StudioKat Designs May 09 Newsletter

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May 2009

The StudioKat Designs Newsletter
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

HELLO and Welcome!- It's May and you know what that means in my house? Well besides the obligatory sneezing and itchy eyes, it means Spring Quilt Market, which this year, is in Pittsburgh, PA and since Pittsburgh is relatively close to NC, that means a ROADTRIP! I LOVE a good road trip! Just set the cruise control, put on a good XM station and enjoy! Well... I'm going to enjoy it anyway... the hubby's already whining, but get this, on the way north we're stopping for a few days in our nation's capital. Unbelievably, neither of us have ever visited DC so that should make the trip worth it, right? Hey!- if you've got any good suggestions of what we absolutely can't miss on a three-day stay in DC, let me know? Which reminds me, we'll be leaving on Mother's Day and won't return until May 18th, which means that we'll be away from the office for 9 days, so if you want to order the new pattern we're releasing this month, (or anything else for that matter), you should place your order before May 9th. Our office will be closed from May 9th thru May 18th while we are away. Orders received after May 9th will be filled as quickly as we are able, in the order in which they were received, upon our return. You can still reach us via email & we'll be posting daily from the show floor in our Chatroom as well as Facebook & Twitter! So if you're interested in what's hot & what's not at Market this year, you can check us out there!
So come on, let's 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/may09.htm to see the online version of the newsletter.

Feline Quote for -"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." Abraham Lincoln

New on my Website!-
My buddy Peg Rice, (the video queen), sent me this adorable video and since this coming Sunday is Mother's Day I simply had to share it with you. Click here to see a tribute to Mom's everywhere!

I've been having a lot of fun, and truthfully, wasting too much time getting up to speed on two popular social networks (after a lot of prodding from my daughter). So if Chatroooms aren't your speed, you might like to check me out on either Twitter (check me out as StudioKat), or in Facebook (you can find me under StudioKat Designs or Kathy Southern).

Bobbin around the Web- Tagua Nut Buttons
My Friend Londa (of Londa's Sewing.Com) has a new item in her on-line store you might be interested in. They're called Tagua Nut Buttons & Pendants, and you can see them by clicking here, and scrolling down the page a bit. I think they would make a delightful accent to an outfit AND wouldn't the pendants look fabulous in place of beads as the embellishment on a Boho Baguette? Londa is so sure that you'll love these button & pendants, that from now till the end of May, she is offering them at 25% OFF for StudioKat Designs readers. Just use the discount code kat509 when you order yours by clicking here!

"Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
The handbags you all are creating are getting better & better! It seems everyone is enjoying the Handbag of the Month contest, so jump right in & check out these pics, all received in April, & then cast a vote for your favorite. The owner of the handbag receiving the most votes at the end of the month wins a $10.00 SKD gift certificate. Veronica Johnson of Tasmania, Australia was our lucky winner in the April Handbag Contest. Click here to see her winning Bellagio Bag, which has also won a permanent place of honor on our website!

And now...Here's this month's entries (and they are mind-boggling!):
Marilyn Ornelas of Gresham, OR, submitted this nifty Presto Purse, which she whipped up for an exciting vacation.

And what about this stunning Boho Baguette sent in by Carol Harshbarger of Duncansville, PA. I LOVE the fabric which Carol says she got at her local JoAnn's. Here's a view of the back. Take note of the cool zipper!

Sylvia Kehl of Iowa has been busy indeed. Seems she's been having fun with PortaPockets, so much in fact, that she made THREE. She says they are addictive! I just can't decide which one i like best!

And here we have a truly one-of-a-kind Trifecta sent in by Ann Michel of Winston-Salem, NC. Ann was clever enough to make her Trifecta REVERSIBLE! (Here's how it looks on the inside.) Don't you know that Ann makes quite an impression wearing her unique Trifecta with her MATCHING outfit?

Carol Heaton has a bevy of beautiful Boho Baguettes to use for Spring! All three bags are made with 100% cotton in breathtaking spring colors! Check out the yummy sherbet Boho, the rhinestone-encrusted Boho, and the soft pastel Boho. They're all scrumptious!

And last but certainly not least, we have two delightful Tandem Totes, courtesy of Esther D'abate of Painesville, OH. Esther took the batik Tandem Tote to the Chicago Quilt Festival & eveidently created quite a stir. But when you see her second Tandem, you'll agree that its equally stunning!

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.

Click here to cast your vote!

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 225 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!

New at StudioKat Designs- The Encore Purse Insert pattern is HERE!
Well, you asked for it, and it's HERE! A purse insert pattern that's the perfect size for today's larger handbag styles! Just like it's predecessor, (the PortaPockets Purse Insert), the "Encore" can be switched from bag to bag in a SNAP while completely organizing the interior. It also has TWO new design elements. There's a full length exterior zippered pocket, & an interior zippered coin purse! (Just so you'll know, the Encore fits perfectly into your Harmony Handbag!) And here's the deal, not only can the Encore organize your bag interior, but just look what it can do for your sewing area! Check out my sewing table before the Encore, and now look at it after the Encore! So I'm thinking, how many other areas of your home can the Encore help you organize? Your TV area, your car, your kitchen? I'm actually thinking of running a photo contest to find the most unique organizational use of the Encore, so put your thinking caps on, use your Encore to organize a messy area & send those pictures in to us! And be on the lookout for more info! In the meantime, and to help get you started, use the discount code, encore9 to get $2.00 off when you buy your Encore Purse Insert pattern online.
(Offer expires on 5/31/09.) Ready to order? Just click here to get started!

Website Spotlight- Fold-it-EZ
Is your fabric stash out of control? If you're like me, your fabric pile could benefit from a little organization, but who wants to invest in all of those little boxes & cardboard fabic winders? Well ladies, I found just the thing for us. The Fold-it-EZ is a fabric organizer tool. Now, you can easily fold fabrics in a standardized size, making it easier to see what you have. Once your fabric is organized and folded with the FOLD-IT-EZ, you'll be amazed at how much less room it takes up. It can be used for fabrics on shelves, in drawers or stored in plastic containers. And here's the best part- Unlike other products of this kind, the FOLD-IT-EZ can be used over and over because once you've folded your fabric, it's removed so that it can be used on the next piece, instead of being stored away with your fabric. Just pick the size that works for you, OR, get a discount when you purchase a set of 3 sizes.

Quotation of the Month- "The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn't like to do." Thomas Edison

A Cool Place to Shop!- LittleputLand
Welcome to Littleput Land where you'll find totally unique Scrabble tile pendants! Each little pendant is made from a reclaimed Scrabble Tile & decorated by hand. They each come on an 18" coordinating organza ribbon necklace (with Sterling Silver lobster claw clasp and findings) and arrive in a complimentary tin box. I think they would make wonderful gifts, as well as another creative and interesting alternative to beads when embellishing the cord endings of your Boho Baguette. Check 'em out!

Your cat might own you if...you stand at the open door indefinitely in the freezing rain while your cat sniffs the door, deciding whether to go out or come in.

Surf HERE for Neat INFO!- LOC Online
Love to learn? Then you will love this site. The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world with millions of books & other media in its collections. The online collection contained in this site is also vast. Highlights include a "wise guide" that shows you what's available, a performing arts encyclopedia, "places in the news", "everyday mysteries", and webcasts featuring musicians, poets, and more!

New Word of the Month-Liquidity-
When you look at how much your retirement funds have lost and wet your pants!

Cats in the News- Cat Goes on a Crime Spree
Thanks to Ann Horton for letting us know of this story about a one-year-old cat named Jack, (no surprise that this guy is tuxedo cat) who has been stealing clothes from unsuspecting neighbors. Click here to see the full report!

Love Handbags?- Laga Handbags
Laga handmade handbags, beaded purses and travel bags are handcrafted by survivors of the 2004 tsunami in Aceh province, Sumatra, Indonesia. They are all sewn on a non-electric treadle machine. There is no template or stencil used; all the designs are committed to memory! They are all decorated in traditional designs that are indigenous to Aceh, and what's even better, is that they are gorgeous AND very reasonably priced! One of my favorites is the Subur Handbag, & the Uang Wallet is adorable! Check em all out, because "if you're going to carry a handbag anyway, why not carry one that helps rebuild lives"?

Sewing Tip of the Month- (for beginners) Go to local yard sales and pick up some cheap fabric someone doesn’t want. This way you can practice on cheap fabric. When you make a mistake (and we all do), you will not ruin expensive material. And no one has to know about your mistakes. As you practice, you WILL improve your sewing skills. Eventually you will feel comfortable and will be willing to try sewing a project with more expensive material without being afraid of making a mistake.

Did You Know?- that even today, over 90% of the continental United States is still open space or farm land?

A cool Internet Activity- To Refi or not to Refi?
With the current economic crisis, you may be wondering what, if anything, you should be doing differently with your finances. Should you sell stocks? Put off retirement? Pay down debt? If refinancing your mortgage is a move you're considering, use the "Should you refinance your Mortgage Calculator" on this site. By entering basic information, you'll find out your new monthly payment, monthly savings, difference in interest, total cost, & months to recoup costs.

Laugh Lines- A penny saved is a goverment oversight!

Surf HERE for FUN!- This Bird's LOVES Ray Charles!
If you need a smile today, (and who doesn't?) check out this video sent to me by Linda Campbell (my sis), of Spartanburg, SC. It really is one of my all time favorites! The bird in this video has a sense of rythym that's better than many humans I know, (like my husband for example!). Click here and enjoy!

Monthly Trivia-
Today is May 5th, 2009, and it was on this day in 1904 that a perfect game was pitched by an American league pitcher. Cy Young pitched the entire game (that alone is a rarity today) & did not allow even one opposing player to so much as reach 1st base. His name is honored every fall when the "Cy Young" pitching awards are bestowed.
Also on this day in 1818, Karl Marx, author of Das Kapital & founder of modern Communism was born.
But of course the one thing that May 5th is best known for is Cinco de Mayo. But did you know that the reason this day is so important to our neighbors to the south, is that it was on this day in 1862, that the vastly outmanned Mexican army defeated the French invaders led by Napoleon? This national holiday is traditionally observed with parades, festivals and dancing in Mexico and indeed throughout the US, where you don't have to be of Mexican descent to enjoy the party. Given the recent pandemic fears however, the celebrations this year might be scaled back. But even if you feel the need to avoid public gatherings, you can still have a good time celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year, by whipping up some yummy Salsa dip, listening to a cool Carlos Santana CD, or by whacking the heck out of pinata! (Save a few tootsie rolls for ME!)

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

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