StudioKat Designs March 09 Newsletter

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March 2009

The StudioKat Designs Newsletter
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

HELLO and Welcome!-It seems Spring will never get here, and for some reason winter is hanging on extra tough this year! Maybe that's why I'm a little restless & stir-crazy. It could be the weather that's making me feel a little closed-in, having just come off of a full weekend of rain and then 6 inches of snow... or maybe its the "paparazzi" that's been watching my every move! Think I'm kidding? Click here , to see what I'm talking about, then come on back and we'll get started! And remember....
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/mar09.htm to see the online version of the newsletter.

Feline Quote for March -
"Cats sleep anywhere, any table, any chair,
Top of piano, window-ledge,
In the middle, on the edge,
Open drawer, open shoe,
Anybody's lap will do,
Fitted in a cardboard box,
In the closet with your frocks,
Anywhere! They just don't care,
Cats sleep anywhere! Eleanor Farjeon

New on my Website!-
For those of you that do not subscribe to Mark Lipinski's Quilters Home magazine, we are out-of-our-head excited over being the headliner of a feature article in the March 09 issue! And here's a treat, you can read it here without even having to run out to the newsstand!

Bobbin around the Web-
Arlene Stream sent in this delightful link to a collection of bras you simply MUST see!

My dad and literally a host of others sent me this link to a very sweet cat video. Just in case you are one of the few who DID NOT see it, click here.

And I know this is not handbag or cat-related, but it's hysterical nonetheless! Click here for a delightful video of men changing diapers. Thanks to my Aunt Carol in Houston for the tip!

"Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
I'm having such fun seeing the beautiful handbags you all are creating! It seems everyone is enjoying the new Handbag of the Month contest, so jump right in & check out these pics, all received in February, & then cast a vote for your favorite. I'm warning you though, the entries this month are simply unbelievable! You're going to have a hard time choosing! The owner of the handbag receiving the most votes at the end of the month wins a $10.00 SKD gift certificate. Lesa Brahm of Huntsville, AL was our lucky winner in the February Handbag Contest. Click here to see her winning SideKick, which has also won a permanent place of honor on our website!

And now...Here's this month's entries (and they are FABULOUS!):

Dotty Yackle of Battleground, WA sent in this picture of her gorgeously elegant Boho Baguette. She chose an absolutely perfect color palette, don't you think?

Peg Rice of Westport Island, ME has been sewing for her friends again and this time she fixed up a beautiful Springtime combo, a Gadabout with a matching PortaPockets Insert. Peg embellished her Gadabout with a PERFECT fabric rosette! How can we get ourselves on this list???

This unbelievable Vervalise was submitted by Patricia Winship of Mt. Tabor, NJ. She used her favorite quilt pattern, Mariner's Compass, and enhanced it with a halo of iridescant metal thread embroidery, sprinkled with sparkling blue, silver and crystal beads. Click here for a closeup. She said the colors just came together and SANG... and I believe it!

If you thought Dotty hit perfection with her Boho Baguette above, that's because you haven't seen this extraordinary Boho! It's delicious!

Here's Ande Jackson's first PortaPockets Insert. She said it took her a whole weekend to complete, but she LOVES it!

Mandy Hall (of the UK) has taken recycled fabric to new heights with her Boho Baguette made from recycled men's shirts. She said all of her fabric seemed happy going together, so she added a butterfly applique. Here's her new bag, complete with matching PortaPockets and CashKeeper. And because she used all recycled materials, she made them all for almost nothing!!

This eye-catching Boho Baguette, pictured with a PortaPockets Insert, was submitted by Melody Teel of Rentone, WA. She said she loves the way the Boho shows off fabric with large designs.

Margaret Johnson of Cypress, CA made up this wild & wonderful Harmony Handbag for her daughter in Tennessee. Here's a close up of the interior with a matching PortaPockets Insert in place. Don't they make a yummy pair?

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.

Cast Your Vote HERE!

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 205 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!

Website Spotlight- Londa's Creative Threads
If you're looking for a one-stop shop for sewing needs, then look no more. Londa's Creative Threads , often called the "Nordstrom's of Creative Sewing", has it all. Check out Londa's free content by clicking here. Among my favorites is her Mini Color Lesson, and this tutorial on her interesting Gathering Technique. Londa has several books on the market, including her latest, Creative Sweatshirt Jackets- Londa's Way. Londa has just recently redesigned her site, and in honor of that, she is generously offering a 20% discount on any of her Creative Sweatshirt Jacket products. Simply use discount code kat-csj (case-sensitive) at checkout between now and March 15th, 2009 to enjoy the markdown!

Website Spotlight- Cultured Expressions
Lisa Shepard Stewart is an author, designer & the owner of Cultured Expressions, a company that promotes the creative use of African Specialty textiles. Lisa's newest book, On The Go!, features handbags & accessories enhanced with culturally inspired fabrics, embellishments & trims. The result- a collection of unique art-to-carry pieces that are as beautiful as they are practical. I particularly love Lisa's beautiful collection of authentic mudcloths, and this mini purse kit would make such a cute gift!

A Cool Place to Shop!- Back River Designs
Are you looking for a few outstanding beads or buttons to use with your new creation? Glass artist Debbie Gay's creations can easily elevate your outfit or purse from good to fantabulous! Just think about how these beads would look on your Boho Baguette for instance! I also like these Czech glass beads! There's also find some unique jewelry pieces & pendants!

Quotation of the Month-
"There are some defeats more triumphant than victories".
Michel de Montaigne

Your cat might own you if...you would rather spend a night at home with your cat than go out on a bad date!

Surf HERE for Neat INFO!- Understanding Natural Disasters
The world news has been filled redently with stories of natural disasters - the cyclone in Myanmar (Burma), the earthquake in China, a volcano eruption in Chile, & tornadoes, flooding & wildfires in the US. To learn more about the causes & effects of these hazards, take a look at this site. It features NASA satellite imagery of the events along with explanations of the science involved. You'll also find links to related websites & articles about topics including fires, floods, severe storms & volcanoes. You can also gain access to some cool global maps, & catch up on the latest news headlines.

New Word of the Month- Acluistic- A person or a group of people who don't know and don't know that they don't know.

Love Handbags?- Handbags by Marcia
UK textile artist, Marcia Crookes makes handbags for women who wish to be different, maintaining that no two bags will ever be the same. Scroll down on the homepage and check out the closeup of the flower on the cover bag! It's just incredible. And who could resist this adorable "Cat Bag"? And take a look at the WOOL lining on this cool little number! It's definitely worth looking around this site if only to check out Marcia's unique embellishment ways. Who knows, you may pick up an idea or two!

Sewing Tip of the Month- Make earrings With buttons to match your blouse.

Did You Know?-that some folks refer to tuxedo cats as "magpies"? Thanks to the reader that clued me in to this & since I live with two handsome men in tuxedos I did enjoy researching this a bit. For more interesting facts about tuxedo/magpie cats, click here.

A cool Internet Activity- Trip Advisor
Recommendations from friends always help when traveling. But what if your friends haven't been where you're going? This website offers millions of reviews from travelers who have visited a wide selection of destinations worldwide. Get information on hotels and restaurants, get suggestions for your next trip, or look for bargain travel ideas.

"Catsite" of the Month- Funny Cat Site.Com
Feeling a little low? Could you use a smile to brighten your day? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you need to check out Funny Cat Site.Com. It's loaded with terrific pictures of really funny cats, and if that's not enough for you, then click here for some of the best cat videos you'll find anywhere. And for the dog lovers amongst us, there's a comparable dog site too!

Surf HERE for FUN!- Coming SOON!
Winter is the perfect time for indoor entertainment, & many movies (both big screen & DVD) will be released in the coming weeks to provide it. This site lists release dates chronologically, or you can search for the film you've been dying to see by title, actor, or genre. The site also allows you to download movies to view on your computer, TV or portable player.

Monthly Trivia-
You probably did not know, or may not even care that today, March 4th 2009, is the 35th anniversay of People magazine. The first issue featured a cover photo of actress & former fashion model, Mia Farrow. Over the course of the years, People has become among the biggest of spenders in the industry when it comes to buying celebrity photos, reportedly paying $4.1 million for newborn photos of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, the child of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. It's no wonder then, that this magazine is often attributed with the proliferation of papparazzi that we see today. Due to the reputation of paparazzi as a nuisance, some states and countries (particularly within Europe) now restrict their activities by passing laws and curfews. Hmmm... maybe I need to think about this because once again, I'm getting the feeling I'm being watched...

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

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