SALE! SALE! SAIL...?
It's here! FINALLY! The most excellent sale of the season!

From November 31st to December 7th ONLY!
Spend at least $25 [before shipping], and receive a VERY limited edition, porcelain origami crane ornament as a thank you. Promote a peaceful New Year with our colourful crane--perfect to keep, or give as a gift! ^.^

Spend at least $75 [before shipping], and receive one of our winter-themed, hand-made fleece scarves absolutely free! And as an added thank you, we'd love to send you our crane keepsake as well! ^_^

Spend $125 or more and get all your domestic shipping charges refunded! [That means FREE SHIPPING!] And ALL international orders will qualify for fabulously discounted shipping! 0_0

*****************************************************************
- Giving & Receiving BLING~!
This December, Neko-jin Designs will be offering a $2 gift wrapping service. Whether it's for a Sagittarius, a Capricorn, a December graduate, a family swap meet, or a holiday celebration, let Neko-jin Designs take care of the presentation--perfectly wrapped and uniquely decorated just for them!

Don't get too caught up in the chaos of the season, Kits-n-Kats! Let Neko-jin Designs help!
<3
~neko & Kit

It took something like fifteen solid hours of work, but the website has been redone. Again.

And the cute is even more killer than before.

I'm serious. Take a look. The 'add to cart' button almost did me in.

We're also engaged in the social networking two-fist tango. Detailed updates will be posted here on LiveJournal. Smaller updates will go through Twitter. Facebook is for the real life bits. DeviantArt is neko's playground. And MySpace sits emo-angry in a corner, singing indy songs about loneliness.

And now I'm off to add 100+ new items to the new and improved website! We'll post details on our winter sale later in the day.

But first, I think I deserve a sammich.
-Kit

After taking a couple of well-deserved days to ourselves, our little crew of two is about to bust butts on making the website all it can be for the upcoming holidays! We're in the processing of taking pictures and putting up hundreds of new items! Whew! It's going to take us a couple of days more, but it should be looking pretty groovy by Monday.

We'll be sure to keep you posted! Also, keep your eyes peeled for sales... -_^

But for now--bed!
-Kit

...and we're back from our last convention of the year! and in DIRE NEED of a day off!

with that said, kit and i are going to be MIA until friday as we take a small break. she needs a little time off from traveling and schoolwork, and i need to take a day just to practice being still so i can stop seeing guardrails and roadsigns every time i close my eyes. >.<

as of today, all outstanding orders have been mailed--THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE WHILE WE WERE ON THE ROAD!

e-mails will be answered shortly--and be on the lookout for a HUUUUGE sale announcement coming soon!
see you on friday!
<3
~neko

We're on the road again! Starting tomorrow, we'll be out of town until Sunday attending Another Anime Convention in Nashua, New Hampshire. It's been a crazy ride getting ready for this on top of everything else, but we're looking forward to it! If you're in the area, you should totally stop by; AAC is one of our favourites and we really love seeing all those happy, familiar faces.

Upon our victorious return, look for new items on the website. We're planning on celebrating the holiday season in style with all sorts of good stuff and amazing deals! Black Friday, here we come!

But for now, there are many miles to go before I sleep...

Have a great weekend, kits & kats!
-Kit

Whew! After 2+ weeks on the road, it's good to be home! We got so many orders and inquiries while we were away, I just wanted to drop a public note to let everyone know that we'll be taking the next 3-4 days to respond. So if you've gotten in touch with us recently and haven't gotten a reply, we're on it!

More on our awesome adventures later! For now, I've got Psych homework to catch up on! Man, there's never rest for the overactive!

Cheers!
-Kit

Well, now we've done it. We've gone where no man has gone before--unless he has incredibly good taste!

Ok, now let me explain. ^_^

Working with fleece on the scarves made me fall in love with the fabric. Generally, as many of you know, I prefer all natural materials, especially for my knitwear. While I still maintain this for my mitts, I'm really falling in love with the uber softness of fleece!

And it's so warm. That's truly important when living in New England and I adore how easily fleece keeps out the cold. It's fantastic for scarves and I started to wonder--what else can we make with this wonder fabric?

Then it hit me, and it hit hard. I wanted to make a bedroom set.

neko thought I was out of my mind; maybe I am. Making a quilt and pillow shams is no small task. Once you figure in the man power and the cost of supplies, it's asking alot.

But it's so worth it. For the supreme comfort of fleece? Oh, yes. And knowing that you are the only person on the entire planet to own this incredible set? That's just priceless.

So what if I'm outta my mind? I think there's someone out there that cares enough about individuality and quality to invest in it.

Now let's talk about what it is. It is the bedroom set you see below. It includes a handmade quilt large enough for a full [and probably queen] sized bed. It also has two matching pillow cases. It is possibly the most comfortable thing ever.

And it ships for free anywhere in the continental United States. [International buyers, please email for a shipping quote.]

It is the only one of its kind and will never be replicated. Now it needs a good home.

The three piece set is priced at $145. Within the continental U.S., that includes all shipping, tracking, and insurance.



Do you think you'd like to invest in the cutest quilt set you've ever seen? Do you value the love, time, and quality that was put into it? Do you want to share in my vision?

As there's only one, it's totally a first come basis. We're so sure that there's a home out there for it, that we're not even putting it on the website. So if you're interested in it, drop us a line--

neko[at]nj-designs.com

Sure, it's an investment. We know. But we also know that good things and happiness are worth investing in. And if we can share that with one lucky person, we'll consider it a job well done. ^_^



Sharin' the warm fuzzies,
-Kit

Remember, if you spend at least $25 [before shipping] at nekojindesigns.com by November 1st, you'll get an awesome pair of Sleeves! Don't know what Sleeves are? Trick or treat with NJD and find out!

I'm finally done updating the website! Whew! I haven't had the opportunity to completely reformat it--but that just makes it easier to see the new items I've put up! Bringing the whole thing up to code is the next thing on my list, but for now I think it's good enough.

And it's Fox Day! So sayest the Kit! We've gotten so many requests for our little nine-tailed fox kit--my mascot for Nine Tails All-Natural Knits--that we finally broke down and gave him his very own line of merchandise!







On top of Fox Day, there are over eighty new items on the website! We're leaving this weekend for BakuretsuCon, so there's no time like now to grab any goodies that have caught your eye! And you get something free. I can't do any better than that!

Did I mention that the weekend after BakuretsuCon, we'll be heading down south for Neko-Con...?

But our unbelievable November is another entry all together! For now, it's Fox Day, we're in LOVE!

-Kit

Remember, if you spend at least $25 [before shipping] at nekojindesigns.com by November 1st, you'll get an awesome pair of Sleeves! Don't know what Sleeves are? Trick or treat with NJD and find out!

Does anyone else feel like the internet is broken? Over the last week, we've gotten an amazing amount of radio silence. I found this odd until I realized--

1. It's midterms. Duh, Kit. You have them, too. Remember that crazy group project for your online class? Yeah, that's due tomorrow.

2. It's almost Halloween. There are more important things to do than cruise teh interwebz. Like put a costume together.

3. On an underlying frequency, we realize as a collective consciousness that Halloween is hardly sacrosanct. November 1st and it's Fa la la Jingle Bells until New Years.

I think that's what hurts the most. Christmas music being piped into every nook and cranny in the northern hemisphere. I'm actually surprised they waited this long--though anyone who's been anywhere in the last couple weeks knows they're chomping at the bit. Holly, Ivy, and Ho Ho Ho are on the shelves right next to Pumpkins and Goblins and they're all on sale.

How crazy is that?

What the heck am I doing at the studio? I should be ticking things off my holiday shopping list!

I'm gonna get right on that. After I finish adding this folder full of awesome onto the website.

Well, if you're feeling a bit like me--overwhelmed, over-worked, and under a rock, you need a bit 'o Asian luck.

Because cats are cuter than clovers, man. That's all there is to it.

Waste no time--get lucky!






More's on the way!
-Kit

It's only a week until Halloween! Are you as excited as we are? We hope so!

To celebrate our favourite time of year, we've decided to have a our own version of trick or treating at nekojindesigns.com! From now until November first, we're giving out goodies!

It's all the fun-filled goodness that comes with dressing up and going door to door, minus the fear of razors in your apples. Bonus, right? And we're even gonna tell you what we've giving away--well, kinda.

See, if you spend at least $25 [before shipping] at nekojindesigns.com in the next week, you'll get an awesome pair of Sleeves!








The only catch? Just like trick or treating, you won't know which ones you're gonna get! We've got over twenty pair ready made to give away, but once the supplies are gone, we're not sure when we'll be making them again!

Sleeves regularly retail for $15 a pair and are made of acrylic, so there's no worries about allergies. We've decorated them with awesome buttons--from bumblebees to big, fat toggles, we've redefined fashion this season with brilliant colours and fantastic stripes! Most will fit from the wrist to above the elbow, making them ideal in this kinda of hot-cold weather. Unlike an undershirt, you don't have to strip off a layer if it warms up during the day!

So trick or treat, kits & kats! Fortune favours the funky!

This sale only applies to orders placed on nekojindesigns.com and does not include special orders.

See you on the flip side!
-Kit

It's been one of those weird weeks over here at NJD, and it's only Tuesday! I'm buried up to my eyeballs in textbooks on Science, Technology, and Psychology--and with it being that awkward midterm time, trying to juggle work and school has become quite a job in of itself!

But I persevere. Because it's pumpkin coffee time, and that gives me strength!

We spent the weekend in Syracuse with the awesome folks that turned out for Anime Syracuse's Sunday anime showings. It was really great to see so many familiar faces at such a small event! As long as our schedule allows, we'll be at the Palace Theatre for all of their mini conventions throughout the year. Keep an eye out for future fun!

BakuretsuCon is just around the corner; we're totally psyched for it! We love the folks over there. The conchair is a good friend of ours, and it's always like this huge family reunion. Except we like just about everyone there.

Though there is that crazy cousin you don't want to talk to that doesn't trust you to do a yaoi/yuri panel in the early evening because he doesn't think you can keep it all age friendly.

Because there's just something about our cute little company that just screams PORN!!11!1!

I'm not bitter, exactly, just rightfully angry that a large majority of people associate being gay with pornography. And this just proves that it's not always the ones you suspect that'll stab you in the back. This reminds me of a interview that AfterElton.com had with a Disney Executive:

Michael Jensen: [Disney's] ABC is on top as far as gay characters. You said that there have been some gay characters on the Disney channel that have been open to interpretation [as to being gay]. Is that entirely fair that gay viewers would have to look at characters that they have to interpret as gay?

Gary Marsh: Well, just to speak sort of in the 30,000-foot level first, we don't deal with sexuality on the Disney channel in general. That's just sort of not where our audience's heads at. They're really a pre-sexual audience, for the most part, and so sexuality is not how we look to tell any kind of stories.

Michael Jensen: But in High School Musical, there are boyfriends and girlfriends.

Gary Marsh: Yeah, but that's not about sex.

Michael Jensen: But why is being gay about sex?

Gary Marsh: I guess what I'm asking is, how do you identify the gay persona? I'm saying, the audience sees what they see in a character.

If you're interested, the whole article can be found here--http://www.afterellen.com/TV/2009/4/glitch

I know I'm on the soapbox, and I really don't care for the view from here, but I really think we're owed an apology. I don't blame the con, or any of the people I really care for, but the person who made that comment needs to chew a little harder on the soles of his shoes.

There's sex in everything, guys. It's not a gay thing, a straight thing, a batting-for-both-sides thing, or even a cultural thing. It's internet rule #34.

And that's that.

Next journal's about foxes!! I better post it at midnight--someone might find something erotic about having nine tails!

</sarcasm>
-Kit

I'm adding new items everyday over here at NekojinDesigns.com! On top of funky new scarves, I've completely restocked hooded sweatshirts.

Putting up all this great new stuff got us to thinking--we custom make virtually all our merchandise. We want our great customers to feel as individual as they deserve. That's why we put so much time, love, and effort into everything we do.

Now we want to know--How do you NJD? As one satisfied patron put it, she NJDs by taking her bags to school. So how do you NJD?

Answer that question when you place any order on the website and we'll throw in our handmade character guide featuring new information on all your old favourites! But you better hurry! We've got a limited supply of these things, and we're only doing it while they last!





-Kit
[Currently NJDing in the only way she can...with coffee...]

I don't know about where you are, but where we are, it's about time to knit myself a warm pair of mitts! Brrr! We're resisting the urge to turn on the heat, but I've often worshiped at the space heater these last few days while updating the website.

We want to share that warm, New England hospitality with all our wonderful customers! With that in mind, we're introducing an out-of-this-world awesome line of fashionably cozy scarves!





These were just put up--I haven't even linked them through the Clothing tab yet! That means you get first dibs on a limited run of functional fashion!

It's gettin' cold, kits & kats! Grab 'em while we've got 'em!
-Kit

I suppose it's fitting that I feel like Doc Frankenstein pulling the site together this close to Halloween. I'll warn everyone again that it's lookin' a little stitched together, but I promise all the nuts and bolts'll be in the right place by the time I get it up and walking around.

[And it won't terrorize the neighbours.]

But even though it's not as cognizant as it will be, I do have over $1200 of new items already added! Lookit that--I think it blinked!

Here's a sampling--







New items are easily identified by the snazzy lookin' thumbnails. Just a taste of what the new site has to offer. -_^

I should play with lightning more often...
-Kit

At long last, I am actively updating the website! Things are going to be a little Frankensite for awhile, as we get things in order. The final result is going to be bigger, better, and more beautiful than ever!

...but please pardon our mess while the transition occurs.

Stayed tuned for new featured items and news about upcoming conventions!
-Kit

We're settling in pretty well to our new surroundings. The weather can't seem to make up its mind as to whether or not it really is fall, but the leaves are changing colour and everything's all nice and beautiful. ^_^

While half the studio is still in boxes, we're trudging on ahead. Blueprints for the new and improved website are underway and we're planning on over 150 new items over the course of the next three weeks. With the cold weather coming, we'll be heavily restocking seasonal merchandise like hoodies--in new designs and colours!

I've also taken up the knitting needles again. I'm not sure what lies in store for hats this year, but I will definitely be making between fifty and seventy-five new pairs of mitts between now and the holiday season. So keep an eye out for that one-of-a-kind awesomeness!

There are probably a handful of you that remember or purchased our cupcake scarves this past spring. Because they were such a hit, we've expanded the line into a whole spectrum of funktastic neckwear! Cats, paws, skulls, and candy are just a sampling of what's to come.

The areas of bags and accessories will be feelin' a bit of love, as well, when we refill those sections with new jewelry and classic messenger bags.

So there we go! Getting back into a groove after almost two months on the road was kinda difficult. Allergies knocked me down for about a week and neko retaliated with a headcold--but we're fine and dandy now...finally! ^_^

I also discovered that I love to bake. Cooking has been my passion for a few years now, but it's only recently that I have delved into the confectionery arts. It turns out I make a mean pie. How cool is that? I've tackled peach twice and [of course!] did the traditional pumpkin...what's next? Blackberry? I wonder how hard it'll be to find fresh blackberries...

neko and her mom keep telling me I need to try sweet potato, but I've never eaten it, let alone made it. Maybe next week...

Baking and cooking really are fantastic, productive ways to deal with stress. ^_^ Trying to balance work and school again, it's just what I need! Thankfully, I passed my first midterm! Whew!

Speaking of which, it's back to work! I just have to decide whether I want to work in the office, or in the kitchen... -_^

-Kit

I am so incredibly, fantastically, super-duper, over-the-top excited to be home! And why is that? Because for the first time in eight weeks, I was able to walk through the door and not stress about leaving again! Not until almost Halloween!! Isn't that incredible?!

Now, I loved the trek out west--all four weeks of it. The impromptu studio move I could have lived without, but I'm digging on the cheaper rent. ^_^ The omg! last minute call to Atlanta was very much appreciated on the financial end of things, but it really tapped out the last of my energy. We have literally been non-stop on the road since the end of July. That's crazy!

Hey, I love my job. But it was nice to come home and take a deep breath. I had to pump out nearly one whole week's worth of college classes in 36 hours, but what's that compared to the summer I've had? That's what coffee's for!

And AWA was pretty snazzy. The drive down was blessedly uneventful. Can't say I really miss that southern heat, though, you know? Give me a coastal New England breeze any time. I'm actually looking forward to winter this year. Am I out of my mind?

It's possibly all the driving...

Took nearly 18 hours one way to get to good 'ole Georgia. We passed some bizarre shiznit, too. Has anyone else ever seen the giant peach-shaped water tower? Isn't that crazy? It's like someone cut and pasted it onto the horizon. I felt like I was in art piece by Dave McKean.

So! Yes! Georgia...it was totally cool being in a completely different part of the country and it's always great seeing dealer friends we haven't connected with in awhile. I'm not sure how to describe it, but while all our customers were nice and supportive, there lacked a certain enthusiasm that I love about touring New England. Maybe it's because people know us here? Dunno...there [thankfully] wasn't any conservative homophobia, but it was missing a little of that somethin' somethin' that makes a con really stand out in my mind. A little like making a pie and forgetting the yummy spices that truly bring out the flavour.

We'll try again next year--see if we can bring out that pizazz! ^_^

Oh, geez! Forgetting that for a second, there was the most amazing toy dealer! I snagged some of the coolest DBZ figures I have ever seen. It's like he went to Japan with an awesome magnet and brought home everything that stuck. It would have been easy to go broke if neko and I weren't there to logically balance each other out. So I guess you could say we added our own zest to the trip! ^_^

So much amazing! [still no watch, Ritzy. but we have Flareon for you!]

It's also incredibly lucky that we got out of Georgia approximately twelve hours before most of it flooded. Thanking lucky stars, and all that. We seem to be sideswiping Retrograde this year, for which I am particularly grateful.

But, alas, I have papers due by tomorrow! We'll be officially back in the office around Monday when I will gleefully give the website a much-needed makeover!

Until then--
-Kit

So as is typical of the week before a show, we're so busy that sleep becomes a side-effect. I am fully and uncomfortably aware that the website is looking a little worse for wear, and intend to correct that to the fullest extent when we return from Atlanta.

With new layout! More user-friendly than ever before! Packed full of hundreds of never-before-seen items!

But that's a week from now. So in the meantime, I decided to make our newest product available for purchase. We made them with Lina in mind, the leader of our own mini Steampunk revival.

I introduce to you our very first Steampunk accessories!









Each pair is totally unique; in fact, each individual piece is unlike any other, exemplifying the Steampunk aesthetic. They're ready to wear, so let us know if you want them! We have fifteen pair in stock, but as each one varies slightly from set to set, keep in mind that they may look a little different from those pictured. Made from all new materials, designed by us, especially for you. ^_^

Release your inner air pirate!

Drop us a line at neko[at]nj-designs[dot]com if they suit your fancy! Grab 'em while we got 'em!

Off to make even more amazing things...
-Kit

After a hard day of studying yesterday, I decided to wind down with a movie. Frantic production for AWA is going to start tomorrow, so I figured I'd get my relaxation in where I could.

So neko and I hunted and pecked around for another cute girls' love movie. And we found D.E.B.S.

It's funny, cute, and campy. It's right up there with But I'm a Cheerleader, another must see for anyone willing to laugh.

If you find yourself in a nice state of wind down today, go ahead and rent it. You deserve a break, too. ^_^

Now it's back to work for me!
-Kit

It's that fun time of year again! Traveling has hit its peak, pumpkin flavours everything from ice cream to cream cheese, and Mercury goes into retrograde.

How can I tell? Because the universe takes a hit off the hookah and we all feel like Alice going 65mph down the rabbit hole.

We moved the studio in a three day record and are officially out of Portland. Everything's still in boxes, mind you, but it's all in one place again.

The fall semester started, which I'm actually quite thrilled about. But the books for one of my classes hit a snag and I won't have them in time for the first assignment. And that makes my OCD little heart want to freak right out. My professor seems like a nice guy, though, so maybe he'll understand?

And...can I have a drum roll, please? The ULTIMATE way I know the planets are moving backward?

We just got booth for Anime Weekend Altanta.

I know, I know! The show we've been trying to get into for years. The show that has diligently ignored all of my requests for information. The southern equivalent of Anime Boston.

We're so there and it's crazy.

Neko-jin Designs will be working in conjunction with our friends from Studio Capsule to bring you the coolest booth at AWA! We'll be showcasing Bob and Emily DeJesus' fantastic artwork alongside our own brand new designs. We're unstoppable!

Who needs the end of the rabbit hole, when the crazy stuff on the inside's so much more interesting?

Here's to another big adventure!
-Kit