May 2008
The StudioKat Designs
Newsletter ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
HELLO and Welcome!- At
last, it's May, & in just a few short days we'll whisking ourselves off to
the West Coast for the Spring Quilt Market. I'm waffling between excitement
& trepidation. Have I remembered everything? Am I ready? What if I lose my
luggage, or our flight gets cancelled? Then of course my Dad picks this
week to send me this delightful airplane video... Hmmm, thanks Dad, just what
i needed to see! Does this really happen??? Anyway, we're getting to
Portland a few days early in order to take time for some much needed rest &
relaxation. Hopefully, we'll also have some time to enjoy some fun things
that the Portland area has to offer. If any of you Oregonians have fun
spots to recommend, I'd love to hear your suggestions. In the meantime we'd
better get crackin'. There's a new pattern release to announce, a contest
winner to crown, and I've gotta start packing for my trip!
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/may08.htm to see the online version of the
newsletter.
Feline Quote for May- "A
cat isn't fussy - just so long as you remember he likes his milk in the
shallow, rose-patterned saucer and his fish on the blue plate. From which
he will take it, and eat it off the floor. Arthur Bridges
"Handbag of the Month" Gallery for
May-
Last month we started this new interactive feature on our website, and it
was a huge success! I didn't think it was possible, but this months entries
are just as beautiful as last month's. Just check 'em out!
Arlene Stream, of Loveland, CO, submitted her unique
Gadabout. Arlene has such a good eye for combining patterned fabrics,
don't you think?
Leslie Pinkson, of Pasedena, CA, sent in this cool
Gadabout. She says she "got crazy with embroidered butterflies on this
one!" I think she made a terrific Spring Bag!
Mandy Hall, of the UK, incorporated her outstanding quilting skills to
create a
stunning Gadabout! Great job, Mandy!
Starting to think this was Gadabout month? Then click here
to check out Arlene Stream's totally cute ReUse-a-Bags! Who said going
"green" had to be boring??
OK, are you ready to vote now? Just click on the
link below to cast your vote. (Remember, only one vote
per day, per email address)
The April "Handbag of the Month" Winner
was...
My thanks to everyone who took part in our first "Handbag of the Month"
challenge in April. And the winner was... Judi Graf of Tyler, Tx, for her
stunning
leather-look Trifecta. She will enjoy a $10 StudioKat Designs gift
certificate, & a permanent place in our
"Handbag of the Month" Gallery.
Sound like fun? You bet it is, so come on, get busy and send in those
digital pictures. YOU might be the next big winner of the
"Handbag of the Month" contest!
Surf HERE for Neat INFO!- Earth Day
2008 You're probably aware that Earth Day was April 22nd, but
did you know that there is a really cool website where you can learn what
simple actions can be taken by each of us as individuals or as a group, to
reduce our ecological footprint? There's a whole page dedicated to
information about the detrimental effects of plastic shopping bags, ( a
subject near and dear to my heart), and you can also click on the following
links to check out things you can do
at home, at school, at work, and with your kids to "green" up your lifestyle!
New at StudioKat Designs- The
ReUse-a-Bag
It's here! And it was just in time for Earth Day! With all the publicity
of the last few weeks, I think we ALL know that reusable shopping bags save
energy, trees & precious natural resources. Today is the "official" release
date for the ReUse-a-Bag, and thanks to many of you, and all the
hype surrounding Earth Day, it has been my biggest pre-release seller yet!
It pleases me to think of how many plastic shopping bags might be being
kept out of the landfill due to your usage of this design!
For new readers, the ReUse-a-Bag can be made in 3
sizes , & they all fold
up in such a cute & compact way, that you can easily store them in your
purse or the glove box of your car. But look out, they're so beautiful &
lightweight, you'll want to carry them on your arm to advertise your new
eco-friendly lifestyle.
Requiring only minimal supplies,
ReUse-a-Bags are quick & easy projects that are fun to make for
beginning & experienced sewers alike. And here's a cool idea, what better
way to encourage your friends & family to change their shopping habits,
than to give ReUse-a-Bags as gifts!
The ReUse-a-Bag retails for $9.00, but from now until May
31st, we are offering a $1.00 off coupon to our loyal newsletter readers.
You can redeem your coupon by simply typing REUSE in the coupon code
box at checkout when you shop online, or by simply writing the word
REUSE onto your check when you order by snail mail, or mention this
offer when ordering by phone.
Your cat might own you
if...you bought a videotape of fish swimming in an
aquarium to entertain him!
Cats in the News- A
Real Life Garfield And you thought Garfield was just a cool
cartoon character? Click
here to see for the REAL thing, courtesy of alert reader, Ann Horton.
And for those of you that do not know the conversion rate for stones to
pounds, this big guy weighs in at 35 pounds. YIKES!
New Word of the Month-
Mandals- sandals worn by men.
Love Handbags?- Oh So
RetroDesign.Com
This month's recommendation for handmade handbags is Oh So
RetroDesign.Com, which features a large variety of fun accessories made
out of vintage fabrics, much of which is salvaged from floor-length gowns
and other clothing pieces. (Yes Ladies, here is yet another way to recycle
or reuse forgotten fabrics and textiles!) I like the Madeleine Bubble Bag, which you can customize with an
optional magnetic snap, and the Mini Tote Box, which you can totally customize to suit
YOUR needs. You can even send in your OWN fabric for a look that's totally
YOU!
Sewing Tip of the Month-
ActiveKatYoga.Com
Spending extended hours at a sewing machine can be very hard on a body,
and no one knows this better than certified Yoga Instructor, Kat Robinson.
Kat is also a seamstress & has created an instructional Yoga video
dedicated to improving our flexibility, stamina & posture, so that we can
sew longer, and feel better while we do! Click here for more information about this CD, which also
contains a bonus "Yoga for Weight Loss" segment.
Did You Know?- that like
fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different?
A cool Internet Activity- Water...
UseItWisely.Com
Are too many of your dollars literally going down the drain? In keeping
with our "green" theme this month, you'll find lots of
water conservation tips & resources, specific for your area of the
country. Take the family water audit to see how wisely you're using water.
Find out what's new in
water-saving gadgets. There's even a
landscape watering guide to calculate how frequently to water your
plants & lawn. It's information that's good for your wallet AND the world's
water supply!
Website Spotlight-
SewingEvents.Com SewingEvents.Com presents sewing, quilting &
embroidery events in various locations around the country, featuring the
newest products, door prizes and fun special events. It sounds like the
perfect "Girls-Only" weekend. This website is currently promoting a "Make
Your Dress Form download", with which you can learn a fast, easy &
inexpensive way to make your own "exact fit" body form. Since this website
is a work in process, you might want to sign up for the newsletter, aptly
named "Sew-lutions", to keep up with any free patterns or new
techniques that get added.
Laugh
Lines-Have you ever noticed that the roman numerals for
"40" are "XL"???
Surf HERE for FUN!-
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Here's a one-stop resource for those lawn & garden projects you're
planning for the coming months. All the info you need is here - plant selection to care instructions You can also submit specific questions for university experts to
answer. Go ahead and ask, for example, which variety of tree you should
plant in a certain spot. I'm pretty sure they won't be stumped!!
Question of the
Month-"How can the boy who wasn't good enough to marry
your daughter be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world?"
Jewish saying
Monthly
Trivia-The weather's warming up, the flowers are
blooming, what a perfect time to get back outside! And since May is
National Book Month, why not grab a book & get thrown up in a lounger or a
hammock & get started on a new read? And if reading's not your thing, you
can enjoy the great Spring sunshine, while listening to a little music
instead. You might consider these artists, all of whom are celebrating a
birthday TODAY!
Franki Valli, best known for "Can't Take my Eyes Off of You", was born 70
years ago today, in Newark, NJ. He shares his special day with some real
heavyweights, (musically speaking of course). Bing Crosby, James Brown,
(the Godfather of Soul), and 60's folksinger/songwriter Pete Seeger, were
all born on this day in 1903, 1933 and 1919 respectively. And if today is
also your birthday, here's a great big "Happy Birthday to You" from
StudioKat Designs! Gosh, maybe you should be signing up for the next
American Idol tryouts! And if today is not your birthday, let's all "Say
it Loud!"! Get yourself OUTSIDE for awhile today, enjoy the
warmth, take in the sights, then come inside and get back to your sewing!
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! 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. Better still, why not 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 May 08 Newsletter ONLINE:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/may08.htm
a Delightful Airplane Video:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/china.wmv
Handbag of the Month Gallery for May:
Arlene's unique
Gadabout:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll2.jpg
Leslie's cool
Gadabout:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll8.jpg
Mandy's stunning
Gadabout:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll9.jpg
Arlene's totally cute
ReUse-a-Bags: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll10.jpg
Cast YOUR Vote:
http://pub43.bravenet.com/vote/vote.php?usernum=3657359974&cpv=2
April's Handbag of the Month Winner:
www.studiokatdesigns.com/poll1.jpg
The Handbag of the
Month Webpage: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/winfreestuff.htm
Earth Day Network: ww2.earthday.net
At Home Activities:
http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/pdf/FINALClimate%20Change%20Solutions%20at%20Home.pdf
At School Activities:
http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/pdf/FINAL%20Green%20Your%20School.pdf
At Work Activities:
http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/pdf/FINALGreen%20Your%20Office.pdf
Kids Activities:
http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/pdf/FINALThingsYoucanDowithKids.pdf
New at StudioKat Designs:
The ReusaBag:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/reusa.htm
My Newest Design:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/smpurplecovertrio.jpg
THREE sizes:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/smmusictrioopen.jpg
Folds up in a Compact
Way: http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/smturqfolded.jpg
Another view:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/smlovecovertrio.jpg
Another view:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/smblacktriofolded.jpg
Another view:
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/smpurpleopen.jpg
A Real Life Garfield:
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2809392.html
OhSoRetroDesign.Com:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=10892
Madeleine Bubble Bag:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10238525
Mini Tote Box: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11011162
ActiveKatYoga.Com:
http://www.activekatyoga.com
Yoga CD:
http://storesense4.megawebservers.com/stores/a/activekatyoga.com/index.html
WaterUseItWisely.Com:
http://www.wateruseitwisely.com
Water Conservation
Tips: http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways/index.shtml
Family Water Audit:
http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/familywater/index.shtml
Water Saving Gadgets:
http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/newTech/index.shtml
Landscape Watering
Guide: http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/waterguide/index.shtml
SewingEvents.Com:
http://www.sewingevents.com
Make Your Own
Dressform CD: http://www.sewingevents.com/html/body_form.html
Sew-lutions
Newsletter: http://www.sewingevents.com/html/newsletter.html
How Does Your Garden Grow:
http://www.extension.org/horticulture
Plant Selection:
http://www.extension.org/pages/Landscaping:_Design_and_Plant_Selection
Care Instructions: http://www.extension.org/pages/Landscaping:_Maintenance
Got Questions?:
http://www.extension.org/expert/ask_an_expert?redirect_to=%2Fhorticulture%2Ffaqs
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
All
logos,graphics,text, designs & images are copyright protected
and the property of StudioKat Designs © 2008 StudioKat Designs
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