Fabulous Fan of the week - WEDNESDAY!

Sharyn William we think you rock.  Your cool posts and comments make us chuckle but NOTHING compares to reading this limerick that you wrote us!

"There was a store call nic-nac
Who sold cool stuff and mixed packs
Their teepees are great
For kids and their mates
That awesome store called nic-nac"

Thank you for interacting with us and enjoying our products, posts and random piccies!

Please email orders@nic-nac.com.au with your address, so we can send you out a lovely nic-nac goodie!

Have a great day, and to the rest of you - keep up the good work, we love reading your posts and comments and having you be part of our journey...

Kylie & Pippa xxx

2500 facebook likers ... WINNERS ARE GRINNERS!

Thanks to you all who took part in this giveaway, I've really enjoyed exploring the pages which you've all recommended as doing some good ... And I have donated to a couple who I was super-impressed with.   Thanks for sharing the love :-)

Apologies for the delay in posting up the winners, but here they are;

• baby prize pack; 
• 1x bubba balloon ball, 1x gummie brush, 1x change mat
• RRP $54.95

Winner is Olivia Flanagan

• kid prize pack; 
• 1x nic- nac balloon ball, 1x dragon eggs, 1x fairy eggs
• RRP $25.95

Winner is stephie clifford hosking

• parent prize; 
• 1x nic-nac carry-all
• RRP $89.95

Winner is Jess

Please email kylie@nic-nac.com.au with you postal addresses so we can get your goodies out to you asap .... Also, with the bubba pink balloon ball baby prize pack - we are currently out of stock of that fabric, so please state your preference out of poppy dot or blueberry spot.  Our sewers are up to their eyeballs in balloon ball fabric as I type, so you're welcome to wait a few weeks if you'd like to choose a different fabric.  

Congratulations peeps - ENJOY!

Kylie xo

www.nic-nac.com.au

2500 facebook liker competition!

I love a competition ... quiz ... whatever - anything that interacts and gets people thinking and researching - I'm into it!

So, without wanting to announce "here, have a free balloon ball!" with no fun attached to it, I want to do something a bit different.

What is up for offer, to celebrate nic-nac getting to 2500 likers (which is very exciting!) is offer three categories of prizes;

• baby prize pack; 
• 1x bubba balloon ball, 1x gummie brush, 1x change mat
• RRP $54.95

gummie brush

bubba pink balloon ball

change mat

• kid prize pack; 
• 1x nic- nac balloon ball, 1x dragon eggs, 1x fairy eggs
• RRP $25.95

nic-nac balloon ball

fairy & dragon eggs

• parent prize; 
• 1x nic-nac carry-all
• RRP $89.95

nic-nac carry-all

1. OK, so now you know what you could win, how do you go about getting your hands on one of these prize packs??!
2. Share on the nic-nac facebook page, a page that is doing some kind of GOOD for others ... make sure you mention WHY you think they're a GOOD page.
3. Share on the nic-nac facebook page WHY you love being a parent ... doesn't have to be a novel, can be just a short sentence on why being a parent fills your heart with love, or makes you smile.
4. Head to the nic-nac website www.nic-nac.com.au and find a product you didn't know was on there before.  Write about it on YOUR facebook page, tagging nic-nac on the post.
5. Come back here, and comment below when all your deeds are done, and which prize pack you're keenest to win.

Good luck!

kylie


Terms and conditions;
Entries only accepted until 8pm Tuesday 22nd May
Winners will be notified here on the blog, on Tuesday 22nd May, 2012 at 10pm
Winners will be chosen using random.org

Mother's Day FREE printable

Mother's Day is almost upon us once more, and kids around the world are preparing to make their first cup of tea, perhaps breakfast in bed, a home-made card, perhaps a picnic or help around the house.

Whatever it is, make sure you take the time this Mother's Day to enjoy filling in this printable with your kids, and store it somewhere special.  You'll love how your picture changes each year, as do the gorgeous things they write.

Email kylie@nic-nac.com.au for your FREE printable (hi-res PDF version) 

Enjoy your special day!

Kylie

www.nic-nac.com.au

Fabulous Friday - fan of the week! 11/5/12

Fabulous Friday - fan of the week!

REBECCA AINSWORTH it's YOU!!!

I have loved reading your comments and interacting with you on our page ...

My all-time favourite comment you made this week, in response to the article and image of attachment parenting, was "I couldn't get enough of her baby smell" how true that is for so many of us!!!!!

You have won a nic-nac carry-all (RRP $89.95) - so please head to http://www.nic-nac.com.au/products/nic-nac-carry-all/7/1 to choose your fabric - poppy dot or blueberry spot - and let us know your postal details.  Email kylie@nic-nac.com.au and it will be in the post asap!

Have a fabulous weekend, and to all you nic-nac likers out there - get interacting with our page, share piccies, write comments, like posts, and you could win next week's Fabulous Friday fan of the week!

Happy fabulous Friday,

Kylie   xo

www.nic-nac.com.au

Everything has a story ...

Saturday, March 31, 2012

I love a good  story.  I know, most people do – that’s why reality TV has become so popular, because the viewer gets to hear real stories about real people, and as the series progresses, get to know more about the stories behind the contestants. The only reality TV show I’m hooked on (but alas, it’s just finished!) is My Kitchen Rules.  I love cooking, and I love being in the kitchen with my daughter (9), and so we often talk about how we could be the first mother-daughter team (9 and 38!) to take part … In reality, I could never handle the stress!  I definitely don’t like to cook with the stopwatch ticking away loudly beside me.

The stories behind some of our nic-nac products and the products we’ve sourced for our webstore are pretty unique and some are fascinating.  Some are totally inspiring, but that's a blog post for another day ... 

Take for example, our newest product – the ratbag beanie.  The gorgeous Northern Rivers gal who makes those, is someone I met through a friend, around 20 years ago.  Her name is Zix, and she has two gorgeous girls, and now lives in Lismore, NSW, having moved north from Sydney – seeking out the lifestyle change so many of us come here for.  It was only a few months ago that we re-connected, and I’m so happy to have Zix and her gorgeous ratbag beanies on board.   The friend we have in common lives in Christchurch, NZ, and of course, we all know how many people have been devastated by the repeated earthquakes there.

 

The 2^nd story is about Christchurch again.  This time it’s Mocka, who are the distributors of the teepees and tree hangers that we stock.  They’re a Christchurch based family business, and after being devastated by the earthquakes, they packed up and came to Australia – the land of opportunity – to start up Mocka Australia.  They still have the majority of their family members running Mocka NZ, and their NZ company has a HUGE array of fantastic products, but Mocka Australia has had huge success since their launch, and we’re proud to be supporting fellow kiwis in their endeavours. 

What about what’s behind the teepees?  Well, three years ago I was working on my first pattern for a teepee, there are a lot of patterns around, but I wanted one with an easily removable floor, a window for ventailation, wooden poles, and of course – be machine-washable, which is a pre-requisite with all nic-nac products.  Washable means PRACTICAL!

 

A year on, and we were still tinkering with the teepee pattern … There are so many gorgeous teepees on the market, my personal favourite being the girlie girl floral teepee that we sell … but I really wanted to do a denim one with poppy dot trim!  However, after buying a Mocka one for my daughter (blue and white stripes – she’s not a girlie girl floral kind of girl!) I realised these ones were EVERYTHING I wanted in a teepee and more … Sturdy, extremely well made, they had a detachable floor, easy to assemble, easy to cart around, perfect at the beach, a window for airflow, big enough to fit a few kids, in actual fact … perfect!  So, we bought a few wholesale, and haven’t looked back.  Why try to re-invent the wheel? 

 

The Contigo drink bottles … now, that’s a line of products that when offered to me, I just couldn’t pass up!  Two years ago when I started doing The Mummy Tree markets in Brisbane, I met a gorgeous gal called Christie, who had a business “Much more than scraps” selling the Contigo range of drink bottles and travel mugs.  I bought one for me and one for my trusty side kick market helper (Clover – my daughter!) and it was love at first gulp.  They are undoubtedly the best, easiest, most practical drink bottle I have ever had.  The next market (some 8 weeks later) I bought a couple to give as gifts, the next market, a couple more!  It soon became my “go to” gift for any age person, birthday, Christmas, whatever!  And what’s more – everyone loved them!  So last December (2011) when Christie got in touch to let me know she was moving to the States, and asked “you’ve always been one of our best customer – you love these bottles – do you want to buy the business?” I jumped off my office chair in excitement, and said “yes please!” with no hesitation.  Since December, we’ve sold so many drink bottles and travel mugs it’s hard to keep up with the ordering!  I think we sell as many Contigo products as we do our own nic-nac products. 

 

I think that’s the key … don’t just stock products because they look pretty, are cheap, or are easy to source, but find a product that you love so much, that you want to give them to everyone!  

So, the collection of goodies on www.nic-nac.com.au is practical, extremely good quality, funky, sometimes quirky, but always AWESOME!  And everyone of those products has a story behind it … more to come on that!

♥ Kylie ♥

Show your creative flair!

To win one of the final three nic-nac balloon balls, see how clever you are with words, and make up a little ditty using the nic-nac tag line ...

Either using nic-nac nappywrap or just plain nic-nac.

See how you go :-)

Due to posting this much later than anticipated, you have until 9am WEDNESDAY 22nd Feb 2012 to submit (below) your little ditty.

Enjoy!  xo

2000 facebook -likers celebration pop quiz

Well, we reached the 2000 likers milestone, and geee it feels nice to be liked :-)  So, as promised - we're holding the nic-nac pop quiz 10 balloon ball giveaway!

the winners will be able to choose their balloon ball from the selection available on our website

The rules are;

• you MUST answer all 10 questions (posted on facebook) correctly to qualify to be in the running to win.  
• Those ten questions will always begin with QUESTION 1 (2, 3 etc).   
• If there are MORE than ten people who answer all questions correctly, the 10 winners will be chosen using random.org.  
• The pop quiz will go over a series of days, and the questions will be posted at different times ... 
• It's not a race.  It's a fun pop quiz where it's about correct answers rather than speedy responses!
• The answers can all be found either on our facebook page, or on our website.
• All answers must be written ON THIS BLOG at the comments section below this post.  DO NOT post them on facebook!  click LIKE on the facebook post once you have answered.
• You might need to be a little bit creative at times - enjoy it!

Enough of the rules! 

QUESTION 1: when nic-nac began, what was the FIRST product we created?  

Good luck - keep checking to see when question two is up!

Kylie xo

What's in a name?

What's in a name?

I have long been a lover of interesting names.  I have been naming dolls, teddy bears, pets and my little brother for over 30 years now ...


Officially, when my brother entered the world, my parents named him Damian.  But that would not do for a 2 and a half year-old, desperate for a sister!  So Carmen he became, and Carmen he stayed, (except on days he was Jacinta) until my mother said it was time to stop dressing him up as a girl and he WASN'T my little sister!

When I was very little, I favoured names like Emma, Louise and Justin.  As I grew older I preferred to make names up - my favourite teddy was Jameana Bateara.  Luckily by the time we had our daughter, I had moved on (slightly) and was giving some thought to what our child might be happy to be named later on in life.  Choosing a name for our child was extremely challenging.  My husband and I couldn't agree on anything.  Luckily, he had the foresight to suggest that if she were a girl, I'd choose, and if he were a boy, he'd choose.  I say luckily, because I knew from the moment our little peanut started growing inside me, that she was of the pink variety. And sure enough - she was!  However, on her arrival, the three finalists on my list didn't suit her at all (and she'll thank me for that one day!) ... they were; Lotus, Lollie and Cynamon.  12 hours after she was born, in my morphine-induced state, I was tearfully on the phone to my mother in New Zealand, panicking that my 12-hour-old baby didn't have a name.  

As she was born on St Patrick's Day mum suggested an Irish name ... my husband was cheering for Guiness, my mum suggested Patricia, and finally when she said "how about Clover?" Richard and I both ecstatically AGREED and Clover she is!

It's a wonderful name - not only is a clover my favourite colour, but also it's really fun having a name that is SOMETHING.  

We've had clover themed birthday parties, she writes her name with a clover symbol, people buy her dolls or books that have clover's in them ... and I get excited about clover fabrics!  

When she's older, if she chooses to enter the corporate world and isn't happy with Clover, she can easily make it Chloe!  But Clover isn't as unusual as some might think - it's actually been around as long as Pearl and Ruby ...  And funnily enough, we live in an area called Clover Hill – and yes, she does think the area was named after her!  

My husband, had we had a boy, would have named him Ash.  Not Ashley, Ashton or Asher.  Just Ash.  My mother in law was HORRIFIED when we told her that was to be his name if he was of the blue variety.  “WHAT?!  Like, as in ASHTRAY?” she worried.  But no, not ashtray – but Ash, as in the ash family of rainforest trees (not surprising as my husband is a horticulturalist). 

His name is Richard (my husband) which is such a STRONG and masculine name.  My name is Kylie.  That was a pretty cool name growing up, as I’m sure I was the only Kylie in the whole of New Zealand.  Likewise when I lived in the UK – there weren’t any around there either.  But on moving to Sydney when I was 24, what a shock to find a Kylie/Kylee/Khylee around every street corner!   Incidentally, Kylie means boomerang.  It was a great support to my loving parents, the meaning of my name when I was an extremely challenging teenager, as they always kept faith that no matter how difficult the stage I was going through, the lovely (if I say so myself!)  Kylie would always come back.  And indeed I did come back.  And there are times I fear my sweet Clover might morph into a horror of a teenager ... and I imagine my parents might watch from afar and chuckle, sitting pretty in the knowledge that karma exists!

My nieces are; Zia, Honey Belle, Francesca, Ruby, Emma and Sophie.  My nephews are Freddie and Louis.  What a lovely mix of names we have!  My sister is Yasmiin, which is the Estonian (her father’s heritage) version of Jasmine.  Having watched others struggle over not just the pronunciation of her name, but also the spelling, I decided long before we had Clover, that our child/ren would have to have names that were easily spelt and pronounced! 

Recently, amongst our friends, there has been a big influx of babies.  Maverick, Zakai, Sam, Grace, Violet Bessie, Coco, George, Harry and Minty.  A lovely mix of the more traditional and the new.    We have friends who have called all four daughters names beginning with M.  Mabel, Maggie, Maisie and Mary.  I love it!

If I’d have been able to have a son, I’d have liked to have named him Ziggy or Oberon.  Richard was most unimpressed with those options.  Oberon is King of the fairies (which didn’t appeal to him) and Ziggy was because I’d have a lovely dog named Ziggy in my late teens and 20s. 

I regularly post on facebook asking nic-nac likers what weird and wonderful names they’ve come across …. Undoubtedly my favourites which  have been reported are A-a and La-a.  Do you get it?  Adasha and Ladasha … Didn’t know it was legal – but there you go, some originality and bravery!

Moving on, here’s a list, courtesy of this website which is a great resource for many things baby related, www.babycenter.com.au/ of the top 20 baby names for Australians in 2011.  I wonder what 2012 will bring?

Australia 2011 - 20 most popular names
Chloe	Oliver
Sophie	Noah
Ruby	William
Charlotte	Lachlan
Olivia	Ethan
Lily	Jack
Ava	Lucas
Ella	Charlie
Emily	Joshua
Mia	Thomas
Sienna	Max
Amelia	Riley
Isabella	Jacob
Lucy	Aiden
Zoe	Liam
Grace	Jackson
Isabelle	Cooper
Maddison	Alexander
Emma	Xavier
Charlie (tied with Hannah)	Benjamin

 Kylie xo

HELPING HAND nominations and winners ... congrats winners!

For August 2011, we've been running a HELPING HAND competition.  All that was required was for someone to nominate a friend in need - whose life could be made better by the gift of a nic-nac nappywrap.  We received some lovely nominations, and all of them touched my heart in some way, but the five we've chosen are below, and their emails also.

Please email kylie@nic-nac.com.au with details for where to send the nappywraps etc ... we're posting them direct to the winners, so please let us know your friends contact info.
 
One thing that is clear - these winners are ALL lucky to have you for friends.  I hope these nic-nac nappywraps go some way to making life a little simpler.  Lots of love to you all!  xxx

1. Friends of ours have just found out in the last couple of weeks that they are having a baby. Which is such a shock considering he was told he may never have children. You see our friend almost died on valentines day 2 years ago. He had a forklift fall on him, broke his spine, pelvis and severed nerves down to his leg and his spleen burst. He was in hospital for a year, but she was there everyday for him!! Its been a very long road for the both of them and I am so happy for them. I would love to buy one for her to have for the baby but we are in no better situation, It would be great to be able to get them one though

Thanks

Therese Newton

* Therese this story about your friend has really touched me (largely due to the fact that when my husband broke his neck he was in hospital for a year and we had to move away from our little town to a city for his rehab, and life has never been the same since.  I KNOW first hand how immense this journey has been for them.  I would like to offer a carry-all to this little family as well as the nappywrap.  Please let me know their details and whether they'd prefer poppy dot or blueberry spot and I'll post it off on Friday.  xxx

2. I'd love to nominate my gorgeous friend Nic  for a helping hand. Nic has just discovered that she is pregnant with a very precious baby, a wee miracle who snuck in naturally while waiting to do a second IVF cycle.
Nic has been an amazing friend for me, through every stage of this motherhood journey. Recently, while I was sick, she came over on her lunch break from work to look after Eleanor while I slept. This was huge because I have no local family support and I needed a break, no matter how minor! And she bakes a brilliant cupcake.

So I'd like her to discover the nic-nac love. And I'd like to fill it with gorgeous little newborn nappies!

Cheers

Kath Angus

* Kath you are a gorgeous friend, and I know how much you must mean to Nic.  It's lovely that you can be there for each other (and that she bakes a brilliant cupcake!!!! ha ha)  Please let me know whether she'd like a poppy dot or blueberry spot, and it will be in the post on Friday.

3. I WOULD LOVE TO REWARD MY BEST FRIEND WITH A NIC-NAC NAPPYWRAP.

I FEEL SHE IS SO DESERVING AS SHE GIVES AND DOES SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE ELSE, ESPECIALLY ME !

I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER GIFT TO GIVE HER THAN A "HELPING HAND" LIKE THE NIC-NAC NAPPYWRAP.

SHE IS A BUSY MUM OF TWO AND EXPECTING NUMBER THREE SOON, YET ALWAYS FINDS TIME TO SPEND WITH ME TOO.

PLEASE CONSIDER HER FOR YOUR GIVEAWAY !

THANKS

Renee Paulson X

* Pauline your best friend sounds like she is very deserving of a nic-nac nappywrap, and thanks for your nomination.  Please let me know whether she'd like a blueberry spot or poppy dot, and it will be in the post on Friday.

4. Hi there...what are great idea! This is very nice of you 2 help people u don't know...it's people like you that help the world be a better place:)

I would like to nominate my friend Nooshin who just had a baby girl talia on Tuesday,she had a very long hard labour and at the end of it had 2 have a c section...4kgs baby!!Her husband just lost his job last week...because they didn't have much work for him!This is there first baby and I have a few of your things so I know they would love this:)
Thank you.Xx
Sally Hilsden

 * Thanks for the nomination Sally, what a story!  Challenging times ahead for this wee family, and I hope things look up for them soon on the job front.  Much love to you and your friend Nooshin and her husband and their new (big!) baby :-)  Please let me know which nappywrap they'd like - poppy dot or blueberry spot - and it will be posted on Friday.

5. Can I be bad and nominate myself??? LOL

I deserve a free nappy wrap to match my carry-all, but cant afford one as my fiance's work hours just got cut.... And we lose 200bux a week in pay. So no luxuries for us :(
So I'd love to have one to be able to boast about ur products more than I do now when people comment on my carry all (red trimming)
Thanks
Nikki Farimond

* While this nomination wasn't strictly following the guidelines, all of us here at the nic-nac studio have been aware for many months how much Nikki would like a nappywrap, and being such a huge supporter of nic-nac, we'd like to offer her one as she's going through tough times.  Nikki - I hope your fiance finds more work hours soon and best of luck to you all!  Which one would you prefer - poppy dot or blueberry spot?  We hope this nic-nac nappywrap simplifies your life ... and thanks for being such a big fan :-)

Thanks to you all who were a part of this ... we'll be running another HELPING HAND soon, so remember to read the newsletters when they come (spring edition coming out very soon) to find out how to be involved.

Have a great week everyone!

Kylie xo

Winners of the PERTH PBC expo giveaways...

I love posts like this!  It's all give give give ... and on a Friday too - yaay!

So, without further ado, the winners are ...

First prize - RRP $174.90 - nic-nac nappywrap & carry-all

Joanne Desilva

Second prize - RRP $79.90 - nic-nac miniwrap & change mat (not pictured)

Rebecca Newball

Third prize - RRP $54.95 - nic-nac pencilwrap & balloon ball

Rebecca Wall.

Please email kylie@nic-nac.com.au to claim your prizes.  Let us know your colour preference (choosing from poppy dot or blueberry spot) and your addresses, and there'll be nic-nac mail winging it's way to you asap!

Thanks to the rest of you who entered the giveaway, we'll be back in Perth next year for the PBC with another great competition!  In the meantime, be sure to sign up for our newsletter (sent out seasonly) which has great offers, competitions and giveaways that only newsletter receivers get to hear about, and don't forget to like us on facebook, we love interacting with our customers and holding pop quiz's for great nic-nac prizes!

Have a great weekend everyone :-)

Kylie xo

winner of the Perth $50 nic-nac dollars!

Drum roll please .... and the winner is .... Bec Firmstone !!

Congratulations Bec - please print out your voucher and bring it along with you to the PBC expo in Perth - and make sure you have some id on you also, we wouldn't want just anyone turning up to claim your prize! 

 To all of you who participated - thank you very much for being part of the fun, and please print out your $10 voucher to use at our stand which you'll find on our blog (it was mailed out with our newsletter today).  If you haven't signed up for the newsletter already - make sure you do (you can do this on the home page of our website www.nic-nac.com.au) so you are the first to hear about competitions, giveaways, campaigns and new products and fabrics.


I'm so looking forward to meeting all the Perth people over the next few days - and have a great weekend everybody :-)


Kylie xo

nic-nac nappywrap winter newsletter emailed out today. Did you receive yours? If not, read on ...

Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser. nic-nac newsHave you got a friend who needs help?  Win them a nic-nac nappywrap and put a smile on their face :-) Winter / 2011 Crisp, cool days, bright winter sunshine ... love it! Dear %%customer_first_name%% User Name ... %%emailaddress%% Password ... %%customer_password%% EVENTS We're off to Perth this week for the Pregnancy, Babies and Childrens Expo from the 12th to 14th August at the Claremont Showgrounds - woohooooo!!  For your chance to win $50 nic-nac dollars to spend at our stand, head to the nic-nac facebook page and get involved. Make sure you also print out your $10 nic-nac dollars (above) which you can use anytime over the 3-day expo (we're at stand G60) - see you there!  The Brisbane Baby & Toddler Show is a mere 3 weeks after the Perth expo & is held at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre 2-4 September. If you are in SE QLD then don't miss this fantastic show - we'll have more great offers and some exciting new fabrics! Drop by the nic-nac stand (Perth or Brisbane) and let us demonstrate why the nic-nac range of products is ideal for your family and how it really can simplify your life. DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES A HELPING HAND? We know that not everybody can have everything they want or need, so we'd like to help out in some small way.  If you know someone who could trulybenefit from a nic-nac nappywrap we'd like to hear from you.  To nominate someone, simply email us WHY they could benefit from having a nic-nac nappywrap with HELPING HAND in the subject line, we'll review the stories at the end of August, and choose FIVE deserving winners.  The winners will be announced on our blog on the 31st August.  Email kylie@nic-nac.com.au with your nomination, and please check that they're happy for your email to be published on our blog and/or website. (no name needed) FACEBOOK - 2500 LIKER GIVEAWAY & POP QUIZ Please share the nic-nac facebook page with your friends ... When we get to 2000 likers we're holding a pop quiz and giving away 10 nic-nac balloon balls and when we get to 2500 we'll giveaway 5 nic-nac change mats, and 2 nic-nac carry-alls - yeeehaaa!!!  Feel free to get creative and tag us in your post.   Facebook seems to be constantly changing the rules, and as we don't want to lose our page, we're going to play by their game! Winners will always be announced on our blog, sale albums will always be on facebook and payment for ALL sale items will always be via paypal.  PENCILWRAP GOODIES FOR NIX It was so popular in June, we're going to do it all over again! For the month of AUGUST 2011, when you buy a nic-nac pencilwrap, we will FILL it for you for FREE, not just coloured pencils, but also a notebook, teensy erasers, pencils, pens etc.  All the bits you need. Cool!  Keep it in your handbag or nappybag or school bag.  Great for all ages.  WANT A FREE CARRY-ALL? Another 48 hour newsletter special - For 48 hours only, buy a nic-nac nappywrap and receive a FREE co-ordinating nic-nac carry-all (RRP $89.95).  From 8pm Wednesday August 10th until 8pm Friday August 12th.  Order online  Only while stocks last. NIC-NAC FABRICS - FANCY YOURSELF AS A FABRIC DESIGNER? We are submitting our new designs for fabrics to be printed by the 10th August, and while we have THREE new fabrics ready to go, we need one more.  Do you see yourself as a bit of a budding designer?  If we choose your design to reproduce into fabric for balloon balls, nappywraps, miniwraps and carry-alls, you could win a package of the whole lot!  YES that's right - if we love your design, as soon as it's produced, we'll send you a nic-nac balloon ball, miniwrap, change mat, nappywrap and carry-all!  Send a pdf to kylie@nic-nac.com.au before the 10th August if you want to take part in the design challenge! NIC-NAC MEDIA APPEARANCESIf you see us in print somewhere and can be the first to let us know, we'll reward you!  If you are the first to email us that you've spotted us in a blog, a magazine, newspaper or baby guide, email us the details (name, page, issue) and we'll post you a nic-nac balloon ball!  Some clues;  Look in ... Mother & Baby, Practical Parenting, Pregnancy & Birth, Studio Bambini, Bambini Directory, parenting and baby blogs, for a helping hand! Thank you for supporting nic-nac nappywrap and Australian and ethical manufacture, make sure that your next purchase helps an encomy, a village or a family.  Your purchasing decisions effect people's lives.  Wherever possible - don't show your support of child labour and sweat shops. We welcome feedback at any time. Have a great day :-) Kylie Mowbray-Allen Owner / Designer Studio p : 02 6687 0743 (9:30-3pm M-F) m : 0404 751 850 e: kylie@nic-nac.com.au Shop online at ... Website: http://www.nic-nac.com.au Find us on ... Facebook .  Blog . Twitter . Pinterest Ethical . Functional . Practical   This is email was sent to %%emailaddress%%, click here to unsubscribe. nic-nac nappwrap 7 Paperbark Place . Clover Hill . Bangalow . NSW 2479 Australia studio . 02 6687 0743 | E-mail: kylie@nic-nac.com.au Web: www.nic-nac.com.au COPYRIGHT 2011. nic-nac nappywrap. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

When one balloon just isn't enough!

My daughter has a whole bunch of them.  Every time we bring a balloon ball out in a new fabric combo, she wants that one too!  And that's perfect - she's a brilliant tester!  At eight-years-old, she's pretty rough with them.  We live in a cul-de-sac so they get kicked around for a little soccer, thrown into the hoop for netball practice, the boys in the street bounce them off each other's heads, and the littlest neighbours sit on them.

On a rainy day a balloon ball goes to school.  Remember those rainy days at school and everyone had to stay inside?  BORING!  Well, my daughter's class LOVE it - Clover takes a balloon ball in her school bag, a little bit of puff and tie the balloon off, and the kids are all into it.  Her teacher thinks it's great, it keeps the kids moving, engaged and laughing, and balloon balls are SAFE.  They're not knocking things down, and they're something EVERYONE can enjoy together.

This month we have some new fabrics coming out ... and in celebration of love and luck, we've got a selection of CLOVER fabrics ... Clover's with bumble bees, clover's with love hearts, ladybugs, and on their own.  Oh, and some stars, and rainbow love hearts too!  Choosing fabrics is so fun, I can never get enough of it!

Which is why we've decided to extend our repertoire of our own nic-nac designed fabrics, and add to our collection.  Because my other love is DESIGNING fabric!  The signature nic-nac fabrics - the poppy dot and blueberry spot are fabrics we've designed and printed in the exact hues which we love, and now there are three more fabrics joining the party.  While I can't show you just yet, I can give you a clue to one of them ... what might it have all over it?!  You guessed it - CLOVER's!  The fabrics will be ready by September, and will be available in our full range.  nic-nac nappywraps, miniwraps, change mats, carry-alls, balloon balls and possibly even pencilwraps.  Yeeehaaaa ... to celebrate their arrival we're going to run a fantastic competition - so keep a look out for it!

And on that note, the 1500 nic-nac facebook liker giveaway winners are ... DRUM ROLL PLEASE :-)

BALLOON BALLS:
Sarah Misko
Christine Morris
Kate Manley
Amie Nicholson
Kathy Amanda Cantrell

CHANGE MATS:
Sarah Rowley
Lana Whittington

Melissa Allen
Tanene Maddies Mum Donnelly
Colleen Carpenter

Would all you winners please post your email addresses below, and your colour preference too (poppy dot or blueberry spot - you can find piccies here) and they'll be posted out this week!

Have a great week y'all!

See you on facebook for an awesome competition starting SOON!

Kylie xo

 

nic-nac . keep it simple . the pencilwrap is the way to go!

What is a nic-nac pencilwrap, and why is it better than a regular pencil roll?

Simple!  Because it fits everything you need, and nothing you don't need!

12 coloured pencils or markers, some "grey lead's" (that's what my daughter calls them at school - back in my day we just called them regular pencils!) small stapler, small sticky-tape, erasers, stickers, notes, small ruler, notepad, and more!
They can be machine-washed (cold water) when they get grubby (which, let's face it - anything where kids are involved, gets grubby!) and are so handy they can be used in almost any situation.

Personal favourites;

Handbag (or nappy bag) - whip out your pencilwrap when you're at a cafe, restuarant, meeting, bank - anywhere that your child needs to sit still quietly while you're occupied with something that needs your attention.

Car - keep it in the glove box or back-seat organiser, and there's always something fun to do while on short or long trips.

School bag (or tote tray) - keep pens and pencils neat and stops them getting lost!  in a nic-nac pencilwrap there's a place for everything, so things don't go missing!

Head to the nic-nac pencilwrap page for more information, or to order now.  For the month of June 2011, all pencilwraps come complete with notepad, erasers, grey leads and 12 coloured pencils.

But I haven't answered why they're better than a regular pencil roll yet... well, pencil rolls are great, there's no doubt about that. They encourage kids to put their pencils away (kids love creating the rainbow as they slot their pencils in each spot!) and keep things neat and tidy.  But that's all they keep.  So you still need a bag or pencilcase etc for your sharpener, eraser, note pad or colouring book and all that other "stuff"... that's why the nic-nac pencilwrap is so cool!  It fits EVERYTHING you need and nothing you don't!

Here at the nic-nac studio we love stuff that is PRACTICAL and well-made.  These are built to LAST!

Enter PBCSALE at checkout for 25% off (until June 30 2011) and we'll throw in a notepad, erasers, grey leads and 12 coloured pencils for good measure.  Enjoy :-)

Kylie xo

p.s. my daughter (8) gives one of these to any of her friends having birthdays.  boys or girls, young or really young, they are a great gift and so practical.  One of these and a nic-nac balloon ball and she's chuffed with her present giving :-)

Kids Instyle - it was a blast!

Our blueberry spot nappywrap collection on display... pity i can't figure out how to turn the pic around!

What a big week it's been for us here in the nic-nac studio... launching our new website (and a myriad of teething problems), flying to Sydney for our first trade show - Kids Instyle - which was a bigger learning experience than anticipated and so inspiring, arriving back and unpacking, and now - to go through all the orders from the show.  Such an exciting time for us, I think we need a team of TEN not five!!!!!  But as we don't, and need to remember the work/life balance, I thought it appropriate to post on that topic.

What to do when work is screaming for attention, and there aren't enough hours in a day, BUT your family is also needing your time, energy and love, and you're torn limb from limb? Well, for me, I start by remembering to BREATHE!  Then I sit and write a huge list, and figure out what can get done after the family have gone to sleep, and before they awake in the morning, what I can do on the laptop in front of a (kids) movie during some quiet time (this way they THINK and FEEL that you're present with them as you sit beside them, but you're still typing away!) and then I put something in the slow cooker, so it's ready for dinner time with little fuss or effort. It's not easy!  Then I put off what I can, deal with what is urgent, make a few phone calls, send a few emails, and give out as many hugs as needed.  When kids feel important and that their needs are being met, they slowly drift back to a relaxed state and are happy pottering (in my experience anyway) on their own, enabling you to get on with what you need to, with them nearby. I let my daughter have a day off school today - she'd missed me for five days, and many more before that as I was preparing for the show, so I thought it was fine for her to have some me time - but needing her to understand that I'd also need to do some work too.  As soon as I involve her she feels important.  "what do you think of these photos of the nappywrap?" or "Why don't you be in charge of deciding what we'll make for lunch together?" and she loves it! Hope you manage to keep your work/life balance working well for you and your family, and if you have tips and ideas to share - don't keep them to yourself!  Share the love :-) The photos in this post are of our Kids Instyle stand - our theme was PICNIC and it was exciting shopping for goodies for our "picnic" from the food markets at Fox Studios, as well as the most amazing grocer (max something?) we found near our hotel in Surry Hills.  YUM! Have a great week everyone, Kylie xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the nic-nac nappywrap display at kids instyle - come join our picnic?!  xo