local schools. I LOVE the girl set of pillowcases!!!
  Summer is almost here, seems like yesterday we were complaining about the dark days of winter......well more daylight to get stuff done!

Whats keeping me busy

This is what I will be doing this week. I took this pic of my truck from the grain bin. (ok I only climbed the steps half way up, I'm chicken to go higher) I load the truck, drive to town 5 miles, weigh, drive 10 miles to the feed yard, unload, drive home 9 miles, repeat. I kind of like going to the feed yard, they have the cutest cats there and usually kittens to play with. I usually raise the box on the truck so it will dump steady then I go to the building in search of cats............

Busy season

I'm a little shocked that it's been since early March since my last post. I have no excuse for being MIA.
Guess I just didn't have anything important to say or the energy to say it.
  I did get this quilt finished in time for graduation. I like putting together puzzle piece t-shirt quilts. I have a few more to do over the summer and I have help so it should all go smooth.

Heartstring quilts

It's so nice to finally get a few of these quilts put together! The Orchard quilters helped at the last meeting and Sara put together the top quilt shown. I also have back and binding made for them. I am planning on passing some off to the next quilter..............I'm gonna let her add them to the Heartstings database.( oh and let her decide where to donate them too also)

Red, Black and White

 Who doesn't love red, black and white together? We got a new collection in at work and I had to play with it. Very easy block made with 2.5 inch strips, got the pattern for the block out of Julie's Block a Day calender. I grabbed my box of black and white from home to finish this quilt up with more block fabric and borders. It's a large throw size, I'm sure if I ever get it quilted it will be snugly because I plan to put fleece on the back.

 So while I had my box of black and whites out I thought I would use up more of it and make a tote bag. The bottom of the bag is scraps from the quilt, the body of the bag and the lining I didn't like for the quilt but I love together. The handles are also scrap from the bag.

 Finished project.

 Can't have a bag without a pocket, oh and fancy stitching (hard to see in pic's)

And this is how it fits the body when carried, or if you carry by the handles it won't hit the floor.

Christmas Cat Quilt

 I collect Christmas Cat fabric, once in awhile I get a quilt done. Well I get a top done anyway. I found this fabric at Cosmic Cow in Lincoln last year while on a day trip with Kev. (he goes to meetings, I shop) I brought it home and matched a bunch of fabrics to it from work. I know there was bunches of pre-coordinated stuff but I like to match my own most of the time. Thrill of the hunt I guess. I am really drawn to pink and red together lately, throw in an aqua and lime.........just yummy! Oh and I made a matching pillowcase shown at the top of the pic. I had a few scraps to use up and I love to use it all when I can.

 I started this quilt a year ago about this time, had it all kitted up and waiting it's turn in the UFO pile. Good thing I judged right on fabrics, all the prints used in the border are now sold out at work.

I helped a bit with this quilt the other day, it's a project of the St. Mary's 5th grade class for an auction. Their mascot is the cardinal. They spent an afternoon pinning and tying, Julie made the quilt and I helped by binding. I love helping with community projects.

Winter

 Winter finally showed up in February...............

 One thing about snow, it makes even abandon farm houses look cool.

 Never ending supply of wind in Nebraska, even the weeds lean from the drifting snow.

Well a little snow doesn't stop our Amish neighbors.........

Evening read

 Snowball helped me with my evening read, she held the pages down while I read the articles about jewelry making.

It's been a busy week since we got home from vacation. I'm trying to wind down now from work and the Super Bowl(liked the half time show). I sliced my index finger on a broken glass so that is throbbing just a bit...........I've spent three out of four nights at the bar so it's been late nights around here for me.
 I will be at the quilt shop alot, there is medical issues and vacations for the next two weeks. I also have two nights at the bar this week to look forward too. I love both my jobs but when it rains it pours! My mom broke her leg just above her ankle while I was in Florida so I have spent more time with her this last week too. She is doing well considering the injury and she has started some sewing to keep herself busy. She is also making hats on the round looms, hers are much prettier than mine, she likes sparkly yarn. I take her to the doctor Tuesday for x-rays, we'll see how things are then.
  

Pool side

I love the pool at the resort, it's as warm as a bathtub and usually not to crowded. I took pic's from both views, one from our room 9 stories up and the top pic is the view I get when I'm floating in the pool.

Kevin

 A nice relaxing week at the beach and pool in Florida............

 Sunday morning it was back to work around the farm........

A load of fire wood in the basement and a pile of brush cleared from my driveway.

before vacation

 I finished this quilt before vacation but didn't have time to download the pic's. My friend Diane made this using pillowcases her MIL made. They found the stash while cleaning out the house after her passing. The work is wonderful but the pic isn't. I forgot to take a pic until delivering it to the bar so I tossed it over the pool table.........she bordered it with dark blue and it's king sized. She is giving it to her husband Alan.

 This is my favorite piece in the quilt. I love working on memory quilts or sentimental quilts!

 This is the quilt I will be giving my friend, I was quilting it when I heard of her mother's passing, now to get the binding on.............

And last but not least is Jim's quilt, Roseanne made it for her husband with a bandanna as the starting block, the brown one in the top middle row. They went to the Cattleman's Ball last year and this is the souvenir from the Ball. This quilt spent Christmas on my quilt frame...........ugh! I still have it too because I didn't finish it before Roseanne had knee replacement surgery last week. I think I will work on another one or two of hers soon and deliver after work in O'Neill sometime. (she lives in Atkinson)

Cold

Oh I am not used to this cold...........I can't wait to be sitting by the pool in Florida in a few days! Our sort of annual vacation starts Sunday and I'm so excited! I don't have any plans while there besides swim in the ocean.
  Soooooooooo I got a few things done this week,

• Roseann's quilt that has been on the frame for a month is off and ready to go.
• A quilt for a friend is quilted who lost her mother this week.
• My friend Diane's quilt is done too, she made it for her husband, more on these when I show them off with pic's on here.
• Sorted more in my studio, books, fabric into charity baskets and even stuff for fire starter
• Magazines go to quilt group next, I'm sure someone will want to have some evening reading.
• I also got my machine on the desk.

Today was bar day, spent 3 hours this afternoon then went back after an hour and a half of laundry duty at home and put in another 7 hours, ok it's off to bed.........tomorrow is quilt shop day.....

Another day

It's another day of cleaning and sorting around here. Just returned from town, had to take Kev in to get his tractor, and I got a big ol' Mt. Dew to help me thru the afternoon. Sara told me yesterday while helping me that the first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem. (gotta love 14 yr. old) Well I have a huge problem with hoarding and my plan is to tackle it in small bits.

• 20 or so patterns are out the door, gave them away at quilt group last night
• empty boxes are out of my studio
• sorted trims and such-they have a home in a three drawer cart
• sorting kits into baskets
• empty jars are in the house ready to go to the basement
• a basket of clothes came into the house to be sorted and washed
• books and patterns are slowly finding their shelf

I hope if I work everyday it starts to make a difference around here..................oh and to get my sewing machine a happy home on my sewing desk! (with lots of room around it, not piles of stuff waiting to tip over on me)

Janurary

Another quilt from the Holt Co. Museum collection. This is a signature quilt . I should of taken notes because I've forgotten the details of the quilt.
  This month is flying by......not sure why but I'm not getting much sewing/crafting done. I am in the process of cleaning my studio. I have to admit I am a hoarder. Oh that's so hard to admit but it's time, and it's time to break the cycle of hoarding.

• I cleaned my closet and donated a trunk full of clothing to the thrift store in Ewing.
• I throw away half bottles of lotion if I know they have lost their scent, or I don't like them.
• Shoes have been sorted.
• Got rid of a few books.
• Threw a few towels away.
• Have a box of Christmas stuff ready to go away.
• Gave my Mom back her jewelry boxes that were stashed in my closet.

I feel pretty good about getting rid of things, now it's off to my studio to work some more. I am working on a jewelry making station. (kids are home, they need to haul stuff so off I go)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Trease kids! Sara, Brad, Kristin and Josh.

Winter

 It's the longest night of the year, winter solstice. It was also my uncles b'day. I should of been born on this day but stubbornness on my part delayed my arrival by two more days. Forty three years ago there was a terrible storm,  my Grandma took my mom to the hospital, almost didn't get there though, couldn't get up the huge hill in the car with all the snow. When they arrived the nurses came out thinking my Grandma was the one needing help, guess my mom had to go to the doors herself to get someone to let them in. I always thought this was funny, my mom didn't look pregnant and she was tough too. I always watch the weather on this day, waiting for another blizzard, today was 40 and overcast with a slight wind. No storm tonight.

Thought I'd show what I work on when nothing is going on at work. This is an ongoing scrappy project. Very simple so I can have no stress sewing and interruptions don't hurt. I am down to borders on this now, not sure if I'll add them though, can't seem to find anything I like. Right now the quilt is 80X110 so really it don't need borders.........if it had a home I would know what color the borders should be but right now it's homeless, just add it to my UFO pile.

oh the fun we have......

The girls helped me string garland and lights on the deck rails tonight. They also decorated something that was left on the deck for over a week. I got a new one a week ago but someone keeps ignoring me when I tell him to get it off the deck (Brad).  Oh well, who we got to impress, hillbilly is in the genes. (yes those white spots are snow, I'm a mean Mom and I made them help me in the dark and snowy night)

Little Christmas Cheer

 I like decorating and creating for Christmas. The first wreath is one I made for Al. I clean his house once a week or so when time allows. He forbid a tree when I asked him if he had one or wanted one so I compromised and made him a wreath. The lights and all the ornaments are his, I just supplied the wreath, bows and the girly pink cow ornament on the left.(he raises Holstein heifers) 

 This sweet Barbie wreath is MINE!!! I used to have them on a tree that sat in my bedroom but with my new furniture there just is not room for a tree so I downsized a bit and put them on a wreath. I am donating the leftovers to the second hand store, I don't really need 40 Barbie toys..........

This little tree sits on the kitchen bar, it blinks alot! I put pokie lights on it and mostly red and white ornaments. We used to have pokie lights when I was little so when I found them at the thrift store I had to have them. Mom says the pokie star points kept me and the dog from messing with them on the tree.

bags

Sara, Mom and I made a few makeup bags last night for gifts. They had them cut out and zippers in before I got there so all I had to help with was the sewing sides and corners. I stole this pic from my Mom's blog   flicshasews.blogspot.com  if anyone wants to see more that we've done. I love making things like this and it was even better with help.

December already?

I think I am in shock, it's already the middle of December! The weather is starting to act like it too.......cold and dreary. I am in the middle of a big mess with Christmas decorations (planned to many like usual) and finishing up a few quilts for other people this week too. I am starting to get overwhelmed so it's time to take a deep breath and start making lists...maybe I will feel better when I check things off.
This is a Holt Co. museum quilt. Oh I've already forgot the details, guess if you want to know more visit the museum!