Monday, December 22, 2008

red raven sale


the red raven sale starts december 26 at 9 am! arrive early to scoop up the super deals. all clothing is 20-60% off, plus there will be clothes from previous seasons out for you to peruse. dresses start at $10. and elizabeth just brought over a schwack of samples from the studio too!

just to speed things up, we're going to have more change rooms and another till set up too (so slick!). oh, and you'll have to pop in just to see us all of us noko gals prance around in our red raven aprons!

we're open until 6 pm on boxing day, though the sale continues on through january. happy holidays!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

aprons

we just got in new aprons!



nokomis roster apron, $48




nokomis black bird apron, $48

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

noko gift guide: under $30.

yikkes, christmas is just a week away! thankfully (for the first time ever) i have all of my shopping organized and finished! but i know what it's like trying to jam ideas and gifts together in the last few weeks and, as always, there are going to be those last minute gifts that you just need to pick up and move on your way to the next store. with a budget in mind, we've put together a few smaller priced items to help you on your way.

these adorable pillow covers come as a set in both natural and white linen
nokomis pillow covers, $30

an amazing little collection of short stories from some talented locals
here & noun book, $25

squared off mittens, in many colourful prints and patterns
smittens mittens, $29


yet another collaboration of local talent
display magazine, $10

sweet and simple
bueno style cameo pin, $12

noko gift guide: under $60.

whether for your bff, a stocking stuffer, or just for someone you love, these items will make great little pieces to add to your present list.

stand out accessories
alyzo peacock feather earrings, $40

the lining of the scarf is amazingly soft!
bennie and olive cozy scarf, $50

a great way to add colour to anyone's place
nokomis throw pillow, $38

a hand drawn, fill in your own dates agenda
veekee agenda, $48

soft american apparel tees with cute screens
nokomis girly boy tee, $34


Tuesday, December 16, 2008

holiday hours

we're open a few extra hours each day for your holiday shopping pleasure. the new hours are as follows:

monday-friday 10-9 pm
saturday 10-6 pm
sunday 12-6 pm


(except friday december 19th we'll be opening at 11 am (it's our christmas party the night before and we thought we'd be realistic about our opening time, you know, 'cause we're sure to get a little crazy with the karaoke and the beer!)

as well:

christmas eve 10-3 pm
boxing day 9-6 pm



Friday, December 12, 2008

tgif!

it's friday again! whew, what a week.

we've been busy at the store helping holiday shoppers, madly sewing cloth bags and scheming up general awesome-ness for our boxing day sale. over at the studio the girls are getting spring 09 production lined up, along with designing fall 09. let's just say elizabeth and i are looking forward to cutting loose this weekend. (and we need to warm up our party muscles before the noko staff christmas party next week!).

tonight there is a show at the artery, celebrating record label Pop Echo's 4th birthday. woooo, 4 years! if Pop Echo were human, they would be starting playschool. the bill is stacked with many musical delights, such as the whitsundays and the famines. i believe all it takes is $12, and you're in.



and then, on saturday, you need to get your butt back to the artery, this time for the Guerilla Boutique. starting at 8pm you can find lots of local designers selling their wares, and while you shop, there will be live music, including Electricity for Everybody and tunes from Smokey & Sloop Sean B.



and then, i, for one, will be resting up on sunday. i'll probably just end up drooling over recipes from my favorite food blog Karina's Kitchen. julie ann made the most delicous breakfast cookies this week, and we all gobbled them up, but i need more! wish me luck . . .

oh, and pop by the store because we just got in new anna de courcy jewelry, beuno style jewelry (including super cute lockets!), and some new Eve Gravel too. xox.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

noko gift ideas: new mommies

my friends tara and nadia co-own a cafe in a tiny, rural manitoban town called kelwood. i don't get a chance to go out and see them very often; the last time was for nadia's wedding a couple years ago, but i know i need to make the trip again soon, both for a visit and to see tara's brand new baby boy(!) i like shopping for new moms and their pretty babies more than for just about anyone. i get so excited about tiny clothing, toys and books, and also gifts that i know a new mom could really appreciate and enjoy.

maybe you know someone, an aunt or a sister or friend perhaps, who's just had (or is about to have) a baby. i hope you find some inspiration in these gift ideas, i'm eyeing up a few of them myself.

i think every new mom (or new dad!) needs a soft pretty blanket in which to hold their little babu--especially when the weather dips below zero. this organic cotton blanket from jenna rose is the perfect size and so soft, a delightful gift for $80.


i was already in love with these anna zygowski hand-dyed rayon scarves before i figured out what a perfect fashion accessory/breast-feeding cover-up they'd be. the scarves are lovely and soft and so unique in their colours and designs. i know i'd be happy to get one, new mom or not. they sell for $140.

a nice gift for a mom-to-be is one of these permanent crease snap notebooks. here moms can record all their feelings about pregnancy, dreams for the future, name choices and how utterly upset they are they can't have a glass of wine or eat sushi for a year and a half--boo! we sell them for $33.


i betcha any mom (not just the new ones) would be pleased with this 'mum' crest necklace from pyrrha, $90.


even though babies can't read or write or understand english (or any other language for that matter) i still like to give gifts of books. there are books in my bookcase that were given to me before i could speak and which i now cherish more than any others. reading to a new baby is such an intimate experience and "sunny" is a wonderful book to read; it even comes with a free CD with original songs by destroyer. we sell it for $19.95.


new moms usually need to pamper themselves after all the hard work they've just been though. they're tired and experiencing new things daily and uncertain of what they should be doing. hey!, they still want to look and feel beautiful though! this 'wythe' dress from LnE, $222, is comfortable, practical, elegant and pretty. perfect for a new mom.


a stunning and unique gift is this recycled paper and reclaimed map mobile from as the crow flies, $50. i love that it's a piece which can be appreciated by adults and babies alike. it would easily make the transition from nursery to bedroom to kitchen or living room. i just love it.


of course one can't forget the babies themselves....here are a few pieces sure to please kiddies and parents alike. clockwise, preloved 'jade' sweater, $130; nokomis onesie $24 & nokomis infant tee $18.


ok, but back to the moms...here's a great cozy sweater with a high buttoned neck that's just perfect for snuggling and nuzzling and loving-up. and it looks like a million bucks too! manureva sweater, eve gravel, $150.



one of the absolutely most-useful gifts to give to a new parent is a great diaper bag. though the words 'diaper' and 'bag' together don't necessarily bring to mind an object of great beauty i believe we've found an anomaly in this ashley waston 'large plover' bag, $380. a great multi-purpose purse, this recycled leather bag holds a ton(!) of stuff and will remain fashionable for many years to come. it makes me want to get pregnant right now. but don't tell my raymond that ok?

Thursday, December 4, 2008

custom noko pillows

guess what? we made monogram pillows for you! cute, huh?



the velvet pillows are only $38 and can be ordered with the following letters:

A . C . E . J . K . L . M . P . R . S . T .

(sorry if your initial isn't in there, we had a really hard time choosing.)


the pillow also can be made to order in an olive/brown velvet, and they come with their own pillow insert (and a zipper, for ease of cleaning!).


if you are interested in placing an order for your special someone, stop by the store, or give us a call (really, email works too: store@nokomisclothing.ca) and we'll get laurel to screen one for you. we will collect orders each week, and then give them to laurel on monday mornings, so she can have them done by the following thursday afternoon. cool? cool!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

noko gift ideas: manfriend

well ladies, sorry to disappoint you! i couldn't line up a male model for our post this week. apparently boyfriends at nokomis are a little shy...

though we don't have as much in the way of men's clothing, we still have a few options for them. boyfriends, fathers, brothers, or buds are all usually easy to narrow down and figure out what they'll like. so this shouldn't be too difficult. here are just a few options, here at nokomis, for the many men we have in our lives:

preloved ronnie shirt, $185
mixing plaid with stripe, this one's more for your dad!



smokey woodland follies magnets, $24
for the mountain man in your boyfriend


nokomis tee shirt, $34
means 'dare to know' in latin, perfect for your brother

nokomis fabian sweater, $130
this has to be the perfect sweater for drinking rum and eggnog by the fire!



100 black on white illustrations, $14
for the artist looking for a little inspiration

pyrrha dagger seal, $90
who doesn't love a man in jewelry?

more next wednesday, just two more gift guides left till the holidays!

milk

we have 5 double guest passes for the new gus van sant movie, milk. the show is at 7pm tomorrow, thursday december 4. you gotta get your butt all the way out to south common, and show up early to make sure you get a seat, but, hey, it's free. check out the trailer to the film here. stop by the store if you're interested, first come, first serve, no dibsies. xox.

Friday, November 28, 2008

tgif!

it's been a long week, but at least there are lots of fun times to be had this weekend. here are two events that i'd recommend:

pop by the 4th annual royal bison craft & art fair, 10-5 pm on both saturday and sunday. it's taking place just around the corner from nokomis (and the farmer's market), at 8426 gateway boulevard. it's just a twoonie to get in (and you can say 'hi' to elizabeth, who is usually working the door). there are always so many great vendors to see, such as nokomis's own Myrtle & Pearls, Nickelas Johnson and Cinder + Smoke, along with the talents of photographer Tara Dwelsdorf, artist Sean Borchert and, of course, illustrator Raymond E. Biesinger. you will also be able to find edmonton based magazines such as Display, Notebook, and the newest issue of Here & Noun.

then, once you're all done your errands: nokomis, royal bison, farmer's market, etc, i'd recommend a nap. you're gonna need one, 'cause saturday night is the Display Magazine launch party.

the studio girls have been excited about this party all week and so am i! i'm polishing up my dancing shoes, ironing my party pants and arriving early at the artery, as this is gonna sell out. local band field & stream are performing, followed by dj dance sets by Nik 7, Jaycie Jayce and Roland Pemberton III. it's ten bucks to get in, and with that you're helping the local publication get it's feet on the ground. see you there! xox.

time flies

can you believe it was a year ago today that we opened up in our new location? seems a little crazy, but true. this time last year elizabeth and i were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but we managed to get it all done, thanks to all the help with had from the noko girls. and thankfully the days i spent in "the office" at the old space (my desk was shoved between the hot water tank and the furnace, in a windowless cell) are nothing but a distant memory, and everyday i am so grateful that i get to work in this beautiful space.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

noko gift ideas: ladyfriend

man friends and boyfriends aren't always the most instinctive when it comes to buying a holiday gift. while they may put their best efforts in, we don't need anymore new tools or socks. i find the more suggestions they have, the better they are. though i usually tend to leave web pages open on my boyfriends computer, hoping that he'll get the hint... so BOYS, if you see this page open, take the hint! come by nokomis and take a look around for your lovely lady.

here are just a few things that are on my wish-list this year (maybe they're on hers too):

maked side sweep toque, $64
hand crochet cotton toques are so much better than a beanie from army & navy

nokomis wilfred cardigan, $98
the boyfriends sweater made in petite sizes for her. now she can stop borrowing yours!

dace shelia dress, $240
she can wear this to work and then out to a party!

nokomis linen pillow, $38
a cute pillow for her couch, snuggle time made easy!


eve gravel mushi mushi dress, $164
looks great on almost every body type!

dace shirley tunic, $169
dace is a favorite designer here at noko, so you won't go wrong with any of her pieces!




imaginary friend swing coat, $275
it hasn't snowed yet, but she'll need something warm soon.


bueno style love letter necklace, $52
what girl doesn't want a love letter from their special friend?

i'll be back next week to tackle gifts for boyfriends and man friends. see you then!