Quilting is done...party is over...packing continues

It has been a bittersweet week here at Wazoo. I finished my last customer quilt before we move, and we dismantled the machine and table today. The studio looks really bare without the colorful fabric and quilts on the walls. Boo hoo.

The last custom quilt

Lots of background texture and a touch of botanical color

one of the geometric blocks

the center medallion

more textures

The back is pretty cool, too!

Like a color shadow of the front.

Last week, two of my friends organized a farewell party for me and I was absolutely astonished at how many people came. Friends are my life-blood, and I will be hard pressed to find ones as warm and loving as the ones I have here in Florida. They come from all over the US and Canada, and all have the same commonality; the love of quilting. We had food and cake and loads of laughs. Thank you to Carole and Terri for their gift of this gathering of friends.

The honking' big cake. Delicious!

The smaller chocolate marbled cake. YUM!

Table of fun

the gals who were flared out by the sunny window in the first photo

Second table of fun

Two sets of sisters and one friend, too

fourth table of fun...my plate is front and center!

fifth table of fun

sixth and final table of fun girls I will miss.

The house is really starting to look un-occupied! Most of the things that make it home have been moved to Georgia already, and just the essential stuff is left to move. Even the garden is looking generic without it's gee-gaws and pots. Tim wants to leave the Tiki totem given to us from a friend, but I am fighting to keep it. I think it would look swell in my screen porch. Just a touch of whimsey. We'll see. He is constantly worried all of our stuff won't fit in the truck. I am the type B person in this couple...I just don't worry about such things until they happen. Takes too much energy.

My tiki men would miss me...

I would miss them...

Even the guy with half an upper lip!

Mr Wazoo taking down my table

My machine is out of place today

His machine is gone...all that remains are his table parts

Bare living room

Guest room is stark without quilts

The only sign of the big holiday looming is the Christmas cactus bursting with buds. I hope it makes the trip okay and keep some of the blooms for the new house. Like the song says, "we need a little Christmas right now!"

The Christmas cactus is ready to pop with a hundred blooms! It will go inside in Georgia.

Working in Georgia

 Everything is going swimmingly here in Georgia, plus the weather is beautiful!! Molly and I have taken a walk up and down the mountain every day since we got here. The hills are killer, but the view is worth it.

From the top, looking down the next big hill

On the top of the mountain

Quarry on the adjacent mountain

Through the woods looking east, there are two roads in the picture, too!

across the range toward Blairsville

After our walk, I began painting the guest room in preparation for the new mattress delivery on Tuesday. Tim did the trim work from the ladder, and I did the rest. We are ready for the delivery tomorrow.

The happy yellow color of the guest room

Why would a builder paint bedrooms tan?!(See the color we covered over the window)

Tim gives the wall a final roll-over

We took a couple of photos to show where the house is located on the mountain. Do you see the house?

Now, do you see it? Hint: The peak of the house is what you are looking for.



Here is the same road, as seen from my deck.

The road where I took the house picture. My driveway is in the foreground

A closer view

We will be back in Florida Wednesday to finish up the packing and the last quilt. The first weeks in December will be a blur with all the things we have to do and all the people we have to say a proper goodbye to. It is all moving at what seems lightening speed to me. Are we ready? We'll see!

Just one more!

We have been very busy here at Wazoo, quilting and packing for a speed trip to the new house over the Thanksgiving weekend. Mr Wazoo is completely finished with his line of quilts, and I only have one more to do. He is banging away in the studio, taking apart the small storage racks we keep near the machines for our supplies. I am down to one plastic container for my necessary stuff. The quilts are all down from the walls and most of the paintings, too. It looks bare in here!
Little Molly got her green sock off today and went straight to the groomer!! She really needed a bath and a haircut. I can't wait to see the transformation.
The last few custom orders were all beautiful and a pleasure to quilt. The first was a giant ocean themed quilt, with blocks and borders all related to the sea. I had to do a little surgery on one of the borders, but you can't see it, so I guess I did a fine job! The second quilt was a smallish red and tan pieced beauty. Loads of pieces! The customer wanted stitch in the ditch for the border, feathers in the triangles and a meandering feather in the body. It turned out really nice. The next quilt was for my friend Carole. We took a class for the hummingbird quilt from Darlene Zimmerman, and she got hers done...mine is still in pieces in a bag. This sweet quilt was fun to do and turned out very pretty, if I do say so myself! Then I did a table topper for my friend Christine. She does hand embroidery, but can't sew a lick. I did the quilting and put on the binding. I can't imagine letting anyone put down a dish on this quilt, so I think it must be for show only.
Mr Wazoo had his share of work, too, but I had to do one of them because the customer wanted the borders all done differently. I call that low custom. Mr Wazoo calls it impossible. I finished it this morning and then went off to the store for our Thanksgiving food. We are having a nice steak, baked potato and salad for Thanksgiving dinner!! No vegetarian tofurky for this couple...and a cheery pie for dessert. Yum. I plan to veg out with the Macy's parade and lounge in my jammies until noon. My day off.
I hope everyone out there in Blogland has a wonderful holiday. I'll see you on the flipside!

Big mariner quilt

Pretty red and tan scrappy quilt

Carole's hummingbird quilt

She even pieced the back.

Christine's table cover

Quilt too big and too difficult for Mr Wazoo. He'll get there some day.