StudioKat News                 October 2009
 In This Issue-
NEW   -  Sew-In labels from SKD
Henry, the Fiber Artist
FabricBuffet.Com
"Handbag of the Month" contest
NEW  -  Encore Contest Details
FigTreeandCo.Com
WoolyLady.Com
"Way Of Cats" Blog
PurseStories.Com
Newsletter Sponsors
 

 
 
 
 

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Join the StudioKat Designs Chat group!

 
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Hello and Welcome-
Good to see you today!
We are busy as bees getting ready to leave on Thursday for the International Quilt Market in Houston, TX, but due to the miracle of the internet, we can do two different things at one time! So go ahead and start reading while I pack, pack, pack for our trip! 
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 
 
  If you're having trouble reading this email- Click HERE for the web version
 
Feline Quote for September-
"Cats are connoisseurs of comfort."     James Herriot
 
New on my Website- Sew-In Labels
I'm glad to finally be able to announce that  StudioKat Designs sew-in labels are now available on our website in quantities of 2, 5 or 10. MANY of you have inquired about sew-in handtags, but I've had difficulty finding an embroidering company that could do justice to our purple cat logo at a reasonable price. You'll be pleased to note too, that the normal shipping fees do NOT apply to these tags, as a matter of fact, there is no shipping fees at all for the tags in ANY quantity!
 

New sew-in labels are now available at StudioKat Designs!
 
Video of the Month-
Jeter & Joba both enjoy drinking water directly from the water faucet like most cats, but not like THIS cat! Click here and enjoy!
 
Cats in the News- Henry, the Fiber Artist
Meet Henry, a feline fiber artist. He loves to create unique textured wall hangings from pieces of carpet. Henry discovered that not only is carpet a great place to sharpen his claws, but it's also an outlet for his creative mind. While YOUR eyes see a simple carpet square, Henry's artistic eyes see a way to express what he's thinking & feeling! Watch this short documentary film to see Henry's finished art! Henry's enjoying his new found fame so much, that now he's even twittering! (just keep him out of my new studio!)
Our thanks go to alert reader, Darla Elsken of Pittsburgh, PA for sending us this clip!) 
 

Meet Henry!
 
Bobbin Around the Web- Fabric Buffet.Com
Fabric Buffet.Com is celebrating their 2nd year anniversary & YOU are invited to the party! The cake graphic to the right is your clickable ticket to a host of savings this month! You'll love the huge line of purse-making supplies, and fabrics, like
 
 
this Christmas line from Moda, or these dramatic prints from Benartex. Once you've tasted the savings, you may just be a regular diner at FabricBuffet.Com
 
 "Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
I love seeing the beautiful handbags you all are creating, and I'll bet you do too. This month's entries are especially wonderful and you may have a hard time choosing a favorite!
But first, let's all applaud Terri Denner of San Diego, CA, who won our September contest with her sweet & sentimental Harmony Handbag. Her beautiful handbag is now headlining our contest webpage, and Terry's trying to figure out which bag she wants to tackle next with her $10 gift certificate!
.
Now let's check out THIS month's entries!
ALL fabulous!
 
Cindy Fix of Jasper, GA said this isn't her first Trifecta, but it may be her favorite. Cindy won't be keeping this one though- it's destined to be a birthday gift for her Mom, who evidently so admired the last one she made. It will make a PERFECT 75th birthday gift!
Cindy also included a picture of the inside, which you can see by clicking here. She very cleverly added a couple of pockets, including some just for pens, to the inside of each pouch.
 
 
 Kathy Harrington of Fairfax, CA made up and submitted TWO Odysseys. (She noticed it was so much easier the 2nd time around, that she now has plans for a third!)
Kathy didn't indicate whether she pre-embroidered her fabric for this beauty or not, but either way, the result is just scrumptious!
Click here for an inside view!
 
 Here's Kathy Harrington's  2nd Odyssey BackPack, and doesn't it look fun?!? She untilized a home dec fabric for this one and a ropey-style trim for grab-n-go handle. Kathy also replaced the Id Pocket on the inside with a pocket for her CellPhone & added an additional pocket for her sunglasses! I LOVE the way this turned out. Even better, I LOVE the special way she grouped these pictures as a composite. Check it OUT here!
 
 This vision in purple is actually the 3rd StudioKat Designs handbag that Janice Jacobson has made so far. I love the colors she has chosen for this Trifecta, of course purple IS one of my favorites! Janice said that she loved the directions and found them easy to follow. Great Job Janice!
 It all started when Sue Lothary of Tavares, FL made a PortaPockets Insert for a friend and it snowballed from there. Other friends saw it and she's been making them as gifts ever since, and I can see why! Sue says she loves picking out fabric combinations for her creations!
 Jindra Katzerova of the Czech Republic is so happy with the look of her
 Lollapalooza that she going to give it to her daughter in London for Christmas (Lucky girl!) Jindra has a real eye for color combinations and this a show-stopping fall bag! Just take a look at the sumptuous interior of this bag! Way to GO, Jindra!
 
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! 
 
Blog with us!-  A Work in Progress

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? (It's NOT all work!) You can enjoy an insider's scoop to "A Work In Progress", by signing up for our new blog! This month I've been getting for the Fall Quilt Market in Houston, and working on plans for my new design studio. Have you missied out? You can catch right up with everyone else by clicking on the individual posts from September 2009, listed below. 

 

 
 
Sew... Let's Have a NEW Contest!                               
 
 

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.   
 
In fact, I've heard so many ways 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 for your Encore, make a sample, and photograph your area both before AND after, for the voting.
Everyone is eligible, including ALL of our past contest winners !
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!
 
Do You Know the Difference between Bird Flu & Swine Flu?-
For bird flu you need tweetment and for swine flu you need oinkment!
 
Website Spotlite- FigTree and Co.com
 If you're unfamiliar with FigTree & Company, then you're in for a treat. With over 70 patterns on the market from quilts to clothing & accessory items, Joanna Figueroa is a cottage industry.  Her newest pattern, the Sugar Pumpkin, would make both an adorable addition to a Thanksgiving table, or a whimsical pin cushion. If you like it the way it's pictured here, it's even available as a kit!
  
 
Quote of the Month- 
"It's easy to fool the eye but it's hard to fool the heart." Al Pacino
 
A Cool Place to Shop- WoolyLady.Com
 
Woolylady is an independent, wool dye studio in Wisconsin, specializing in contemporary, hand dyed, felted wool fabric for wool applique, rug hooking and garment making. Do you like the "knock your socks off" pillow on the left? It's just one of the MANY kits available on this site for pillows, table runners and rugs, all featuring wool as the major component. So if you're looking for a one-of-a-kind accent piece, this is where you just might find it!
 
Your Cat Might Own You IF-
you buy more than 50 pounds of kitty litter per month.
 
Blog of the Month- Way of Cats
 
If you've ever wondered what's up with your cat, then you need to bookmark this blog. Now you can stop ransacking the bookstores for answers to the tough questions, like this one... "Why does my cat go nuts over a stupid string?" Which may also answer the question, "Why is Jeter STILL at the front door waiting for that lizard to come back?"  Click here to find out.
This blog is entertaining and has terrific pictures! And if you have a question about the behavior of your cat (and who doesn't?) you can contact Pammy by clicking here.
 
Surf HERE for FUN- Stood There, Done That...
Sometimes the best part of visiting someplace great is just standing there and taking it in. This site allows you to share that moment with others by uploading photos of yourself in settings ranging from the majesty of the Grand Canyon, to the history of Pompeii. One hundred of the World’s most wondrous, inspiring, or thought-provoking locations have been put forward to be voted on by the public as the Greatest Place To Stand On Planet Earth 2009. Is it possible that someone has been to all 100? Voting will close on the Dec 1st, 2009, but in the meantime, you can look at other's photos, vote for your favorites, and discover more of the best places to see on our planet.  
 
New Word of the Month-  Shoegating   (shü-gāt'ĭng)
verb: Walking behind someone at a distance too close for comfort, much like tailgating in a car.
 
Love Handbags?- Purse Stories.com
If you love handbags, then here is the PERFECT site for you! It's simply called PurseStories, and its a delightful collection of various stories, poems and pictures about one subject only... handbags! Let's face it, every woman on earth has special purses they could NEVER part with because of a favorite memory associated with that bag. "It's the bag my grandmother gave me", or "I carried this bag the day I met my husband-to-be"... you get the picture. Click here to start reading. Got a sentimental story of your own to tell? You can upload it here and get in on the fun!
 
Sewing Tips- 
Save buttons, zippers etc from clothing that has worn out. Keep a sectioned container and store these items, you will be surprised how often you can recycle.
 
A Cool Internet Activity- FactMonster.Com
As the new school year begins, point your kids to Fact Monster, a site that makes homework seem like fun. It's loaded with information on topics ranging from US cities, to metric conversions, to "Women of Influence". Kids can play brain-twisting games, look up words in the dictionary, or improve their study skills. When they're ready for a study break, they can visit the Harry Potter page, or participate in Spelling Bee of the Day.
 
Laugh Lines-
What is the #1 indicator that the economy is bad?
    Your Bank returns your check for insufficient funds and you have to call them back to see if they meant you or THEM!!!
 
Question of the Month- Do You Know Your Hymns?                                                                        
                                                                        (alertly provided by Jonell Hutchinson of Clemmons, NC)    
Dentist's Hymn- Crown Him with Many Crowns
Weatherman's Hymn- There Shall Be Showers of Blessings
Contractor's Hymn- The Church's One Foundation
Politician's Hymn- Standing on the Promises
Optometrist's Hymn- Open My Eyes That I Might See
IRS Agent's Hymn- I Surrender All
Gossip's Hymn- Pass it ON
Electrician's Hymn-Send the Light
 
Healthy Surfing- Shoo the Flu!
The cold weather season is also flu season, and this year it's more important than EVER to avoid catching it! The more you know about the flu, the less likely you are to catch it. This site includes detailed info about flu symptoms, care & prevention. Find out who should (and should NOT) get a flu vaccine, when they will be available, & what potential side effects could occur. Learn the signs that indicate a medical emergency & check out special messages for parents, health professionals & other groups.
 
Monthly Trivia-
Today is October 5th, the 278th day of 2009 (there are 87 remaining), and in 3 days we are leaving for the International Quilt market in Houston. While I wish you all could go, the attendance is limited to retailers & vendors only. But did you know that there's a fabulous (open to the public) Quilt Festival right after the Quilt Market? You'd love the classes, the exhibits, and shopping with 4 or 5 thousand other women who love sewing as much as you do! It's kinda late to be making your plans, so why not plan instead, to let us be your eyes in Houston this year? We'll be twittering & updating our FaceBook FAN page right from the Market floor this year, and uploading stories & photos each evening to our Blog, so pick your favorite medium & stay in touch with us!
And lest we forget the birthdays amongst us, Grant Hill (basketball superstar from Duke University) was born in Dallas 37 years ago, as was author Louise Fitzhugh. Ms. Fitzhugh is best known for her timeless series of  Harriet the Spy books, which have been favorites of girls everywhere (my daughter included, she recorded EVERYTHING that was going on in our family for YEARS, because of her admiration of Harriet). And proving that her heart indeed did go on, you'll probably find that Kate Winslet is eating birthday cake today as well (probably a tiny piece).
And if today is your birthday as well, here's a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU from StudioKat Designs, and if today is not your birthday, you could celebrate the day anyway by listening to Celine Dion's Oscar performance of the Titanic theme song that made her a legend, or maybe just watch the movie? Get a kleenex or two for me!
 
Well, that's it for now, so until next month, remember!
Sewing Forever, Housework Whenever!
 
 
Why Not Pass along the FUN?
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.
 
StudioKat Designs, www.studiokatdesigns.com