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JUNE 2009

The StudioKat Designs Newsletter
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

HELLO and Welcome!-To say this month has been a busy one for us would be a HUGE understatement. We've started a FaceBook page, visited our nations capitol, learned to use a GPS system, displayed our two newest patterns at the International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, and begun work on our very own blog! After all of that, things are finally starting to get back to normal here & I plan on starting work on a new pattern on Monday morning. I can't wait! I know just what I want to do and my fingers have been itching to get started for several weeks now! And here's another new thing this month. Many of you have asked for a way to easily send this newsletter to family and friends and NOW you CAN!! Just click on this link to get an easy-to-use form for doing just that! So let's quit wasting time & get started, and don't forget to...
Check out the websites of our wonderful advertisers! (located on left)
Also, especially for the convenience of our friends at Pattern Review & AOL, all of the hotlinks are listed in order at the bottom of this letter, and as always, if you prefer, you can go to www.studiokatdesigns.com/jun09.htm to see the online version of the newsletter.

Feline Quote for June "All cats are grey in the dark". Thomas Lodge

New on my Website!-
Check out our Blog
- One of the things that was impressed upon me at Market was the need for me to have a Blog on my website. I had been toying with the idea anyway, but as usual, I needed a boot in the pants! (No volunteers thank you very much!) Interested? You can check it out by clicking here, or you can read the individual posts by clicking on these links:

DC Talk posted May 22, 2009
The City of Steel posted May 23, 2009
To Market, To Market posted May 24, 2009
the High-Lighted" Path posted May 29, 2009

We'll be adding new posts on a regular basis, so if you want to stay up-to-date, you could either bookmark our blog, or sign up to receive blog updates via email, or RSS feed. What's an RSS Feed? I have asked this question many, many times, & fortunately enough, (for you & me BOTH), I've found a great video that helps explain what an RSS Feed is, & how you can benefit from it!

Kingsford Learns to Swim -I usually try to limit animal stories and movies on my website to all things CAT... then along came this video about a little baby pig named Kingsford. To be honest, I've never even understood why anyone would want to have a pet pig... but then I watched this little movie. So what are you waiting for? Watch for yourself and fall in love with Kingsford, just like I did!

Bobbin around the Web- Brandywine Design
From traditional appliqué to simple pieced quilts, Linda Hohag of Brandywine Design has a wonderful selection of patterns and books for all quilt lovers. Linda was our next-door neighbor in Pittsburgh & was featuring her new book, A Critter Christmas, which is filled with fun projects ranging from quilts to gift bags. You might pick up a good deal on Linda's specials this month!

"Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
I was told by a few people at Market this year, that this contest is producing one of the most beautiful collections of handbags on the web today! I love seeing the stunning handbags you all are creating, so let's jump right in & check out these pics, all received in May, & then cast a vote for your favorite. The creator of the handbag receiving the most votes at the end of the month wins a $10.00 SKD gift certificate. Ann Michel, of nearby Winston-Salem, NC was our lucky winner in the April Handbag Contest. Click here to see her winning Trifecta, which has also won a permanent place of honor on our website!

   And now...Here's this month's entries (and they are FABULOUS!):

Tina Mally of Livonia, MI submitted this seriously purple Boho Baguette. (And here's the totally purple interior).Tina said she had fun making this bag & I'll bet she's having fun carrying it as well!

This romantic & pretty Boho Baguette was sent in by Sue McDonald. Sue's been doing a lot of traveling and says she can't wait to get back home to Abilene, TX to get started on a few more bags!

If you like southwest styling, then you're going to love this Boho Baguette created by Mary Alice Espinoza of Lamesa, NM. She said she bought this fabric several years ago & it looks like she saved it for just the right project, doesn't it!

Lori Gates of West Henrietta, NY opted to use a purchased handle set with her bright & sassy AbracaNiche and I think it gives her bag a whole new sophisticated silhouette!

In addition, Lori also styled this Harmony Handbag/PortaPocket Insert duo for her great grandmother's hospice nurse. (Check out the coordinating button!) Lori says that this bag will be the perfect size for all the stuff she needs to carry on her daily rounds.

This vision in faux crocodile was sent in by Judi Graf of Tyler, TX. She said this particular faux leather was slippery and VERY difficult to work with, but I sure can't tell it when I look at this beautiful Boho Baguette.

RoseMarie Nettle of Romulus, MI constructed this show-stopping Bellagio Bag using textured upholstery fabric and suede. (The flap was quilter's cotton). She said that her choice of fabric really added a lot of bulk to the seams and for this reason, it presented all kinds of problems for her as she was applying the seam binding. While Rose Marie doesn't recommend using such challenging fabrics, we certainly must appreciate the totally unique look she has achieved!

And last but certainly not least this month, we have this fun & fashionable Boho Baguette sent in by Roxane Murray of Carmel, IN. She said she made a PortaPockets Insert to use with it, but purposely made it in a lighter color fabric so she can find things in it easier.

OK, ready to vote now? Just click on the link below to cast your vote.
Only one vote per day, per email address is allowed.

Come back next month to see who the winner is... or better still...

Click here to join studiokatdesigns
Click to join the StudioKatDesigns Chat Group!

Join the StudioKat Designs Chat Group at Yahoo! Are you up for a new experience? Our new chat group has over 240 members now & I am finding that I like having this fun group of gals to bounce new ideas off of. Come ON! Join us TODAY by clicking here!

Website Spotlight- Patchwork with BusyFingers
Sue Daley is an Australian designer who specializes in English Paper Piecing, needle-turn applique & embroidery. Her patterns combine these components in a very unique way, making her designs truly one-of-a-kind. I especially like her bed runners, it's an item you don't see too often in this country. Click here to see my favorite! She also has a couple of compilation books available, her most recent being, "A Road Less Travelled". Sue & her husband Jim were fun neighbors at Market and it was there that Jim introduced me to Tim Tams, a fabulous Australian confection. Actually, Jim gave me a whole box of Tim Tams to take home, and they were devoured before the weekend! Anyone know where we can get 'em in this country?

Quotation of the Month-
"There are some defeats more triumphant than victories." Michel de Montaigne

Surf HERE for Neat INFO!- Still Tasty?
How many times have you peered into the refridgerator, freezer or pantry & wondered if a particular food item is "still good"? Making that determination isn't always easy, but Still Tasty.Com can help. It features answers to questions like, "I left pizza out overnight- is it still safe to eat?" or "Does olive oil last longer if you store it in the fridge?" It also lists the shelf life of hundreds of foods & offers helpful hints on how to safely defrost food & interpret expiration labels.

New Word of the Month- Blimpliments
The high-calorie or high-fat toppings that one adds to a low-calorie or low-fat food that effectively cancels out all the benefits of eating the healthy food in the first place.

Cats in the News- Sockington
So if I asked you which celebrity currently has the most followers on Twitter , who would you pick? Britney Spears? Paris Hilton? Adam Lambert? Nope, as hard as it is to believe, it's Sockington, the cat! His current follower list tops 560,000! Click here to see an interview with Jason Scott, Sockington's owner, that was done in Boston, when his following topped the 500,000 mark! (You'll need to endure the 17sec commercial introduction, sorry.) You can also click here to see a fun little video that Jason prepared just for Sockington's followers in honor of the achievement. Jason's hoping to be able to cash in on Sockington's notoriety at some point. So far there are t-shirts available and who knows what else by the time you read this! And evidently Sockington is not content to rest upon his "Twitter laurels", because NOW he even has his own Facebook page! Ready to be part of Sock's Army? Just click here!

Your cat might own you if...you accept dates only with those who have a cat. If so, do you eventually double-date with the cats to see how they get along?

Love Handbags?- Recycled Candy Wrapper Handbags & MORE!
These original, one-of-a-kind handbags are made from "repurposed" candy wrappers, soda labels, and other food packages that have been discarded by manufacturers due to misprints, overages, or discontinued candy lines. Instead of having the wrappers end up in landfills, they are used as the raw material for these Handbags. Ecoist's signature look, the colorful Confetti collection is a mix of thousands of different candy wrappers that match practically anything you wear! I also like the more sedate NewsPrint Bags, while you're at it, check out the BarCode Collection they're subtle on the outside and BOLD on the inside!

Sewing Tip of the Month-
Your thread should match your fabric. This really hides sewing mistakes.

A cool Internet Activity- Jam the Scam
This site educates visitors about fake check scams that require you to wire money to the scammer after depositing a bad check into your bank account. The site's main message: You are responsible for the missing funds! Take the Fraud Tests to find out if you are susceptible to being a victim of these scams, watch the Fake Out and Victim Videos to learn more, & review the Prevention Information to find out how to avoid these costly mistakes!

Laugh Lines- Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know WHY I look this way! I've traveled a LONG way & some of the roads were not paved!

"Catsite" of the Month- Katbeary's Fabric Shoppe
Are you up for another web store dealing in STRICTLY cat fabrics? Then click on over to Katbeary's Fabric Shoppe. Looking for "Oriental" Cat fabric? Or how about cat fabric for the Holidays? There's even a page for ... well you know... DOG lovers!

Did You Know that La Paz, Bolivia is the world's most fireproof city? At 12,000 feet above sea level, the amount of oxygen in the air will barely support a flame!

Surf HERE for FUN!- Check the Latest "Trek"
Fans of the Star Trek series & anyone looking for a fun family film will appreciate the cool effects & options on this site, which highlights the movie, Star Trek. Visitors can check out the photo gallery & character dossiers, watch trailers & clips, download images & widgets, & register to receive news of special events. Beam me up!

Question of the Month- Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?

Monthly Trivia-
Today is June 4th, the 156th day of 2009. It's also the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing, China. After almost 45 days of student demonstrations for democracy, the Chinese government, under cover of darkness, opened fire on the assembled crowds & armored personnel carriers rolled into the Square, crushing many of the students as they lay sleeping in their tents. Although the government claimed that few died in the attack, estimates ranged from several hundred to several thousand casualties. It's hard to believe that only 20 years separate that Beijing from the Beijing we saw in the Summer Olympics this past summer! Today is also the birthday of two California girls. Angelina Jolie is 34 today, and Michelle Phillips, (formerly of the "Mamas & the Papas"), is celebrating her 64th birthday today. And if today is also YOUR birthday, here's a great big 'Happy Birthday to You' from StudioKat Designs. And if today is not your birthday, you can celebrate anyway by ordering in some Chinese while listening to a little Creeque Alley (my fave), or while catching up on our Market Escapades in my new blog!

Well, that's it for now, so until next month, remember!
Sewing Forever, Housework Whenever!

My newsletters are copyrighted.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please feel free to share it. As a matter of fact, it would actually tickle me to death if you sent it to everyone you know! Just click here, to access a form which makes this process as easy as pie! BUT- Please don't send just paragraphs of it here and there, because the authorship info is what usually gets left off in the process.
If you prefer, you can still let your friends know that they can sign up for the newsletter themselves at http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/newsletter.htm?
(Note to other webmasters:)Authorship credit is the only payment I receive for this endeavor, so if you want to use an excerpt from this newsletter in your publication, please ask me first.

HotLinks- (in order of appearance)
StudioKat Designs June 09 Newsletter ONLINE: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/jun09.htm
Forward this Newsletter to Your Friends!: Click HERE
StudioKat Designs Newsletter Sponsors:
         Londa's Creative Threads: http://www.londas-sewing.com
         Londa's Creative Tool discount: http://www.londas-sewing.com/Creative-Tools-c12.html
         The "Layton" by Crawford Designs: http://www.crawforddesigns.net/catalog/catalog.php?item=149&catid=7&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%D7
         other patterns by Crawford Designs: http://www.crawforddesigns.net/catalog/catalog.php?category=7
         All Dunn Designs: http://www.alldunndesigns.com
         Two Creative Studios: http://www.twocreativestudios.com
         Green Cleaning Made Easy: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/GCME.htm
         Advertise with us!: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/advertise.htm
NEW on my Website:
         StudioKat Designs Blog: http://www.studiokatdesigns.blogspot.com
         DC Talk post: http://studiokatdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/05/so-we-decided-to-drive-to-spring-quilt.html
         The City of Steel post: http://studiokatdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/05/city-of-steel.html
         To Market, To Market post: http://studiokatdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/05/to-market-to-market.html
         Sign up for email updates: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/HeyW&loc=en_US
         Sign up for an RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/blogspot/HeyW
         What is RSS?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewaynejohn%2Ecom%2Fpage%2FSubscribe%2Dto%2DWayne%2DJohns%2DBlog%2DFeed%2Easpx&feature=player_embedded
         Kingsford the Pig: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/Kingsford.wmv
Brandywine Design: http://www.brandywine-design.com
         A Critter Christmas: http://www.brandywine-design.com/books.htm
         Specials: http://www.brandywine-design.com/Specials.htm
Handbag of the Month Gallery:
         StudioKat Designs Handbag Gallery: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/winfreestuff.htm
         Ann's winning Trifecta: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll86.jpg
         Tina's seriously purple Boho Baguette: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll96.jpg
         the purple interior: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll96b.jpg
         Sue's romantic & pretty Boho Baguette: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll97.jpg
         Mary Alice's southwest-styled Boho Baguette: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll98.jpg
         Lori's bright & sassy AbracaNiche: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll99.jpg
         Judi's crocodile Boho Baguette: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll101.jpg
         Rose Marie's show-stopping Bellagio Bag: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll102.jpg
         the back side: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll102b.jpg
         the interior: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll102c.jpg
         Roxane's snakeskin Boho Baguette: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll103.jpg
Cast YOUR Vote: http://pub43.bravenet.com/vote/vote.php?usernum=3657359974&cpv=2
Join the StudioKatDesigns Chat Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/studiokatdesigns/join
Patchwork with Busy Fingers: http://www.busyfingerspatchwork.com
        Bed Runners: http://www.busyfingerspatchwork.com/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=4&ccSID=627e420f618800e847027aa68499542e
        "Dress It Up" a bed runner: http://www.busyfingerspatchwork.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=126
        "A Road Less Travelled": http://www.busyfingerspatchwork.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=141
        Tim Tam Cookies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Tam
Still Tasty.Com: http://stilltasty.com
Sockington:
        Twitter.Com: http://twitter.com
        Sockington on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sockington
        Interview with Jason Scott: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/19531381/index.html
        A fun video of Sockington: http://www.vimeo.com/4739474
        Sockington's FaceBook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sockington/59853316400?sid=96b0a5534dc0067cebaaacf3e7b17e3e&ref=search
        Follow Sockington on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sockington
Handbag site Ecoist.Com
        The Confetti Collection: http://www.ecoist.com/NewCollection.asp?collectionname=Confetti&collectionvalue=1
        Newsprint Bags: http://www.ecoist.com/NewCollection.asp?collectionname=Newspaper&collectionvalue=1
        The BarCode Collection: http://www.ecoist.com/NewCollection.asp?collectionname=Bar%20Code&collectionvalue=1
FakeChecks.Org: http://www.fakechecks.org/about.html
         Fraud Tests: http://www.fakechecks.org/fraudtest.html
         Videos: http://www.fakechecks.org/videos.html
         Prevention Information: http://www.fakechecks.org/prevention.html
Katbeary's Fabric Shoppe: http://www.meowscape.com
         Oriental Cat Fabric: http://www.meowscape.com/asian.html
         Holiday Cat Fabric:
         Dog Lover Fabric: http://www.meowscape.com/other.html
Star Trek the Movie: http://www.startrekmovie.com
Tiananmen Square Massacre: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989
Beijing Olympics 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Olympics
Angelina Jolie: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelina_Jolie
Michelle Phillips: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Phillips
'Creeque Alley': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creeque_Alley
Read my Blog: www.studiokatdesigns.blogspot.com
Sign up for Studiokat Designs Newsletter: www.studiokatdesigns.com/newsletter.htm

StudioKat Designs * 137 S. Hemingway Ct., * Advance, NC * 27006 *
(336)416-1799 * toll-free at 1-866-409-8634 *
info@studiokatdesigns.com
www.StudioKatDesigns.com


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