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StudioKat News September 2009 | |
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In This Issue-
SusaGlennDesigns.Com
Handbag of the Month Contest
Lollapalooza Release
A NEW Contest Announcement
Cultured Expressions.Com
ArtGirlz.Com
Fiber Goddess.Net
Cooking with Julia Child |
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Click for more info about
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Join the StudioKat Designs Chat group! |
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So it's September, & I trust that means you've all begun to settle comfortably back into your Fall routines... kids back in school, football games, & soon, gift-making for Christmas! For us, Fall means that the Quilt Market in Houston can't be far off, & we're ready for it with a brand new bag pattern, The Lollapalooza.
So whatcha say? Shall we proceed?
If you have comments or suggestions about our Newsletter, or this new format, or if you just feel like telling us something, please feel free to do so at info@studiokatdesigns.com
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Feline Quote for September- |
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"Actually, I don't hate cats, I'm just kind of afraid of them."
Clay Aiken |
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New on my Website- Nora, the Piano Tuner |
If anyone needs their piano tuned, Kathy in Cockinton, UK highly recommends hers. Click here to see Nora, the piano tuner, & her unconventional method! As a matter of fact Nora's skills have become known worldwide. For more info about her and a video featuring her with the Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra of Lithuainia, click here. |
| If you're looking for great embroidery designs to use on your embellished projects, it's no secret that Susa Glenn Designs is home to many of my favorites. And once again, Susa and I have collaborated on a fabulous creation. The Lollapalooza which you see pictured at right, features embroidery from Susa's Leather Tooling Collection, a digitized collection of classic designs found on old western saddles & cowboy boots. For info regarding the Lollapalooza Master Layout, click here. And for a quick gift, consider these terrific Sewing Whimsies. They're fabulous! |
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"Handbag of the Month" Gallery- |
I love seeing the beautiful handbags you all are creating, and I'll bet you do too! It seems everyone is enjoying our"Handbag of the Month" contest, so jump right in & check out these pics, all received in August, & 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. Lori Gates of West Henrietta, NY was the lucky winner in our July 09 Handbag Contest. Click here to see her winning entry, a traffic-stopping Lollapalooza/ Encore Insert combo which has also won a permanent place of honor on our website!
For some reason, we had only four entries this month, but they are FABULOUS, and here they are....
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Nancy Reis of Carrollton, TX, made this PortaPockets Insert as part of her ASG group's muslin challenge. Her lining added a boost of color & she even labeled her pockets!
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Judy Dove of the Great Britain was intrigued by our African Mudcloth Lollapalooza, but unable to find it locally, so she decided the next best thing would be to create a similar ethnic look with Embroidery Designs by Elsa, when she created this masterful Vervalise. The back is equally beautiful, and you can see it by clicking here. |
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This is Noreen Saukko's 1st Encore Purse Insert. She added a few things that she enjoyed using in the PortaPockets Insert, like 2 rows of credit card slots and an ID Window. She also deleted the pen loops, and opted instead for a flat pocket for her pens. Noreen hails from Tower, MN and she did a GREAT job!
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| This cheerful Harmony Handbag was submitted by Terry Denner of San Diego. Terry says that the round silver pin is a heirloom scarf pin given to her by her grandmother. What a sweet, unique way to honor a grandmother's memory! This is a GREAT idea! |
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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.
and come back next month to see who the winner is! |
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Think you've got what it takes to be a designer? Would you enjoy seeing what happens behind the scenes as new patterns are developed? You can enjoy an insider's scoop to "A Work In Progress", by signing up for our new blog! And don't worry, you can catch right up with everyone else by clicking on the individual posts from August 2009, listed to the right.
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August Posts
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After all the hype & pre-promotions, it's good to finally be able to say that the Lollapalooza pattern is finally ready for release. In response to the market trend for super-sized bags, the Lollapalooza is our largest bag yet. It features a very large & expansive exterior, perfect for many types of embellishment, like embroidery, | |
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(both must be purchased separately)
But here's the deal, now is the perfect time to pick up this new pattern because we're running a coupon sale for the month of September. Simply type the word LOLLAKAT in the coupon code box at checkout to get $2.00 off the retail price of your Lollapalooza pattern. (But don't delay- this coupon will expire on September 30th.) |
 Sew... Let's Have a NEW Contest!! |
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Organize it - with an ENCORE!
One thing I didn't anticipate when I designed the Encore Purse Insert, was the many creative ways it could organize OTHER areas besides the interior of a handbag. | |
I've heard so many ways in fact, that I think it might be fun to hold a NEW, special, one-time contest during the month of January, 2010. (That gives you plenty of time to think up a creative use, make your sample, and take a before AND an after picture, for the voting.)
Everyone is eligible, even former winners of the Handbag of the Month contests.
The prize will be $25 CASH, AND a feature interview in a subsequent newsletter, complete with pictures. So what are you waiting for? Look around for interesting areas that could benefit from the organization only an Encore could provide, and GET SEWING! | | |
There are more TV sets in the US than there are people in the UK? |
Lisa Shepard Stewart sent me this gorgeous piece of Mudcloth several months ago, and from the moment I laid eyes on it, I just knew it would make up into something very special. As the Lollapalooza design began to solidify, it became apparent that it was the perfect vehicle for this magical cloth. The unique shadings of this handmade fabric give it a dramatic, velvet-like appearance, that is beyond compare. I blogged about this project upon its completion, so if you'd like more advice about using this fabulous fabric in your project, click here. |
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"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it." Russell Baker |
Tracy and Allison Stilwell, known as the Artgirlz, are sisters. They are funny, irreverent, and smart, with a lot more to them than meets the eye. These two lighthearted women with the artsy outfits and unique haircuts are also seriously talented artists and hard-working business women. And they are currently running a "Trying Not to go Out of Business" sale. They've got some cool stuff- so check'em out! I like these neat Felt Beads, and these Pewter Charms, either of which would look very cool when used a Boho Baguette, don't you think? |
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Last month I tried (unsuccessfully) to share a "Simon's Cat" video with you. I understand that there were problems with the link last month, but I am determined that you get a chance to enjoy these humorous videos about a naughty feline whose behavior is at times like my Joba, & at the next turn, just like Jeter. Be sure to scroll down on the page, to watch all FIVE videos. And if you find Simon's Cat humorous, then you also might be interested to know that Simon's antics will be published in book-form on September 24th, & will be available thru Amazon.Com. | |
I enjoy reading Jeanne Supin's blog. Here's a little piece called "Being Happy" that Jeanne wrote back in June of this year, called " Being Happy". It pretty much sums up my outlook as well, so I thought I would share it with you. It goes against the grain of current popular thought, but wouldn't the world be an oh-so-much more pleasant place to live & work, if more people lived this way? |
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Your Cat Might Own You IF- |
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you climb out of bed over the headboard or footboard, so as to not disturb the sleeping cat. :) |
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The movie Julie & Julia hit theatres last month, featuring the true story of popular TV chef & author, Julia Child. It's a great time to enjoy Julia Child's one-of-a-kind cooking style & easy kitchen spirit again, which you can do at this PBS site. It features a fully searchable database of Julia Child programming including videos of "Baking With Julia", "Cooking in Concert", "Cooking With Master Chefs", & "In Julia's Kitchen With Master Chefs". Bon appetit! | |
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New Word of the Month- "Cinemuck" |
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The sticky substance on the floor of movie theaters. |
Click here to enjoy a sweet little story about a throw-away kitten in Baghdad. (courtesy of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel) |
If you are interested in making your own handbag handles & cords, like the ones featured in the Lollapalooza sample to the right, then you need to visit FiberGoddess.Net. It's never been quicker or easier to make beautiful handbag straps that coordinate perfectly with your outfit or your purse exterior. For more pictures & a brief explanation, you might check out my blog entry from June 30th. (A word of caution though- the shipping from the vendor is VERY slow, so allow planty of time when you order it, or pay additional for expidited shipping. ) |
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Keep a small magnet in your sewing basket. When needles and pins drop on the carpet while you're sewing, retrieve them quickly with the magnet |
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This site describes itself as "travel advice you can trust from families who have been there." There are in-depth reviews of kid-friendly hotels & resorts, expert travel advice, reader's tips about traveling with kids, & a blog of family travel news & deals. Don't miss the photos posted by users to give you a good look at hotel rooms & travel attractions. |
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Laugh Lines- If My Body Were a Car... |
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If my body were a car, this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model.
I've got bumps & dents & scratches in my finish, & my paint job is getting a little dull. But that's not the worst of it.
My headlights are out of focus, & it's especially hard to see things up close.
My traction is not as graceful as it once was. I slip & slide & skid & bump into things even in the best of weather.
My whitewalls are stained with vericose veins.
It takes me hours to reach my mazimum speed.
My fuel rate burns inefficiently.
But here's the worst of it -- Almost every time I sneeze, cough or laugh, either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires.
CASH FOR CLUNKERS.... I qualify - How about you? |
If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown too? |
It's grilling season for a little while longer and if anyone knows grilling, it's Richard Myers, otherwise known as the Grilling Coach. This site offers detailed instructions about all things related to grilling including recipes, safety insturctions, how to improve your grilling skills, & grill buying guides. Don't forget to check out the instructional videos for more "hot tips". |
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Today is September 5th, the 248th day of 2009. There are 117 days remaining in this year. It's also National "Be Late for Something" Day, created to supposedly release us from the stresses & strains resulting from a constant need to be on time. (I don't know about you, but I think being late would actually cause more stress for me than it would ever relieve!!!)
Today is also the birthday of western legend & train bandit, Jesse James, as well as Raquel Welch, still quite beautiful at 67 years old today. If like me, you're a fan of the Fox series, 24, then it might interest you to know that William DeVane (Audrey's Dad) will also be chowing down on birthday cake today. They all share their special day with Freddy Mercury, the in-your-face lead singer for the rock band Queen. The raucously gay Mercury led Queen thru 27 hits from 1975 to 1993 (three after his death), including the rock opera classic, "Bohemian Rhapsody".And if today is your birthday too, here's a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU from StudioKat Designs, or second thought, maybe it would be altogether more appropriate if instead, we sing you a rousing version of "Another One Bites the Dust" ? |
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:)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.
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