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"Absolutely love your newsletter, your site, your videos and your patterns! Best wishes from a huge fan in Canada."
Marian Groulx
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So, I don't know what things are like at your house today, but it's just a little bit CRAZY here because in 6 short days we'll be on our way to beautiful Portland, Oregon & the Spring Quilt Market! But we still have a fun issue for you to enjoy, full of fun stuff like-
- a peek at our brand NEW zipper look!
- links to the websites of 2 more kid's pattern designers
- a brand new newsletter sponsor with a fun offer (Cat Fabrics.org)
- and our 1st EVER "Purse Insert of the Year" contest!
- PLUS much much MORE!
So whatcha say? Shall we proceed?
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The"PURSE INSERT of the YEAR" Contest
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Congratulations to Diane Rhodes of Monroeville, PA, the winner of our April Handbag of the Month contest! She wins a $25.00 SKD gift certificate and a permanent place of honor on our website. Click here to see her exquisitely pieced Guardian! Our second place finisher was this embroidered Quattro by Maenad Widdershins. She wins a 20% off shopping spree on our website, along with ALL of our other April entrants!
But here's the deal... we're going to change it up a tad this month, by having our very 1st "Purse Insert of the Year" contest. Several have advised me that they didn't think the purse inserts could fairly compete against the handbags and you know what? They were RIGHT! So, we've saved all the Purse Insert entries from the past year and they will comprise this month's contest! Isn't that fun? So without further adieu, here they are!
(Click each individual picture for a larger view)
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Shawn Tripet of Spring Farm, MN says she just LOVES her Porta-Pockets Purse Inserts. She's made FOUR so far and this leopard-inspired beauty is her personal favorite! (I can see why!)
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And if you love purple as much as I do, then you're gonna flip for this purple print Porta-PocketsPLUS Purse Insert crreated by Maria Boyle of Farmington, NY. Maria says she had a lot of fun making it and never expected it to come out so good. Here's a peek at the exterior fabric Maria chose and the interior displays yet another fab print! |
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This is a fun take on our Porta-PocketsPLUS Purse Insert, don't cha think? Dawn King of Hamilton, NJ said that after finishing these three units, she still hates applying bias tape, but maybe not quite as much as before. :) (Her bias tape looks perfecto to me!) |
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| Linda Boothman of Othello, WA submitted this picture of her Porta-Pockets Purse Insert which features some fine feathered friends! She made it for herself but has a few gifts in mind too! Here's a peek at the inside. |
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And this Encore Purse Insert is totally personalized by Phyllis Muscolino of Newburg, MD with some great embroidery! Here's different view of the interior, & a couple shots of the exterior, front and back.
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| This wild & wonderful Porta-Pockets was created by Celeste. She utilized a few fabrics she acquired from Senegal to get this unique look. Celeste says it might be just a little too wild for her but I LOVE it! |
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Patti Kish of Aurora, CO created this Encore purse insert. Patti says she made it while visiting her daughter in California. Here's a look the interior and the back view.
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| Sharon Anderson of Alberta, Canada is the creative mind behind this beautiful Porta-Pockets purse insert. She made it for her Mom using an Asian-style print for the interior. Here's a peek at the Damask she used on the exterior! |
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And this bright & beautiful Encore purse insert is efficiently organizing a living-room "nest" area. Tamsyn Mihalus of E Lansing, MI says it's perfect for storing her chair-side essentials for sewing, knitting & crocheting. Here's the back.
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OK, ready to vote now?
Just click on the link below to cast your vote.
Only one vote per MONTH, per email address is allowed.
Think you've got what it takes to win?
To enter our"Handbag of the Month" contest,
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Enjoy an insider's scoop on what's happening behind the scenes at StudioKat Designs, by signing up for our blog, "A Work In Progress". If you're new to our blog, or if you missed any of the posts from last month, don't worry, theyre all listed below.
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Announcing! New Zippers for Spring!
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A while back my zipper supplier sent me a sample of a new type of zipper, and here's the fun part, it's actually translucent, meaning you can kinda see through them! I started thinking that maybe this could be a really cool thing for a purse zip? And since our FaceBook fans showed considerable interest, we are now stocking them in the following sizes: (Just click HERE to see details)
- 10" closed bottom
- 12" separating
- 16" separating
PS- Our new Polka-dotted zippers are also available now in a 16" separating style too!
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Violette Field Threads was created by Ericka and Jessica, who are best friends that have a passion for design and sewing. They are inspired by our daughters, vintage fashion, and couture designs and strive to stay on the cutting edge of fashion and trends. I first discovered their patterns at the
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Quilt Market in Houston last Fall and fell in love with their stuff! Their newest pattern for Spring is the Emmaline Dress (for "big" girls) but their most popular work so far has been the Emmaline Dress for "little" girls. They have a few designs that are designated for beginners, like this Lily Belle Pinafore pattern. You'll have checking out their products and don't forget to sign up for their Blog while you're there!
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'HOT'Links-of-the-Month'- check out these GREAT offers from our sponsors
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Immedia Print- We print patterns and MUCH MORE! Click here to see our various services
FaveQuilts.Com- Download the FREE eBook! Eight FREE Quilt Block Patterns!
PursePatterns.Com- Click HERE to check out this month's pattern bargains!
CatFabrics.Com- New customers: Receive $5.00 good towards first purchase!
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ANNOUNCING! The Closeout of TWO MORE StudioKat Designs patterns
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It was SO effective last month,
that we decided to do it again!
We've made the decision to scale back some of our patterns and webpages in order to be able to focus more keenly on our more modern designs. So this month... we're having a GREAT BIG CLOSEOUT sale on the Mezza Luna and the Cirque Sac. That's right, for a limited time you can now purchase these two patterns for $5.00 each, after which they will disappear from our website... FOREVER. (Don't worry, even though you will no longer find these patterns on our website, you'll still be able to find them for a while longer on the following internet sites:
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Smilegram- Did Noah Fish?
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A Sunday school teacher asked,
"Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark ?"
"No," replied Johnny. "How could he, with just two worms.
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Cat Picture of the Month-
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Click image to see a larger view.
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The 1st time I saw this video I thought it was an actual hoax perpetrated on an unsuspecting used car salesman, but as it turns out, it was staged. It's still really funny though and I WISH it had really happened this way! :)
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I love the name of this Blog don't you? It's all about taking the things you already have lying around your house and transforming them into cool new items... "Stash Couture" if you will! This table runner is what first caught my eye on this site, but I also think these " idea keepers" would make for cool gift items and I'm crazy about the sentiment behind this " Grandpa's Tie Pillow"! |
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If I could train just one of my cats to walk on a treadmill with me, maybe I would be more consistent with my exercise.... well probably not, but it would definitely be more FUN to do!
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As 'Funnie' as Real Life-
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Click image to see a larger view. |
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Looking for a unique, yet low-priced baby shower gift? By tracing bibs you already have, you can make a ton of bibs without ever printing a pattern. And by using denim, you don’t need interfacing or fancy showercurtain material. They’re easy to clean and don’t easily stain. And who doesn’t have spare jeans hanging around? Intrigued? Click HERE to find out more!
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Techie Tutorial of the Month- Dealing with "Malware"
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Malware is short for "malicious software." It includes viruses and spyware that get installed on your computer without your consent. These programs can cause your device to crash and can be used to monitor and control your online activity. Criminals use malware to steal personal information, send spam, and commit fraud.
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Your computer may be infected with malware if it:
· Slows down, malfunctions, or displays repeated error messages.
· Won't shut down or restart.
· Serves up a barrage of pop-up ads.
· Displays webpages you didn't intend to visit or sends emails you didn't write.
· Displays new and unexpected toolbars or icons.
If you suspect there is malware on your computer, take these steps:
1) Stop shopping, banking, and doing other online activities that involve user names, passwords, or other sensitive information until your computer is cleaned up.
2) Update your security software, and then run it to scan your computer for viruses and spyware. Delete anything it identifies as a problem. You may have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
3) If your computer is covered by a warranty that offers free tech support, contact the manufacturer. Before you call, write down the model and serial number of your computer, the name of any software you've installed, and a short description of the problem.
4) If steps 3 and 4 have not fixed the problem, you need to seek assistance from a local computer repair technician. Your Internet service provider may offer this service or be able to make a recommendation to you.
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NY Times, 4/26/13- According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Year of the Snake began on Feb. 10. But by most other standards, 2013 is shaping up to be the Year of the Cat. In the first week of February, Hasbro, makers of the Monopoly board game, announced they were replacing one of the traditional tokens, the flat iron, with a curvaceous silver pussycat. Ailurophobes howled, blaming the “all-powerful cat lobby” (so teased a reporter on NPR), but the evidence suggests that public taste alone explains the switch...
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New Word of the Month- Zebralane
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(zē'brə-lān) (n.) The striped area between the interstate and the turnoff lane where cars go when drivers can't decide what to do next.
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On the 15th of every month, Michael Swaine trundles into San Francisco's Tenderloin district with a cart-mounted sewing machine—the old-fashioned kind, which you can only operate by means of a treadle. Setting up shop in a reclaimed alley known as the "Tenderloin National Forest," as he has for the past 12 years, Swaine offers his services as a tailor, mending whatever clothing the neighborhood's residents bring him for free. Click HERE to read more....
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Today is May 8th, the 128th day of 2013, and there are 237 days remaining in this year.) It's also the birthday of three familiar names in the entertainment business who could possibly be more different. If you remember little Laura (aka half-pint) from Little House on the Prairie, then you might find it hard to believe that Melissa Gilbert is celebrating her 49th birthday today. She's shares her special day with pop icon Enrique Iglesias, and Toni Tennille, the singing half of the sometimes cheesy duo, Captain & Tennille.
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 the day anyway by listening to my favorite Enrique song or by enjoying this "blast from the past" video featuring Toni Tennille on keyboard! |
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Well, that's it for now, so until next month, remember!
Sewing Forever, Housework Whenever!
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Why Not Pass along the FUN?
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It's never been easier to get your friends in on the FUN! If you enjoy this newsletter and want to forward a copy to a friend, you need only click on this link and enter their email address!
Note to other webmasters: If you want to use an excerpt
from this newsletter in your publication, please ask me first.
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