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StudioKat News January 2011
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In This Issue-
Handbehg Felts
J Stern Designs
The Batik Butik
Nicey Jane Patterns
Annie's Keepsakes
'How Cats Lap Liquids'
The Scoop on Soup
Your Daily Cute- a cat blog
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for January's 'Pick of the Month
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for January's 'Pick of the Month
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for January's 'Pick of the Month
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for January's 'Pick of the Month
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Click for more info about
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So 2010 is over, 2011 has begun and it's time to get back into a routine. And not a moment too soon either, because I think of a better way to jumpstart the New Year than with a newsletter full of fun sites and hot links!
So whatcha say? Shall we proceed?
If you have comments or suggestions about our Newsletter, or if you just feel like telling us something, please feel free to do so at info@studiokatdesigns.com
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"Handbag of the Month" Contest-
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Thanks to everyone who participated in last month's contest! The winner was Linda Ross of Lake St Louis, MO. She wins a $20.00 SKD gift certificate and a permanent place of honor on our website. Click here to see her winning entry, a fabulous and silky Carolina CarryAll.
And just for kicks, let's change it up a tad for January. We've had so many TIGHT contests during 2010, and some of our 2nd place bags have been truly magnificent, so during this month, let's honor our runners-up and give each of them a 2nd chance at infamy!
So...scroll down to choose which of 2010's 2nd place finishers you favor as January's Handbag of the Month.
(Click each individual picture for a larger view)
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2nd place in JANUARY
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2nd place in FEBRUARY
Carol Patterson of Waynesburg, PA made 5 Boho Baguettes & one PortaPockets Insert for various daughters & grandaughters for Christmas. She described the process as like working a well-done puzzle & she enjoyed every step. (Thanks Carol!) This is the one Carol liked best. It was made from a pillow panel & I agree, it's wonderful! |
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2nd place in MARCH
Harriet Lee of California says she secretly loves all the great compliments she gets on her embroidered Bellagio Bag. I wonder which side they like the best, because the back is way cool too! She used one of the designs on Loralie's Fun Ladies CD to make a perfect bag for shopping!
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2nd place in APRIL
As unbelievable as it seems, Lisa Garner of Maricopa, AZ actually made up her own printed fabric for her Odyssey Bag, featuring her own dog! She wanted something special to carry to the dog show to cheer her favorite entrant on. She defintely gets a blue ribbon for this bag and lets hope her dog did too! Lisa's bag is just as pretty from the back, and the inside is beautiful too!
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2nd place in MAY
And if spring is what you're craving, this beautiful springlike Carolina CarryAll was made by Judy Graf of Tyler TX! |
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2nd place in JUNE
Marilyn Bond of Ontario, Canada is the mastermind behind this lovely Harmony Handbag. I love the color combination here. She liked the result so much, that she fashioned a matching PortaPockets Insert for it.
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2nd place in JULY
What about this fabulous Trifecta which was submitted by Linda Ross of Lake St. Louis, MO. Linda says that she saw this pattern featured on the cover of Nancy's Notions and knew it would be perfect for embellishing. She hand-painted both side with liquidtex paint. The front of course features a gorgeous dragonfly, and if you click here, you can see the back, which Linda enhanced with a floral design. The result is quite incredible, isn't it?
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2nd place in AUGUST
This ultra-girley Carolina CarryAll was created by Bette Gove of Moneta, VA. She said that when she was all done, this bag 'told her' that it needed some bling. So she found some complimentary ribbon and beads and voila...(here's an embellishment closeup) Bette says she's not really a girley-girl but loves the bag and I do too! Bette was concerned I'd think she was strange because her work 'spoke' to her, but I understand that completely... don't you?
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2nd place in SEPTEMBER
Lynn Hudson of Apex, NC created this gorgeous Carolina CarryAll is also one of Lynn Hudson's creations. This bold and striking bag has a distinctly Asian motif. It's totally lovely!
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2nd place in OCTOBER
Diane Rhodes of Monroeville, PA pieced together her Trifecta exterior with 2 Starr Fire charm packs. Isn't it amazing? I especially love the way she matched the stripes on the front to the ones on the back. You can see this real well in this side shot. And the purple interior solidifies the whole look. Diane said that she made this bag with an extra long strap for a very tall friend who has a color burst on her business card!
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2nd place in NOVEMBER
Linda Richards of Tucson, AZ had a bit of a dilemma. Her 'thing' is smocking and she wanted to fashion a smmocked bag exterior that didn't look like it should be for a child, and I'd say she succeeded in a BIG way! (Do click on the picture to see the enlarged view of this Bellagio Bag. Linda's smocking is impeccable!
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2nd place in DECEMBER
This vibrant Carolina CarryAll was fashioned out of pre-quilted fabric by Carole Snyder of Catasauqua, PA. (Don't you just love the 'blingified' jewel adornment on the front?) Carole said she found it in a jewelry box she inherited from her Mom.
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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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Sponsor 'Picks-of-the-Month'-
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We met Tami & Kim, the creative geniuses behind Handbehg Felts at the Fall Quilt Market in Houston. (Their booth was across from ours.) I had a blast looking at all of the wonderful fiber art in their booth, and I think you'll really enjoy the eye candy on their website too! There's almost no limit to the things you can create with these products. Check out the Design Gallery where you'll find handbags, embellishments, coin purses, table arrangements, jewelry and MUCH MORE. And here's the deal- You can even purchase kits to make exactly what you see on their website!
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Smilegram- Texting for the Elderly
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BTW: Bring the Wheelchair
ROFL...CGU: Rolling on the Floor Laughing... and Can't Get Up
LOL: Living on Lipitor
IMHO: Is My Hearing Aid On?
WTF: Wet the Furniture
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The Batik Butik (pronounced "boutique"), features beautiful hand-dyed, hand-stamped rayon from the "island of the gods", Bali, along with a complete line of patterns designed with batiks in mind. And here's the deal, not only are the finished designs comfortable and stylish to wear, but they are very complimentary to all figure types. My favorite is this top & tunic pattern. :) |
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Feline Quote for January-
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"Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them."
Jim Davis
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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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And I thought I was nuts about my pets and over-indulge them! I am a cruel taskmaster compared to Bob Tarte, the author of Enslaved by Ducks. But seriously, if you love animals and need a light, easy-to-read book that will make you smile, laugh out loud and even shed a tear in a few spots, then this book is for you. I have thoroughly enjoyed it! |
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Video of the Month- I Want This Dog
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I've always been fascinated by Jack Russell terriers, and never more than by this one. Does anyone know how I can get THIS dog? Click here to view and thanks to alert reader Peg Rice of Westport Island, Maine for bringing it to our attention! |
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Cat Picture of the Month-
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(Click on the picture to enlarge it) |
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If cats could talk, this is what you would hear them saying as they play ' PattyCake'. Thanks to alert reader, Patty Dunn for this fun video! |
What's not to love about Heather and her designs? This already-there designer of fabric, patterns, and other stuff has a first class blog that constantly updates her fans on what's new in Bailey-ville. She had loads of patterns and tutorials that are free for the download as well. This post about a dragon costume she made, is one of my favorites, and what little girl wouldn't flip over this mouse jumper?
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"Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do." Voltaire
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This little website has a full line of quilting and accessories, as well as holiday, home and wearable art. There's oodles of patterns to choose from. I adore the flower pin cushion, and the leaf placemats look like a quick and easy, yet adorable project. And don't forget to check out her page of free projects and classes! |
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New Word of the Month- Inoculatte
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To take coffee intravenously when you are running late!
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It has taken four highly qualified engineers and a bunch of integral equations to figure it out, but we now know how cats drink. The answer is: very elegantly, and not at all the way you might suppose. Click here to read the rest of the article which appeared in the NYTimes on 11/12/10. You can also click the picture at left to enlarge it, or click here for a very COOL video which let's you see the lapping process in slow motion! |
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There's a new handbag accessory on the market, and you may find it hysterical, fantastic, totally disgusting, or some combination in between. It's called a 'LadyBag' and its a mobile toilet that can be carried around in one's purse, and I swear that i am NOT making this up. Makers of the 'LadyBag' claim it means women will no longer have to stand in longlines at the ladies room...instead they can pee in a bag. Click here to read more... if you dare! |
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Sewing Tips- Need help threading a needle?
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Simply spray a small amount of hairspray on your finger and dab it on the end of the thread. The hairspray will stiffen the thread just a tad and that will make it easier to insert the end into the eye!
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Looking for a great way to stay warm this winter? This site provides healthy soup recipes with a wide range of ingredients like vegetables, cheese, fish, beans, meat, grains, and even fruit! Many of the recipes take 30 minutes or less to preparre, and they all include nutrition information and easy-to-follow instructions. Soup with a salad is a satisfying meal, and leftovers can be used for easy lunches. I think this one for Ravioli & Vegetable Soup sounds super yummy!
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Did You Know?- Food for Thought!
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Stephen Baldwin worked in a pizza parlor,
Jean-Claude Van Damme delivered pizzas,
Bill Murray was a pizza maker,
Madonna worked at Dunkin’ Donuts.
Julia Roberts worked in an ice cream parlor,
Queen Latifah worked at Burger King,
Andie McDowell worked at McDonalds, as did Quintin Tarentino,
Jennifer Aniston worked as a waitress in a burger cafe.
There’s hope for all of us!
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I like this little cat blog, and no... it's not only because one of the cats looks a whole lot like mine! There's a whole host of REALLY cute videos, (which I wasted half a morning watching), and not just cat videos, although they are the BEST! I like this one featuring dancing baby goats, or this one featuring a cat with a special toy like my Jeter has. But my favorite so far is this cute little video of animals singing "Jingle Bells". |
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Question of the Month- What do marine mammals such as dolphins & seals drink?
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Marine mammals do not actually drink. They get all the water they need from the fish that they eat. The fish they eat do drink the sea water – lots of it – which is processed through diffusion and osmosis.
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As 'Funnie' as Real Life-
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My backyard actually looked similar to this over Christmas!
(Click on the picture to enlarge it) |
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Today is Thursday, the 6th day of January, and there are 359 days remaining in 2011, and I'd be willing to wager that you did not know that all over the English-speaking world, today is being celebrated as ' National Smith Day'... unless of course your surname is Smith or Smyth or some other derivative, like Goldsmith or Blacksmith. That's because Smith, is our most common last name, belonging to over 2,382,500 people. Incredible, isn't it? And here's the deal. Many of those Smith's have TWO reasons to celebrate, because they share a birthday with these folks...
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, or if your last name is not Smith, don't despair, you can celebrate the day anyway by maybe calling up your favorite 'Smith', singing 'Happy Smith-day' to them, and maybe offering to meet for icecream. Heck- it's as good a reason as any I can think of for eating ice cream!
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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:)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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