StudioKat News               February 2012
     Volume 7 Issue 2
 In This Issue-
new pattern sneek preview!
Craftoholics Anonymous
Figgy's Patterns
Sassaman's Idea Book
ZooBorns
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Customer Comment
of the Month
"Once again, the best newsletter ever! Merry Christmas and thanks for the fun you bring to my life all year long."
Kathie Brownlee

Hello and Welcome-
      I have to keep on reminding myself that it's February, because it feels SO much like April. As a matter of fact, I'm just not sure at this point that we'll be seeing ANY winter here in North Carolina this year. But we are getting on towards Spring, which means we're getting closer every day to a new pattern release and it you stick around, we've tucked a sneek preview in this edition!

So whatcha say? Shall we proceed?
If you have comments or suggestions about our Newsletter, please feel free to do so at info@studiokatdesigns.com
 
 
 
 
 
 "Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
Thanks to everyone who participated in last month's contest! As you know, it was a "Battle of the 2nd place finishers from 2011 and the voting was off the wall! The winner (by a hair) was Pat Leask of Ontario, Canada. 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 spectacular Baggalista. And the entrants below better be glad Pat won last month, because if not, they would be competing against THIS impossibly beautiful Baggalista which Pat created using the RockStar piecing method she learned in our eBook!
 
The February Handbag of the Month contest promises to be just as exciting, so without further ado...Check out this month's nominees, then cast a vote for your favorite.

(Click each individual picture to see a larger image)

Christine O'Donnell of Australia created this incredible Dr. Seuss-inspired Quattro. She says it creates a buzz wherever she goes and has received numerous comments & compliments on it, which is not surprising! Here's a peek at the front which is just as fabulous!
 
This DittyRoo and the one below were both made by Mary Jane Hendrickson of Rome, NY as Christmas gifts. She named this gorgeous one "the Renaissance", which seems appropriate. She let her kids pick out the fabric which was a concern since she chose upholstery/tapestry fabric, but she said that even though it was challenging, it worked out OK.
 
Mary Jane named this DittyRoo, "The Zen". You might notice that she added a button flap to both of these bags, which gives them a different look and since she also does a little machine embroidery, she ALSO added an embroidered tag which emphasized the theme of each bag. Great job Mary Jane- I don't know which bag I like better?
 
 
 
This vision in purple was made by Peg Rice of Westport Island, ME, one of my loyal testers! This Quattro was a gift for a very special friend who's favorite color was.... PURPLE! And here's a peek at the zippered top. I just love it!
 
Veronica Johnson of Australia used Aboriginal prints to glam up her Bellagio Bag. She says she combined 5 different fabrics to get this final look and you can see some of the other prints in this sideview, and this peek under the flap.  
 
And when Linda Arsement of Lake Charles, LA saw our Quattro pattern, she knew right away that it would be the PERFECT "Mardi Gras" bag.The shiny front pocket area is a Mardi Gras mesh she found at Hancock's which she combined with various other bright & bold Mardi Gras fabrics to get this creative look! Great job, Linda!
 
And I was really pysched to hear that Dolores Kaeser made this Gadabout and matching accessory items especially for an upcoming trip to Cambodia. She used black satin for the bias trim and lining and you also might recognize that the  Passport Holder is none other that our FREE AeroPac pattern! Bon Voyage Dolores and send us a Picture of your Gadabout in use on your trip! 
 
 
And last, but certainly not least, Laura Dewey of Midland, MT sent us this image of her graphic Quattro which is made all the more fabulous by setting in front of an incredible lime-green background.
 
 
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,
just attach your jpg or gif image to an email and send it to: info@studiokatdesigns.com.
 
Feline Quote for February-
"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."  Ernest Hemingway
 
Blog with us!-  A Work in Progress
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. 
 
 
 
Bobbin Around the Web- CraftaholicsAnonymous.Net
 
Linda, (the creator of Craftoholics Anonymous) describes herself as a hopeless craft addict, so she started this Blog to document her obsession. Linda enjoys all kinds of crafting, DIY decorating, sewing, and holiday crafts. So follow along for loads of free tutorials, printables, organizational tips, creative ideas, and more!
Here's a couple I find interesting!
 
New at StudioKat Designs- COMING SOON!
The PortaPocketsPLUS
You gotta know we've been working on something new for Spring, right? You bet we have, and we're ready to start the slow unveil to wet your whistle!
Our new pattern will actually be the "next generation purse insert". It will feature modular units that can zipped on or off depending on what your needs are TODAY and which purse your carrying! Now EVERY purse you own can be your FAVORITE purse! We're REALLY proud of it and can't wait to show you more!
 
Right now we're looking at a general release in the April newsletter, but it will probably be available on our website for sometime prior. Stay tuned for more info and if you want a 'behind-the-scenes' look into what it takes to publish a new pattern, you can follow our progress on our Blog!
we suggest you read our Blog entries above that begin with the prefix PPC5- (short for Purse Pattern Chronicles)
 
'HOT'Links-of-the-Month'- 
      check out these terrific offers from our sponsors
PursePatterns.Com- A great place to pick up patterns by Lazy Girl Designs

 
As 'Funnie' as Real Life-
 
 
 
 
Website Spotlite- Figgy's Patterns
 
Shelly Figueroa is the heart and soul of Figgy’s. It was her vision that brought Figgy’s to life and her relentless dedication to where it is today. She is the co-author of the well-loved book “Sewing for Boys”,and currently resides in the “Creative Capital of the USA”: Portland, Oregon. And here I thought it was Advance, NC! LOL Simply put, Figgy's specializes in patterns that have modern style and contemporary taste that won’t be out of style in a season or two. Over and above that, the child models are adorable and the photography is completely stunning!
 
 
Here's a few of my favorites- PLUS there a few downloadable patterns available!
 
Video of the Month- Happy Dog vs. Meadow
This video is the definition of PURE JOY! It is literally impossible to watch it without smiling!
 
SmileGram-  A Quilter's Brain
 
 Ever wonder what a quilter's brain looks like?
Click HERE to find out!
:)
 
Cat Video of the Month- Insane Cat is Watching YOU!
Thanks to Diane Rhodes for this hysterical video that I cannot stop looking at! 
 
Blog of the Month- Jane Sassaman's Idea Book
 
 I am a full-on Jane Sassaman fan! I have loved virtually every piece of fabric she has designed. As a matter of fact, we'll probably be using her Early Birds fabric line on our cover model for our new pattern, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I also love her Blog, Idea Book! The photography is great and I think you'll enjoy this Blog if only for the terrific eye-candy!
Besides all that, Jane features some really GREAT ideas for how to creatively use her fabric. For eample, check out these fabulous dinner napkins, and this holiday wreath, both created with fabrics from the Early Birds line. And as if that's not enough, check out this FREE Early Birds Heart Quilt Pattern download!
 
Quote of the Month- 
"Faith is taking the 1st step even when you don't see the whole staircase".  Martin Luther King Jr
 
Look What I Found OnLine- Newborn Zoo Babies
 
 
OK! Get your "awwws" out; because you're going to need them when  you see the adorable baby zoo animals on this site! ZooBorns brings you photos of "the newest and cutest exotic baby animals from zoos and aquariums around the world", including Caracals, Koalas, foxes, and THIS FACE only a mother could love! 
Enjoy!
 
New Word of the Month- Oldfolkals  (ōld-fōl'kăls)
  1. (n.pl.) The eyeglasses one needs when they can no longer see anything more than ten feet away, or their arms appear to have shrunk too much to hold the newspaper at a reasonable reading distance.
 
 
When Debbie Harris boarded an Air Canada flight out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with Ripples, she figured it was going to be just another ordinary day of travel. But her cat had a different idea.... 
 
 
NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Never dig through your purse again in search of money, glasses, a mirror, makeup, or anything else.  With Candy Store's new line of products, everything you could need is easily and quickly found.  Thanks to their bright colors and unique, smooth texture, you can find whatever you need through touch or sight, no matter how cluttered your bag is!
 
 
Cat Site of the Month- Your Black Cat
 
 This Blog is all about black cats. And black cats need our help spreading the word about how fabulous they are, because as it is they are the least-adopted pet in U.S. animal shelters. This handsome fella on the left helps his "owner" write by curling up next to the laptop.
 
Cat Picture of the Month-
 
 
                                                                 (Click here for a larger view)
 
 
Monthly Trivia-
    Today is February 7th, the 38th day of 2012 and there are 328 days remaining in this year. And actually, I found out that February 7th turns out to be a pretty BIG day in US entertainment history.
     It was on this day in 1964 that the Beatles landed in NYC for their very 1st visit. 5000+ fans were huddled in the cold at JKF Airport, some since the day before. (Here's some actual video footage you might enjoy.) The Beatles reportedly thought that the president's plane was about to land until they realized that the chaos was in their honor. 200+ reporters showed up for the airport news conference, which was riddled with the Beatles signature sarcastic humor. One unsuspecting reporter asked, "How did you find America?" John replied, "Turn left at Greenland."
     There are also a trio of entertainment heavy-weights celebrating their birthdays today! Country music superstar Garth Brooks(1962), actor and 'tweet-meister' Ashton Kutcher(1978), and comedian to the stars Chris Rock(1966), are probably chowing down on cupcakes and ice cream as we speak. 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 AND February, the month of romance, by "holding someone's hand"! And remember, all of us at StudioKat Designs love you, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!
 
Well, that's it for now, so until next month, remember!
Sewing Forever, Housework Whenever!
 
 
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