Introducing Jackson & Lulu and a new workshop

Say hello to Jackson, the frog and Lulu, the pig - the inspiration for our newest paper line!

最新作のNiNi conceptsオリジナルペーパーはメインキャラクターのJackson &　Lulu がくり出す、ポップでキュートなキッズワールド。

'Jackson & Lulu' is a line of 12, 12 x 12 inch papers that comes complete with matching tags and cut out embellishments.

今回のオリジナルペーパー'Jackson & Lulu' はなんとＳＢの定番12インチです！そしてタグや切り抜く飾りも付いています！

'Jackson & Lulu' will be on sale at Shalala Mart both in store and online after NiNi concepts 2010 Spring Workshop at Shalala Mart in Osaka on April 19th and 20th.

この最新作のオリジナルペーパーを使ってNINI Concepts は2010春のワークショップを大阪のShalala Martで4月19，20日を開催します！詳しくはShalala MartホームページまたはShalalaブログを見てください！

The workshop consists of two parts, which can be taken separately or together on the same day or on different days:

Workshop A - 'Jackson & Lulu' Deco Box 4,200 Yen

April 19th, 2010 10:00 - 12:30 or April 20th, 2010 13:00 - 15:30

We will create a photo frame/photo storage box which can be used as is or used to house the five mini albums we will create in

Workshop B - 'Jackson & Lulu' Five Teeny Tiny Mini Albums 4,200 Yen

April 19th, 2010 13:00 - 15:30 or April 20th, 2010 10:00 - 12:30

In this class we will create five mini albums, using the single pamphlet stitch, which can be stored in the box created in Workshop A or attached to a key ring and used to decorate your bag.

The cost for both workshops together is 6,500 Yen

For more information check out Shalala Mart's website or blog.

Or call Shalala Mart on 06-6318-0172.

Introducing "Party Pieces" and a shopping update

"Party Pieces" - the latest addition to NiNi concepts paper lineup. Ten designs perfect for winter and the festive season!

1. Cherry Menthol 2. Ice Candy 3. Countdown Cocktail 4. Wine Notes 5. Sherry Trifle 6. Sugar Plums 7. Green Ginger 8. Cranberry Spice 9. Champagne Pop 10. Royal Icing

Plus, we're delighted to announce that all our papers are now available to buy online or instore from Shalala Mart!

If you haven't had a chance to visit Shalala Mart, let me tell you it's well worth visiting - I had a great time shopping there after my classes last weekend and found some things I had been coveting for a long time but hadn't managed to find elsewhere in Japan, like 7 Gypsy Elastics and Gator Clips...

I also had a lot of fun meeting and scrapping with old friends and new ones there. Thank you all for coming to our classes. Can't wait to see you all again soon!

Kansai Winter Workshops

NiNi concepts presents
Keitai Mini Album "I ♥you"

今年５月に携帯電話会社AU発行の小冊子、AU style誌上でNiNi conceptsのNickyをご覧になった方も多いはず。
表紙を飾った作品 “I ♥ dogs" をワークショップとしては初めて、関西にて開催します。
この携帯型のアルバムはかわいいデザインだけではなく、ページを引き出す部分に施されたアイデアの数々はまさしく必見です。
いままでのSBから一歩進んだアートな作品作りを体験しませんか？
AU　style誌上では「かわいい犬」がテーマになっていましたが、今回は "I ♥you"
ペットだけではなく、あなたの大好きを表現しましょう！

Date : 12月13日　日曜日
Time : 11:00~16:00
Place :シャララマート
講習費 : ￥5800 (材料費込み。　以前シャララマートにてNiNi conceptsのオリジナルペーパー"sweet
life"をご購入いただいた方はご持参ください。ご持参いただいたものをご使用の場合、ペーパー代￥1200は講習費よりお引きいたします。）

As featured in AU Style magazine! Learn how to make this amazing interactive mini album using papers from NiNi concepts "Sweet Life" range plus other exclusive products. This is the first time this class has been offered and we're delighted to be holding it at Shalala Mart in Osaka.

Date: Sunday, 13th December, 2009
Time: 11:00 - 16:00
Place: Shalala Mart, Suita, Osaka
Cost: 5,800 Yen (includes all materials)or 4,600 Yen if you have previously purchased the 'Sweet Life' paper set at Shalala Mart and bring it to the class.

NiNi concepts presents
"The most wonderful time"

クリスマスシーズンにぴったりのミニアルバム"The most wonderful time"
開くとクリスマスツリーが表れるこのアルバムは特別な思い出を綴じるのにぴったり。
使用しているペーパーは、冬のイメージで作られた、なんとNiNi conceptsの最新版。
誰よりも早くwinter workshopでお目見えです！
ツリーのポップアップ、そしてペーパーバックを使って、ちょっと工夫された方法での製本の仕方を楽しく紹介します。オリジナリティあふれた作品で、クリスマスの準備はいかが？

Date : 12月14日　月曜日
Time : 10:00~14:30
Place :シャララマート
講習費 : ￥4600 (材料費込み）＊前日のKeitai albumをお申し込みの方は、今回￥4600
(材料費込み）の講座をクリスマス価格￥4200 (材料費込み）で受講いただけます。

'Tis the season... yes the holiday season is almost here and this mini album is perfect for holding all your festive photos. Learn how to make a paperbag album containing an amazing 3D Christmas tree using papers from NiNi concepts brand new winter line. There will also be plenty of hints and tips for how to make the best use of the album's many pages - this album can hold over 30 photos!

Date: Monday, 14th December, 2009
Time: 10:00 - 14:30
Place: Shalala Mart, Suita, Osaka
Cost: 4,600 Yen (includes all materials), reduced to 4,200 Yen if attending both workshops.

お問い合わせ:シャララ・マート(TEL:06-6318-0172) または niniconcepts@gmail.com
For more information contact niniconcepts@gmail.com or Shalala Mart (TEL:06-6318-0172)

Thank you for coming!

Just a quick post to thank everyone who attended our class in Hiroshima recently. And to say a big thank you for all the lovely goodies sent by Crafter's Workshop as door prizes! I hope you all had as much fun as I did!

A Very Special Blend...Available Soon

Darjeeling, Lapsang Souchon, Gunpowder are just some of the flavours in our newest paper line "Tea Break", a delicious combination of orange, blue, teal, green and purple that's perfect for the upcoming season.

These are the papers we'll be using in our upcoming workshop on Saturday, along with "Tea Treats"a special set of accents, created especially for this project. I can't wait!

And in answer to a couple of questions we've received:
No, you don't have to be attending CKU-J to take this class.
The mini book can be easily customised in class to suit any event.
So please come along! You're more than welcome!

NiNi concepts の新作ペーパー　"Tea Break" ―　秋にぴったり！オレンジ、青、緑、紫などのおいしそうな組み合わせ・・・そして今回のワークショップのため特別に作ったアックセント "Tea Treats" をちょっとだけ早く皆様に紹介します！土曜日がとても楽しみにしています！

そして今日は次の問い合わせが来ましたので、ここで返事しようと思います：
Ｑ：　ＣＫＵ－Ｊに行かないとワークショップに参加できないですか？
Ａ：　とんでもない！もちろん参加できます！どうぞ！大歓迎！実は今回作るEvent Record Book(イベントリコード　ブック）の魅力はどんなイベントにも使用できます。自分だけのオリジナル作品をぜひ作ってください！

ではSee you on Saturday!

ゲリラ ワークショップ in Osaka!!!

９月１９日（土、午後）


NiNi concepts最新オリジナルペーパーで作るEvent Record Book(イベントリコード　ブック）

SBファン待望のスペシャルイベント、CKU-Jはもうすぐ。
CKU-J開催地、新大阪駅から10分の距離にあるシャララマートの協力を得て、今回NiNi conceptsは久々のworkshopを企画しました。
CKU-Jでの想い出をしっかり詰め込めるミニアルバム、その名もEvent Record Book !
CKU-Jイベント前のアルバム用意で、気分UP↑、その上イベント終了後に作品制作に追われても、イベントの想い出はこれで、すっきり簡単！

このクラスではGlossy Accentsの上手な使い方、そして何より、たった２枚のCSを利用した、しかし折り方には工夫が施された、アイディアものの変形アコーディオン型のアルバムを学びます。
そして今回、この秋発表のNiNi concepts未発表オリジナル新作ペーパーを使用。
ちょとレアなオリジナル作品制作をお楽しみいただけます！

NiNi conceptsの講師はもちろんNicky。今回もCKU-Jのお手伝いをします。
CKU-Jで会う前から一緒に盛り上がりましょう！

お問い合わせ:シャララ・マート(TEL:06-6318-0172) または niniconcepts@gmail.com


On SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th, 2009 (afternoon)

Be the first to use NiNi concepts brand new paper line "Tea Break"!

Are you attending CKU-J? Or another special event this autumn?
NiNi concepts, in collaboration with Shalala Mart, have created a delightful project to help you record these precious memories. In the class you'll learn how to create an adorable accordian mini book with a twist, using only 2 sheets of cardstock, NiNi concepts newest paper line "Tea Break", some custom designed accents and some clever application of Glossy Accents, ready for the event. This mini book is no one hit wonder however - it's a format you can use again and again!

Shalala Mart is a fabulous scrapbooking store located in Suita, just 10 minutes by train and on foot from Shin Osaka Station, so why not drop by and take the class? I can't wait to see you there!

For more information: Shalala Mart (Tel:06-6318-0172) or send us an email niniconcepts@gmail.com　　

10 Ways to Customize Your NiNi T-shirt

'The Sweet Life' and AU Style

Our new line took a few twists and turns on the road to reality and ended up as something completely different! (Not to worry though, those sneak peeks I showed you back in December haven't disappeared completely, they've just been put on the backburner for a little while...) Why the change? Well around the time of the last post, AU Style contacted us about being featured in their March issue. The only problem - those papers made me think of winter not spring. So it was back to the drawing board or rather Photoshop and Illustrator and many more days and nights of numb bum.

Deciding on the colour scheme is one of the most enjoyable (and hardest) parts of designing a new paper line. Colour is so subjective and personal. All of these colours say spring to me: brown earth, fresh green leaves and foliage and lots of colourful flowers...and ultimately go together to create NiNi concepts newest paper line, 'The Sweet Life'.

New Paper Designs - Sneak Peek!

Because I keep being asked what's coming next, after 'Cocktail 5', here is just a taste of what our new line looks like. After countless hours of playing around in Photoshop and Illustrator late into the night and some severe cases of numb bum (and brain on occasion!), these designs got the go ahead and will be heading off to the printers soon...YIPEE!
I can't wait to see the proofs - there's something so incredible, so satisfying about seeing a design turn into an actual product :)

Christmas card ideas

Tokyo Class

I'd just like to say a big thank you to all of you who made it to my class last Friday in Tokyo despite the thunderstorms! It was lovely for me to see some familiar faces and new ones and I had a blast! I hope to see all of you again soon :)

On a different note, we have lots of exciting plans in the works so check back soon for updates, especially if you live in Kansai and are planning on attending the Osaka Scrapbooking Matsuri!

More Sneak Peeks

I made another version of the mini album and the scrapbook pendant I'm teaching on Friday - there were some things I wanted to try but couldn't in the States because I didn't have the right tools or supplies so I thought I'd share some photos... The mini album has 8 pages - i.e. 16 LOs - so there's plenty of room for lots of photos. I used a mixture of L-size (some cropped, some full size) and Keitai-size prints.

As you can see the pendant, in particular, is quite different - and the kit contains everything to make either version - including 2 types of Grungeboard - 2 squares and 1 circle, vintage dictionary paper etc. Photos for this project should be 1" or smaller - I only used 3 in the version above but you could use up to eight if you use both sides of the mini album. By the way in the version I made in the States I used 'Puri Club' photos from my daughter and they were a perfect size!

Tokyo Class Sneak Peeks!

Here are some more pictures of the classes I'll be teaching in Tokyo next Friday August 29th at Takanawa Kumin Center. There are still a few spaces available so if you're interested contact us!

The morning class is an accordian style 6" mini album and uses lots of clever folds to extend your pages. It's a freestyle class - i.e. I'll show you the various page constructions and you can put it together however you like so you'll end up with an album unique to you! I'll also show you how to take one simple sketch and adapt it for numerous layouts. To decorate our pages we'll be combining Paint Daubers, Luxe-urious stamps, distress inks and Stickles for lots of shimmer and sparkle! This project also uses our brand new papers - Cocktail 5!
In the afternoon, we'll be working in minature with Grungeboard, paint, ink and lots of stamps to create a tiny (approx 1") mini album that's housed inside a cool pendant. Now you can wear your creation wherever you go!

Tutorial - Butterfly Circles

I've been having a lot of fun playing with the 'Cocktail 5' paper line recently. The above LO features an enlarged version of the Make and Take I did at the Hobby Show and uses Margarita, Gimlet and Mohito. Here's a quick 'how-to':

1. Using circle punches, a circle template or circle cutter, cut 3 circles of equal size from co-ordinating CS and PP. Ink the edges of each circle using a darker co-ordinating ink. Here I used the NT Circle Cutter (IC-1500P) available from Art & Craft DUO.

2. Cut your photo slightly smaller, ink the egdes and adhere to one of your paper circles.

3. Join the 3 circles together using eyelets or even brads. Here I used jumbo eyelets from We R Memory Keepers, available at Scrap the Planet.

4. Fold a scrap of PP in half, trace the butterfly template and cut out. Please enlarge or shrink this template to get the size of butterfly you wish to use.

5. Before attaching the eyelet or brad to the butterfly's head, twist a length of beading or craft wire around the back to make the butterfly's antennae. Attach, then curl the ends.

6. Adhere the butterfly to one of the circles. Decorate the other circle as desired and add to a LO! Here I wanted to add some sparkle so I covered the butterfly in Clear Sparkle embossing powder - hope you can see it in the photo?!? In real life it is VERY sparkly!

Japan Hobby Show

Hobby Show Sneak Peeks

Here's a sneak peek of the workshop I'm teaching for Sun-K at the Japan Hobby Show. It uses one of my new papers and all sorts of other original items! Since the theme of this year's Hobby Show is 'shoku' or 'food' we're making a little mini book where you can store business cards and photos of all your favourite places to eat - a kind of personal Michelin guide if you like! The workshop runs from 10:30 - 11:30 at Booth 6001. More information is available from Sun-K here.

From 1:00pm I'll also be doing a Make and Take at the Sun-K booth so here's a sneak peek of that too!

Sneak Peek!

A collection of A4 size papers for scrapbooking and paper crafts designed by me and available soon!