You're moving?!!

This is the response I get when ever I tell someone that Mr Wazoo and I are moving to Georgia in the Spring. We kept it on the QT for awhile but feel it's time to start letting our customers and friends know our plans.
We have been looking in the general area of Tim's family in South Carolina, western North Carolina, and northern Georgia for some time and just recently came across the ideal place for our home and business. Our realtor found a partially built home just outside Blairsville, GA that was being built as a spec house. It has the big room we need for the business and studio, and has all the living area on one floor. We got in at the right time to pick appliances and countertops, bathroom fixtures and electricals. After we close, we will contract to have the 'bonus room' finished as the studio space. People will no longer have to walk through our living space to get to the business; it has its own entrance!
Northern Georgia has a moderate climate and the wonderful change of seasons I miss so much living here in Florida. We have mountain views without the steep climb to get to the house, as well as being close to town but still in the country.
 I won't miss the oppressive heat of summer, the threat of hurricanes, the fear of sinkholes or the clog of snowbirds in the winter. What I will dearly miss are my friends and my loyal customers. It is pretty scary to go somewhere where we don't know anyone and start over. We're not spring chickens, so it is harder than when we started here 14 years ago. My quilting friends are what has kept me sane while living here, and I hope they will always be my friends despite the distance between us.
I will be having the last retreat in Sebring in January and continue the Nifty Fifty quilting group until we move. I have commitments until mid-March, so that will probably when I will be going. If the house sells quicker than we imagine it will, I will have to adjust my plan a bit, but not leave anyone in the lurch.
While you absorb all of this, take a look at where we're going and our 'almost' house.

The countryside on the drive to the house

more countryside 

our house

the lower level is the garage and the studio next to it

garage level where customers will come

great room in progress

Studio entrance

back porch will be screened

back of unfinished studio

unfinished studio

our road

looking the other direction

Garden Delight class

i taught a class in the quilt Garden Delight designed by Swirly Girl Designs, and thought I would post the pictures taken during the class.
Today, at guild show and tell, there were two finished tops shown...and one of those was mine! The other girls say they are still sewing, so I expect there will be more next month.
Enjoy the photos!

Customize your own picture slideshow

August 2014 WAZOO retreat

Everyone had a wonderful time in Sebring again, sewing and laughing together. The 'X marks the Spot' quilt was a hit with the girls, and many were finished.It was really nice to sew in the newly painted room without the heavy curtains and bunting blocking the light. Too bad it will be back to normal next time we go there.
I finished a project started at Nifty Fifty, and also made a small quilt from the leftover block components. Once again, Granny Sue had a fabulous array of fabrics and notions for us. Shopping was fun! Of course, I'm back at work today, but I have the memories to keep me smiling.
Enjoy the show!

Create your own photo slideshow

Baby with his quilt

I sent a quilt to a friend who just had her first baby. He is a cute little peanut! She sent this photo of him with the quilt. I thought you would like to see that all those quilts we make do go to wonderful homes. Thanks, Pam, for the photo!

Colton on his quilt

me at show and tell before sending the quilt off.

Home again, home again, jiggity jog

Two weeks of car travel punctuated with family visits and some sight seeing/shopping and we are back where we started. I spent the entire day Sunday getting unpacked and doing laundry and grocery shopping. Mr Wazoo came down with a nasty respiratory bug the Wednesday before and was in full snorkeling-coughing and throat clearing mode by Friday. It was worse at night, and I could tell he was miserable despite taking drugs for every symptom. We made the decision to cut the trip short and by-pass his Mom because he didn't want to give her what he had. She is 93. Anyhoo, we got up at 5AM and started home in a heavy rain by 6AM. By the time we got to the Florida-Georgia border, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining. Picked up Molly at 4:30 and had pizza delivered (no food in the house...) at 6. By 10PM we were both snoring in our own bed. Vacation done.
I spent today getting the stuff ready for my class tomorrow and doing a bit more work on the next retreat project. The man had to mow as the grass went wildly tall while we were wandering around Texas and the southern Appalachian mountains. Then he got a wild hair up his nose to start going through the junk in the garage!! "Can you just look through this box and see if you want to keep any of this stuff?". Of course, this turned into ten boxes and making a big mess of everything while sorting and tossing, and all in the stifling heat of Southern Florida. Yuk. Needless to say, no quilting got done today.
Since I am teaching tomorrow, and have Nifty Fifty on Wednesday, there won't be any longarm action until Thursday. Plus, Mr Wazoo is contemplating a speed trip to South Carolina to see his Mom as a birthday surprise. He is having a pang of guilt for not getting there before coming home. He has pooh-poohed the need for a doctor and says he is feeling better. Pack the bag, Susan, we're off again...
It wouldn't be a good blog post without a couple of pictures, so I will leave you with some vacation shots. Not too many though, I left my battery charger at the first hotel and took the rest of the pictures with my phone. Don't fret, they mailed it to me and it was here when I picked up the mail!

Trust me, I watched hard for snakes.

Mr Wazoo was on the Forestall aircraft carrier when he was in the Navy. It is being cut apart for scrap in Brownsville. Sad sight.

Dad is still active and sharp. Mom's pic came out blurry,... rats!

The husband patiently watches Cubs baseball.

Total camera accident and my daughter still looks good!

Mille keeps watch at the window.

No swimming?! How dumb do we look?

My friend, Stephanie, lives on top of a mountain. The driveway there is really steep!!
The view is worth it. Wish I had a picture for you...

We went fabric shopping and had a nice lunch in nearby Blue Ridge

Thanks for the  shop hop, Stephanie!

Rain, rain, rain...

Last quilt before vacation is done!

I have been working on this quilt for four days and I finished it just in time to pack and go to Texas! I think it is  beautifully made and very soothing to look at. A real winner, if you ask me.
Enjoy looking over the quilt. I will be sure to keep you all up on our time off having fun.

Gorgeous customer quilt

the borders

one corner

enjoy looking at some of the stars...

egg and dart border

center medallion

view of the quilting

more stars...

Happy Fourth! It's a sewing day!

I usually take off from the Gammill on holidays, and today I just did one small quilt for Mr Wazoo and then set off to the sewing machine.  My sister asked if I had seen the latest Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial, the disappearing hourglass, and I had not. So I fired up the laptop and watched Jenny make a block. Nice star block. Thought I should be able to do this easily, right? Well, maybe...
The initial sewing went fast, sewing around all four sides of the ten inch squares and cutting them in quarters diagonally. Even the hourglass part was a breeze. Then you're supposed to measure the blocks and cut them into three equal parts in both directions. Easier said then done. Not all my blocks are equal in size, but close enough to square up to 12 3/4 inches square. So now, I am squaring them all up, then I will cut them into 4 1/4 inch segments. It's slow going, but I think the block is cool! I am taking them to Texas when I visit so my sister can see them. Meanwhile, back to work tomorrow.
Here is a picture of what I was working on before I stopped to sew the blocks. It is a beautiful quilt. I almost finished the stitch in the ditch, and will get going on the real quilting tomorrow.
Have a happy Fourth of July!

Pretty customer quilt, on hold for the day

massive amount of half square triangles

Yes, I really can sew in this mess.

All arranged and ready to go

Chain piecing makes for short work

Don't forget to press! See the little 4-patch? Perfect!

Stack of hourglass blocks to be squared and cut

I couldn't resist making just one block to see what they look like. Nice!

Mr Wazoo didn't take the day off. He quilted three quilts!