FREE SHIPPING!

For one week only we will be offering free shipping at Nikolettebags.com!
No coupon code necessary, just hop on over to the shop!

An In Depth Look at the Randall

The Randall, or as he's known around here - Our Big Boy - is the product of many, many months of refining, rethinking and reworking. We finally got it!
So, let's go back to the beginning when my friend Randy got in touch with me about needing a bag for his laptop. We went over needs, wants, hates and loves and came up with something that he is hopefully still rockin' proud on the streets of Houston.
However, his "Randall" is very different than the one we are offering today. We had to tone down alot of the bells and whistles and refine it a bit, but I think what we ended up with is quite nice.

The exterior we kept really simple, we wanted this to be a bag that could be used ANYWHERE. Men, women, business, school, or whatever your situation. We are offering it in the three current Nikolette colors: Indigo, Chocolate and Rust.

Under the flap is my favorite part. We added a little organizational area on the front of the bag for things you need to access without opening the main zipper compartment. There are two gadget pockets lined in micro suede for phones, iPods, cameras, etc. The micro suede is perfect for touch screen devices. There is a key clasp and two larger pockets for small papers or pens, small notebooks or glasses.

Click to enlarge

On the back of the bag we wanted to keep all the pockets large and flat so that the bag rests comfortably against your body when you wear it. So we have a large pocket on the back good for notebooks, files, papers, things of that nature. An iPad maybe?

Inside we kept it pretty simple, we didn't want to clutter it up too much in there. There's a large open pocket on the back side for tablets or a smaller laptop. I like to use that pocket for magazines or notebooks that tend to get bent and beat up in bags. On the front side is a large zipper pocket for things that need to be kept aside. There is also a pen slip and two larger pockets for laptop cords or anything else you need to secure. And a new feature I hope you'll be pleased to find is an elastic off to the side for a water bottle. I hate when my bottles are loose in a bag. This way they are tucked away nice and neat... and upright!

These are on a made to order status right now, and lead times are looking like early January 2012 for shipping, but you can always email us for a more accurate lead time on a particular color.
Happy holidays everyone!

We Have a Logo!

Isn't she cute?!
We have been working with a graphic designer to (finally!) make a real deal logo for Nikolette. And this is what we got! Why a cat? Well, because Nikolette is named after Miss Niko Jeanette Polka-Dot, my 11-year-old toothless black cat.
So, what's next? I see letterhead, new tags, billboards, logo frisbees... maybe I should slow down here.
We updated Etsy and of course the blog here.
I am looking into embossed vegan tags for the bags now that the logo is a done deal. What fun!
Well, til then, you can enjoy the kitty online.
Thanks to Clint and Kelly for all their hard work!

Limited Edition Clutch

Surprise! We will be making a limited edition heavy weight clutch for sale in our Etsy shop. We will make them until we run out of fabric, so supplies are limited. I have been carrying mine for a while now and LOVE it. Perfect for running errands.
They are $49 with $5 shipping within the US. Here is a peek:

Randall Addition!

Remember that blue Randall I mentioned before? Well, its alive! We added a lovely new color to the Randall family and have a brown one coming up next. So pop on over to Nikolettebags.com to have a peek!

On a musical note, I made my first Spotify playlist recently! I know, I know, I am way behind the rest of the universe on this. I started with this one, with some bands you may recognize:

Sewing List - click to enlarge

I also have one still in creation. It is my Oldies list. Right now it looks like this:

Oldies List - Click to enlarge

More on that as it grows.

The Nikolette crew will be heading to a Thanksgiving getaway for a few days, but we'll be back next week for all kinds of exciting blabbering about things.

Happy Feasting Day!

Margot Tote, Reading Public. Reading Public, Margot Tote.

So, time to learn you a little bit about the bag that kind of started it all, the Margot Tote. Just take a look at the evolution of this bad girl:

The first version was a diaper bag. It was made on a home sewing machine, a 70s model Kenmore, and made of duck canvas with a vinyl lining.

It then turned into this as a tote bag. Gee Whiz, the stitching on that is less than desirable! But hey, thats how we learn! This was also duck canvas, even on the inside.

Then we came here. This version was also a diaper bag and had a vinyl lining. Better stitching here and we added a zipper up there if you can see it.

Then back to a tote. The flap on this one looks huge! This version also had a zipper and was made of duck.

Then I got my industrial sewing machine and was able to really do things I couldn't with my Kenmore. This next generation of Margot was proportioned properly and had that Juki stitching!

Then we played around with a few waxed canvas versions. Trying to get the proportions and pattern JUST so. You'll also notice we ditched the white thread. The brown just looked so much more... sophisticated to me.

And now we get to the Margot of today. Waxed canvas and cordura, this is a killer work, Mom, diaper, lunch, ANYTHING bag.

So, we've cleaned her up a bit. Got rid of all the odd kinks from the previous patterns and went with a two tone color scheme.

Take a look under the hood and you'll find the key clasp and two good sized pockets. The flap doesn't go all the way over the zipper like the others. That interfered with the shoulder straps so we moved the flap to the front of the bag.

And on the back side we got a big ol' pocket for your convenience. Good for a book or notebook that you want to get to easily while sitting on the train or sitting in the waiting room.

The inside - where this bag really shines. First lets start with the large pocket all the way to the left in the above image. This is for your magazines, notebooks, or tablet. I like having those off to the side and out of the way so this compartment was a must. Move a bit to the right and you get to the "gadget" pockets. Good for iPod, cell phone, mints, etc. Just to keep your little things in an easy to find place.
Now lets got all the way to the right in that view and note the zipper pocket. This is a big guy and perfect for all those things you need to be hidden and secure. I always keep cash in a zipper pocket, I'm careful like that. And adjacent to the a fore mentioned zipper pocket is a pen slip and two wide open pockets for bigger things. You'll see in the pictures above we fit a camera, umbrella, water bottle and a baby bottle in those. Which brings me to my advice portion of this post. Possible addition to the Margot: In the new Randall we added an elastic inside for water bottles. I've debated adding one to the Margot but something tells me that may just be too much. What do you think?
I hoped you enjoyed getting to know the Margot and are inspired to organize!
We're tossing ideas around in these parts about a possible December addition to the Etsy store - more on that next time!

Heres and Theres and Everywheres!

First off, isn't Autumn in Portland beautiful?! I used to hate any weather below 75 degrees, but this city is "warming" me up to chillier temps. A spot by the fireplace with a hot cuppa and a cuddle with the dog and the beau... not so bad.
If you couldn't tell by the pic above, we have our first Randall in the shop! It is red, and I am working on a blue one to put up next.

We'll get more in depth next time, but the Randall has a few new features- including micro suede lined cell phone pockets, an interior water bottle elastic, and a giant interior pouch for a laptop, tablet or your books/mags. Lovin' it!

As promised, I am working on a Getting to Know You post for the Margot. This bag kicks my butt. It is the most difficult to make in the line, but it is worth it! If I had a baby, this would no doubt be my diaper bag. When/if I get an iPad or tablet of some kind I may move to one full time (don't tell my current Lucy and Kimball!). I may also ask a bit of advice in that coming post. Get some consumer response!

For those of you new to the world of Nikolette, let me fill you in on a not-so-secret bit of information about our lives. We. Love. Breakfast! It is a weekend tradition to set the alarm and head to one of Portland's MANY breakfast/brunch establishments and throw the diet out the window.* And along the lines of Vegan Bags/ Vegan Living we have been popping into some of the many vegan eateries and PIGGING OUT!

Corn Waffles with raspberry sauce from Paradox Cafe. Big pile of yum.

Pumpkin dipped french toast from Blossoming Lotus. Everything on their menu blew my mind!

The giveaway with Skinned Knees ended this week and a new brown Lucy is off to the winner. Hope you love it, Erika!
So for now, everyone, stay tuned to nikolettebags.com for more Randall offerings and keep your eyes here for more about the Margot! Enjoy your day! (or week, or month, year, decade...)

*We quickly head to the gym to repent for our sins. Thank you WCF!