Great news! From now through July 1st, in honour of Canada Day, 20% off all items in the shop (exclusive of shipping). Coupon code: CANADA2011. Happy shopping!
http://nikoandnonnie.etsy.com
Sunday 26 June 2011
Tuesday 21 June 2011
My heart goes pitter-patter...
Hello readers!
My goodness. I have finally managed to sit down tonight and here I am, a steaming cup of coffee to my right, and a mere matter of minutes to update you all. We are headed out of the city in the early morning for what my husband calls a "micro-vacation" - rest, relaxation, swimming and gadding about in a location other than here - YES! We have found the past week in Vancouver to be taxing on many levels and feel the need to rejuvenate and take time for ourselves as a family. It's also a little overnight stint to celebrate Father's Day properly since my husband was working on Sunday.
In Niko & Nonnie news, many wonderful things have been in the works, and I am pleased to share a bit of info in that regard.
First off...mark your calendars! On July 8th, Etsy will be showcasing Niko & Nonnie products for the duration of the day on their Children's page. As a result, Etsy has asked me to choose my 10 favorite N&N items to feature. I am not sure what those will be, as I am in the midst of creating lots of new product for the shop, but I am aiming to show a range of items from the collection.
I would also like to point you in the direction of a lovely online retailer located in beautiful Victoria, BC. Island Kid Stuff focuses on local and handmade products and they are now selling the "Jubilee" and "Carnival" bracelets from my Niko & Nonnie wraparound bracelet collection. http://www.islandkidstuff.com
A few words with regards to the "Carnival" bracelet... I am deeply disappointed that my supplier is no longer carrying these beads. It turns out that the manufacturer has stopped making them... The last of these bracelets is available from IslandKidStuff, so if you love it, buy it, because they've only got one left!
On the plus side, I spent hours this week-end on the internet (like a maniac) trying to source more beads, different suppliers, etc. Today we drove out to the country to a bead warehouse where I picked up some wonderful new beads! Great owners, lots of inventory, and fabulous inspiration. Needless to say, I left with 7 lbs of beads - 7 lbs!!! That's 3.2 kilos of raw materials! My husband's jaw just about hit the ground when I emerged from the warehouse, a toothy grin from ear to ear, and a massive bag filled to the brim with bag-upon-bag of beads. As a treat to my husband, we then headed to a farm and picked up some great seasonal produce. We feasted on a dinner of roast chicken and veggies and then spent the next 3 hours sorting beads, all 4 of us huddled around the kitchen table with our respective tins and baskets. I was so grateful for the help, particularly because the sorting portion is the most onerous part of the process. We did not manage to do it all tonight, I think our tired eyes got the best of us!
I will be making new beaded wraparound bracelets in the very near future, and will list them on Etsy as they become available. In addition, Niko & Nonnie will also be selling some beading kits for children - more details on that once it becomes more cohesive and I have taken some more photographs! Lately, I have been deriving much happiness from steadily working away, handmaking baby gifts, birthday gifts, end of school year presents and the like. I feel as though things are looking especially bright for the summer. Celebrating new babies, milestones, togetherness - this is the stuff of life.
And before I forget...
Niko & Nonnie's Facebook page now has a proper name! www.facebook.com/nikoandnonnie
Isn't that much simpler than the mouthful of numbers and text they initially gave me?!
Are most of you on Twitter? I had some issues with our N&N Twitter account before it even got off the ground- a ridiculous amount of spam was just gunking it up. I was going to scrap the whole thing (I usually tweet about the shop through my personal Twitter account anyway) but Twitter managed to sort all of that out. I've been trying to be good about updating there as well, let's see how I do! Follow Niko & Nonnie www.twitter.com/nikononnie
Thank you to everyone for your continued support! It means so much!
My goodness. I have finally managed to sit down tonight and here I am, a steaming cup of coffee to my right, and a mere matter of minutes to update you all. We are headed out of the city in the early morning for what my husband calls a "micro-vacation" - rest, relaxation, swimming and gadding about in a location other than here - YES! We have found the past week in Vancouver to be taxing on many levels and feel the need to rejuvenate and take time for ourselves as a family. It's also a little overnight stint to celebrate Father's Day properly since my husband was working on Sunday.
In Niko & Nonnie news, many wonderful things have been in the works, and I am pleased to share a bit of info in that regard.
First off...mark your calendars! On July 8th, Etsy will be showcasing Niko & Nonnie products for the duration of the day on their Children's page. As a result, Etsy has asked me to choose my 10 favorite N&N items to feature. I am not sure what those will be, as I am in the midst of creating lots of new product for the shop, but I am aiming to show a range of items from the collection.
I would also like to point you in the direction of a lovely online retailer located in beautiful Victoria, BC. Island Kid Stuff focuses on local and handmade products and they are now selling the "Jubilee" and "Carnival" bracelets from my Niko & Nonnie wraparound bracelet collection. http://www.islandkidstuff.com
 |
| A skewer of jewels! Jubilee and Carnival bracelets |
On the plus side, I spent hours this week-end on the internet (like a maniac) trying to source more beads, different suppliers, etc. Today we drove out to the country to a bead warehouse where I picked up some wonderful new beads! Great owners, lots of inventory, and fabulous inspiration. Needless to say, I left with 7 lbs of beads - 7 lbs!!! That's 3.2 kilos of raw materials! My husband's jaw just about hit the ground when I emerged from the warehouse, a toothy grin from ear to ear, and a massive bag filled to the brim with bag-upon-bag of beads. As a treat to my husband, we then headed to a farm and picked up some great seasonal produce. We feasted on a dinner of roast chicken and veggies and then spent the next 3 hours sorting beads, all 4 of us huddled around the kitchen table with our respective tins and baskets. I was so grateful for the help, particularly because the sorting portion is the most onerous part of the process. We did not manage to do it all tonight, I think our tired eyes got the best of us!
I will be making new beaded wraparound bracelets in the very near future, and will list them on Etsy as they become available. In addition, Niko & Nonnie will also be selling some beading kits for children - more details on that once it becomes more cohesive and I have taken some more photographs! Lately, I have been deriving much happiness from steadily working away, handmaking baby gifts, birthday gifts, end of school year presents and the like. I feel as though things are looking especially bright for the summer. Celebrating new babies, milestones, togetherness - this is the stuff of life.
And before I forget...
Niko & Nonnie's Facebook page now has a proper name! www.facebook.com/nikoandnonnie
Isn't that much simpler than the mouthful of numbers and text they initially gave me?!
Are most of you on Twitter? I had some issues with our N&N Twitter account before it even got off the ground- a ridiculous amount of spam was just gunking it up. I was going to scrap the whole thing (I usually tweet about the shop through my personal Twitter account anyway) but Twitter managed to sort all of that out. I've been trying to be good about updating there as well, let's see how I do! Follow Niko & Nonnie www.twitter.com/nikononnie
Thank you to everyone for your continued support! It means so much!
Sunday 12 June 2011
Sly fox and biscuits will see us through!
It's turning into a bit of a lacklustre Sunday. The sun has moved behind the clouds, the winds have picked up, and my eyes are feeling heavy. As I type at my desk, the smells of summer evenings are gently wafting in through an open window and my house is starting to smell more and more like barbecued salmon. We have just eaten a sleep-inducing early dinner of freshly baked biscuits, ham and various cheeses. The fact that Loïc, our tuxedo cat, is currently purring and lying across my arms as I type is only lulling me even closer towards sleep. Tomorrow is a long-awaited day off and it honestly cannot come soon enough!
I received another shipment of Japanese kokka fabric from my supplier and I thought I'd share some photos with you. The fabric is a cotton-linen blend and the prints are so adorable, I simply couldn't resist placing an order.
My supplier also included a very unique aphorism to accompany my order:
I hope you are cultivating your own personal style and tastes wherever you are...
Till next time,
N&N
I received another shipment of Japanese kokka fabric from my supplier and I thought I'd share some photos with you. The fabric is a cotton-linen blend and the prints are so adorable, I simply couldn't resist placing an order.
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| An array of colourful vehicles |
 |
| Little Red Riding Hood is off to see Grandmother |
My supplier also included a very unique aphorism to accompany my order:
I hope you are cultivating your own personal style and tastes wherever you are...
Till next time,
N&N
Wednesday 8 June 2011
**And the winner is...**
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| Congratulations to Linora! |
Sunday 5 June 2011
**Contest giveaway prizes**
Hello readers!
Do you remember the little teddy bear I gave you a sneak peek of in my last post? The one for the contest? Well, he's finally finished!
Meet Peter - a classic, needle felted teddy bear. He is made from 100% corriedale and merino wool. His beary chestnut glow comes from hand-dyed merino wool - the softest kind around! I have also listed him in my Etsy shop, and he will be handmade to order for those who'd like to welcome him into their hearts and homes.
The contest deadline is JUNE 8th. A big thank you to all that have submitted their entries and a reminder to all those that haven't - you still have a couple of days to do so!
To enter simply send an email to:
NikoNonnieBoutique@gmail.com
Please be sure to include your name and mailing address.
**One lucky winner will receive Peter along with 2 needle felted cookies (1 star, 1 heart)**
The winner will be announced on this blog and on Niko & Nonnie's Facebook page.
GOOD LUCK !
Do you remember the little teddy bear I gave you a sneak peek of in my last post? The one for the contest? Well, he's finally finished!
The contest deadline is JUNE 8th. A big thank you to all that have submitted their entries and a reminder to all those that haven't - you still have a couple of days to do so!
To enter simply send an email to:
NikoNonnieBoutique@gmail.com
Please be sure to include your name and mailing address.
**One lucky winner will receive Peter along with 2 needle felted cookies (1 star, 1 heart)**
The winner will be announced on this blog and on Niko & Nonnie's Facebook page.
GOOD LUCK !
 |
| A needle felted teddy this size takes many hours to make! |
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