The Shop is Back Up!

If anyone has been over to nikolettebags.com in the last few weeks you noticed it has been down while we were getting everything updated. The homepage facelift is still being worked on, but we do have the bags (with new pricing!!) all listed for sale.
The styles have pretty much the same looks, they just have been tweaked in small ways to make them faster to make. This means a new lower price!
Here are some comparisons for you (these are just some quick looks - I'll have more detailed posts soon to school you on the major differences):

2011 Lucy: sold as a clutch with optional wrist and shoulder straps. 

2012 Lucy: a bit smaller and removable shoulder strap is included.

2011 Kimball: came with removable strap

2012 Kimball: (looks the same, huh?) strap is not removable

2011 Margot

2012 Margot: pretty much the same on the exterior, but we rearranged the inside a little.

2011 Randall

2012 Randall: Hard to tell, but the pockets are all different under the flap!

And no fear, I'll do some walk throughs of each style just like I did the 2011 ones. Its a little hard to tell from just the outside how the bags have changed. We have a new canvas provider, which is evident in a few of the images. The new canvas is sturdy and dry to the touch. Last year we were using canvas that felt a little waxy and we wanted a dryer feel (as did our machines!).

So if you haven't been to the shop lately head on over!

And lastly, I have a new style just about ready to Etsy test - I'll keep you posted!

Our New (Temporary) Work Space

Things have been wild (to put it lightly) in the world of Nikolette this month. We are refreshing our color offerings, working on sprucing up the website, and on top of all that we moved! The move was less than a mile away, but it was still just as much work as moving across town. Especially when you have a 300 - 400 pound industrial sewing machine in tow! It took 3 of us to move it and even then it was quite difficult - and all three of us work out regularly!
The new work space is temporary, probably just for the summer. Then we will be moving on to a more permanent place.

The old work room was basement level and quite spacious.

The big white box? Its a light box for photographing bags.

That is one quadrant of the space. I had a sewing area, cutting area, and work bench area for hammering rivets. It wasn't glamorous, but it was roomy!
One major drawback though was that is was often FREEZING down there! I ended up cutting and sewing in a very contained area around my space heater all winter long.

The new space is working fine, though I don't have the space I used to.

As you can see it's a little tight, but everything is within reach. I am cutting and storing fabric in another room, so the trips back and forth are going to get old, but again - its not forever.

We have a goal to have the prettied up website live by 5/1/12 with most of the new colors. There may be a few stragglers. Until then... !

Updates on Everything

Those are some red fellas ready to go in the shop. Cell phone pics never do anything justice!
We've been working alot lately on streamlining production. You may have noticed a few lower prices in the shop and that is why.
Some helpful steps have been minimizing vendors. We now get all of our canvas from one supplier instead of several and all our hardware comes from one place etc. This minimizes delivery costs and allows bulk pricing, which in turn allows us to shave a little off the top of our prices!
I've also been playing around with how the bags are actually made. If I can make them faster then there is less labor to be factored in. I've found a few little tricks, but more on that once I really get it figured out.
We're working on a little fresher-upper on the website for you guys. New season... new look. Plus maybe a new style or two, exciting!
Until then, keep it classy!

Sneak Peeks!

Hopefully by now you've seen the new gray Kimball in the shop. Isn't she a beaut?

 

Well, I have a few other near finished newbies waiting in the wings and took some quick cell phone pictures as a teaser!

First off, the gray Randall:

 

Not the prettiest of pictures, but hopefully it gives you an idea. I'm excited about this one!

Next up, the black Lucy (or the Ninja Lucy, as Dan calls it):

Again, cell phones are not the best cameras! I hope to have these and a few other newbies ready to post up by the weekend. Fingers crossed!

A Little Peek!

 

I mentioned new designs a few times now, and there are a few prototypes in the Etsy shop! These are not the final deal, but a pretty good preview. So go on over and take a look.

And the new canvases and lining fabrics are here, so I may be a bit absent while I get the new colors made into bags, but I'll alert you to any new listings! Exciting!

It Was a Rainbow Coalition of Canvas!

 

Hello again! We have news.... the new colors have been selected and are on their way to the factory!*

Our new color line will include red, brown, blue, gray, and black. Excited to get those ready!

The new lining colors have been selected and I am pretty pumped for those too.

Another announcement:  New designs! There are several new designs to be listed with the new colors. I hope you will like them.

That's about all I can tell you now. The coming 2 weeks will be madness getting it all done and I hope to give you all a few sneak peeks in the process. EXCITED!

*"factory" is my work room. I like to envision it  like the beginning of Lavern and Shirley with the conveyer belts and women in bandanas. However, it is not. Its pretty quiet.

 

The Internet is a Thing?

Ahh, its good to be back here on the blog! The last few weeks have been a whir of special orders, new ventures/designs and other general insanities that have kept me from updating everyone.
But now we have some time to breath here and are going to take advantage of the opportunity. Tonight's tasks will be mostly clean up of the work space and taking a little inventory. I was working swiftly and with purpose the last week or so and it made a mess of the work room!

I have a few new designs in mind for the line as well as some samples on the way to me - that's right. New colors! We have had alot of requests for several new colors, and I got the hint! Received loud and clear and noted. Also, we may be changing our lining fabrics. I love the water tight cordura, but have never been 100% thrilled with the color offerings - so we are branching out. If there are any particular colors you like to see inside your bag let me know. I'll look into it!

On that note, I bid you farewell until next time (hopefully with new color choices!) and wish everyone well! Thanks for following us!