Mystery in the Woods

We are back from our first retreat in the woods. One of the most important activities in my life is time spent with other women. I have reached a point where I need to share, laugh, cry, complain, listen, and help my friends, customers, aquaintences and more. Our weekend was full of those activities as well as a lot of sewing, prizes, unsewing, laughter, late night chats at the fire, massages, pedicures, and more. A lot of new friendships were formed, that alone says our weekend was successful. What a great bunch of ladies! Ever heard of retractable tape measure races? Well we had one and Beverly McLellan was crowned the winner, winning a jelly roll. Congrats to Beverly!

The guests arriving and setting up!

It was so nice for everyone having Mark there. It was like having our own handy man! Beth made excellent progress on her quilt top!

The Tape Measure Races!

Our four finalists!

Our next retreat is already in the planning stages. We hope to see you here!

The pedicures were very enjoyable!

The quilt we made on the weekend is here for you to see. Enjoy!

The Whole Gang!

Hugs, Marsha

Back from Market and feeling caught up. No way! Market was a blast with lots of new fabrics, books and patterns to look at. We found some new pattern lines that I really liked. We brought most of our patterns home so come on in and take a look. There are some books and patterns that are being shipped so we will have new items arriving daily. The new fabric lines are beautiful. Lots of new batiks, florals, solids, more batiks, baby and kids, stripes, dots........

Lots of Books and Goodies! Hoffman Challenge! Vicki Bellino and Me!

Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup!

Mark, Jen and I really enjoyed doing the market experience together. One night we went to The Mall of America. What a kick! First the three peeps from the sticks had to ride the rail to get there, we passed the Metro Dome where the Vikings play (very important stuff for the grandkids). The mall had a roller coaster, water slides, log run, swings and more. Dinner at Chipotle - love those burrito bowls. Great Old Navy. Jen packed clothes for cold weather and it was warm and muggy there so Old Navy was fun. After a day of schoolhouse and a trip to the mall we were pooped and off to bed. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were Market shopping days and I think we did well. Mark was on a mission to find free stuff and give aways and I must say I have a lot of the new books with autographs!

Metrodome! Entrance to the Mall! Some of the coasters!

We liked Minneapolis. The downtown has been redone since we were there five years ago. We had some great dinners. The best or the most fun was "Hell's Kitchen." A jazz band was playing while we ate which was a real treat. We would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Here a few pictures to enjoy. The best part of Market - the energy level was high with lots of excitement and great people to enjoy.

Some of the City! Hells Kitchen and some of the art work there.

Placed all over the city are these baseball players. They are covered with facts on the Minnesota Twins!

It's always good to be back home but our time home is a bit brief. We are leaving tomorrow for Tahoe - a little golf and Lady Antebellum and Tim McGraw. Yahoo!!!! Monday morning we leave early from there and head to San Luis Obispo to install two Handi Quilters and teach a beginning class. Then back home for a week and off to Graeagle for our first Mystery Quilt away from the shop. We will be home for a week after that and off to Reno to vendor a show at the Grand Sierra. I am so glad our friend Marie stays at our house and takes care of our Ziggy. He absolutely hates seeing the suitcases come out. So do I.

God Bless

Marsha

Sunshine and Smiles

To Market To Market To Market I go. I have been reading all the blogs and I am so ready to see everyones new fabric and patterns. This year will be especially fun going with my husband and my daughter. What a hoot! I was just whining about getting everything caught up so I could go and then I was thinking about what all the vendors must be doing right now. Finishing quilts, printing patterns, stuffing patterns, shipping, packing, stressing.....My prayers and thoughts are with you.

Pictures of our newest fabric lines!

I have been busy finishing up some big projects. The quilt I made for our June Retreat is done and really awesome. I wish I could show you a picture, but it is a surprise. I did custom quilting using my long-arm and it was such fun. I will show you a picture of two applique projects that I have been working on. I'm going to start quilting the green and gold one tonight. The Basket is only the center of a quilt, much more to go on that one.

Our block of the month which will start in the fall is now under way. We are using batiks and they are beautiful. We are taking signups now. We will be starting in October. I hope to have my sample done by the end of June. The fabric will be arriving in August and we will make the kits. There is no charge for our block of the month but you must purchase your fabric and pattern. We will be offering a discount to those who pick up their fabric first! I will post pictures as the quilt progresses.

I found another happy place to visit. Mark and I have a date most Friday mornings. We go to a bakery in Chico for a most yummy cinnamon roll ( no calories of course), then off to The Plant Barn for a plant buying frenzy. I absolutely love this nursery! They are located on Entler Avenue. Most of my allowance ends up there. You really must visit this happy place. This is the first time I have worked in my garden since we opened the store. I didn't realize how much I miss getting my fingers dirty. It is so fun to create a place full of flowers and plants. I even bought a cute rooster to nestle in the plants.

All the best to you,

Marsha

Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Mother Teresa

One Day at a Time

So many things are happening here at Morning Star Quilts that it makes my head spin. We survived our first Quilt Rush Shop Hop and had a blast while we were at it! Thank you to all who participated. We met so many new friends and shared a lot of laughter and fun. The participating shops will be meeting next Wed. to draw our winners - hopefully you.

I wanted to have a fun display of pincushions for the shop hop so the girls have been busy making all sorts of them, elephants, turtles, pears, strawberries, tomatos, roosters, hearts, cupcakes, sundaes...... We have a nice selection of wool, floss, and antique buttons to create the pincushion of your choice.

One of the newest additions to the store is Leo the Long arm. We are now selling the Avante and Fusion long arms from Handi Quilter. You can visit Leo in the store and take him for a ride or make an appointment to try Diamond the Fusion.

Mark and I had a great vacation with our friends Gary and Cinde. While we love the ocean and all the critters swimming in it, it is always nice to come home. I am such a baby about missing my family, friends, and of course Ziggy.

God Bless,

Marsha

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

Ashleigh Brilliant

Things I Miss The Most

Vacation is always a time of reflection and appreciation for me. Because so much of our time while away is spent underwater I have a lot of time to think and less time to talk. Imagine that, less time to talk, so I talk to myself underwater. Today I was thinking what a blessed life we have been given. I have a husband who I adore and who has taken such good care of me for 37 years. Tomorrow April 7th is our 37th anniversary. Mark has been my best friend for so many years and knows me better than anyone. He has always supported any endeavor and dream I have pursued. He also knows my weaknesses and tries to help keep me in line. What a tough job that is, and definitely not an easy one! I'm always so thankful that Mark's parents raised such an awesome man. My advice for marriage - put your spouse first, love unselfishly, spend time alone, take care of each other and love the bad as well as the good.

We have been gone from home for 10 days and have 5 more days of vacation left. While we enjoy and relish our vacation time we (I) start to miss home. I get especially homesick. So here are the top ten things I miss the most from home:

Family

Ziggy (lets be truthful)

Friends (the She's)

More friends

Our bed (my back is killing me)

My cheese grater

Fitted sheets (I sleep like a cat in a burlap sack)

Ronda Brown's Birthday ( she's 49 tomorrow)

Coffee ice cream (for that matter any ice cream)

Fabric (to fondle, feel, and drool over)

Take care I can't wait to see you all!

Marsha

Hi Ho Silver Sea Horses and Away We Go!

I don't know how this will come through from so far away but I will try. I'm hoping Mark can add some of his photos. We are having a great time in Bonaire. The diving has been fabulous. Lots of sea horses this trip and no frog fish so far. The reef actually looks more healthy than the last time we were here. Quilting is never far from my mind. When we are under water I get such inspiration for batiks. The fish, coral, water and everything else makes me think of gorgeous fabric, and I have to tell you there is no limit to color. Mix it all and always add in black and white. I am always amazed and breathless at God's underwater creation. I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy the underwater beauty and quiet calm that the ocean brings to my life.

Chain Morey and the third picture is a Sea Horse!

Marsha and her dive buddy Cinde Nelson!

The girls are doing a great job running things at the store. Jen and Brian just got back from a trip to Disneyland with the boys. Jen is leaving Friday April 9 with Brian to vendor the Auburn Quilt Show. If you are at the show stop by and say Hi. We are also busy getting ready for Quilt Rush which starts April 14 thru Sunday April 18. The theme is Rock Around the Block. T-shirts and project bags will be available as well as our store block and kits for Morning Stars version of the 2010 Quilt Rush Quilt. Even if you are unable to do the whole shop hop please come by and say Hi!

Bon Bini
Marsha

Normal is just a setting on the dryer.......

Do you ever try to figure out what is normal? One of my favorite things to say is "Okay we are almost back to normal. What a joke. What the heck is normal? For us as Quilt Shop Owners there is no normal, unless of course normal is constantly moving, sewing, laughing, crying, being with great people, being behind, trying to catch up and always creating. This sounds negative but I don't mean it negative. There is nothing I enjoy more than a good challenge. Running a quilt shop means constant change and new creations. A good nap would be nice once in awhile.

Last weekend was spent sewing with a quilting group that we started about 17 years ago. Not all the original people are still with us but we just add as room allows. What a blast, we laughed our heads off and got a lot of eating and quilting done. I never seem to get enough "SHE" time and when I do I love it. Thanks for a great weekend my friends.

We are busily getting ready to vendor for the Yuba City Quilt Show this weekend. The Valley Quilt Guild always puts on a great show. Hope to see you there! We will also be vendoring at the Auburn Show this year. It is April 10 and 11. The girls have been making new samples like crazy. We have 15 new samples for the Quilt Shows and about 10 more new samples for Quilt Rush. Quilt Rush starts April 14 and ends April 18. Visit www.quiltrush.org for more information.

Mark had fun last week taking fun pictures of the store. Hope you enjoy them.

We have had many requests for an American Girl Doll clothes class. Here is a picture to show you what you can make. Please call the store to sign up, or check out the class at our website.

Enough for now. Enjoy this Spring weather. Use the bright colors, flowers, new leaves, fluffy clouds and whatever else floats your boat to stir your imagination and creativity.

Marsha

Imagination is the highest kite that one can fly. Lauren Bacall