Designs for the Body

PANTALUNA – right here in Frenchtown, NJ
Each design collages reclaimed 100% cotton t-shirts into a distinctive, comfortable American made wearable work of art. Yoga pants and skirts are exceptional.
Pantaluna site!

Designs for the Wall

Shanna Murray  – illustrated decals.
Love these for your own homemade chalkboards
Shanna Murray site!

Designs for the Future

A new IMAGE capturing site getting lots of buzz. I launched my pinterest page a few weeks ago and find I don’t really know what I did without it! “Pin” everything you love from the internet on your personal “boards” so you can access it later.

Pinterest is an online pinboard.
Organize and share things you love.
See Kim’s Pins!

Not sure why…because as I recall, just last February, on one particular snowday,  the EXACT same three children and I had the urge to BUILD some Valentines. There was no special trip to the store, no pre-planning. We just loaded the table with our STUFF and began creating. I hope our story inspires you this February.

1. It helps to start with a good frosty day.

2.Grab good stuff & just place on table.

3. Separate, review, put on some music and then build build build!

Subscribe directly to this blog by clicking the email subscription in the upper left corner.

This summer, Kate and I took a walking tour with my great friend Laurette and her son, Ian. The tour was lead by The Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia and I can say it was one of the most inspiring days of my summer! I am quoting their web site to give you some understanding of Mural Arts in Philadelphia. I highly recommend choosing the tour that is right for you and getting out there when the weather warms up.

The Mural Arts Program began in 1984 as a component of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, an effort spearheaded by then Mayor Wilson Goode to eradicate the graffiti crisis plaguing the city. The Anti-Graffiti Network hired muralist Jane Golden to reach out to graffiti writers and to redirect their energies from destructive graffiti writing to constructive mural painting.

The restaurant above was my favorite mural. The building itself was so charming and if you look closely on the next photo,  you can see a little painted child popping out of the yellow window off to the right. And check out the kids in the trees!

Many of the murals are commissioned by the owners of the buildings, and each has a great story to tell. They all come alive thanks to your tour guide. We did our tour on foot but there are many ways you can experience this.

There are trolley tours, a LOVE LETTER train tour, , bike tours, walking tours that end with a restaurant sampling, an even an Ale and Arts tour. Something for everyone! Click here for a full list and be sure to put this in your “summer idea box”.

Incidentally, Laurette took her husband on the LOVE LETTER train tour as an anniversary gift. I have to admit, that was one of the best gift “experience ideas”  I have ever known.  Hats off to you, Laurette, for thinking outside the gift-giving box and blowing your man away with something romantic AND cultural. I am PROUD to be your friend! Damn proud. View on…

Below, Ian and Kate enjoy their time together in the garden.

Heirloom
- Award-winning, CUSTOM DESIGNED STORY INVITATIONS for EVERY EVENT -

Just last week I was commissioned by Pearl S. Buck International to create the logo above for their annual Taste of the World event. The event will take place on Friday, May 18th under a garden tent, on the grounds of the beautiful estate in Bucks County. The creative process was such a nice collaboration, they then asked if I could update their sponsorship brochure, below, in time for a mail date at the end of the week. This is a wonderful event to attend and Heirloom Corporate is proud to make a contribution. See other logo work by Heirloom.

“Take one look at our Taste of the World logo and you can clearly see the creativity that came from Kim Bensing at Heirloom-Occasions. What you can not readily see is how great it was to work with Kim on the project. She truly delivered despite a tight deadline.  As a designer she comes to the table with a lot of great ideas and a tremendous enthusiasm for the creative process.”

Pam Carroll
Marketing Director
Pearl S Buck International

A little bit about Pearl S. Buck International

Pearl S. Buck International is the umbrella organization under which Welcome House’s international adoption programs, Opportunity House’s child sponsorship programs, and the Pearl S. Buck House National Historic Landmark operate.

Welcome House® was founded by Ms. Buck in 1949 as the first international, inter-racial adoption agency in the United States. Later, in 1964, the Pearl S. Buck Foundation (now called Opportunity House) was established to address the issues of poverty and discrimination faced by children in Asian countries. Then, before her death in 1973, Pearl Buck bequeathed her 68-acre Bucks County estate, Green Hills Farm, to what would eventually become the headquarters for Pearl S. Buck International.

Pearl S. Buck International is dedicated to preserving the legacy of this incredible woman through the programs for which she dedicated her life.

Consider purchasing tickets to Taste of the World 2012 or sponsoring a child through this very good cause.

Heirloom – Award-winning, CUSTOM DESIGNED STORY INVITATIONS for EVERY EVENT.

So to decorate on the cheap, while on vacations or in interesting places,  I constantly instruct my kids to flash me a smile, and pop out for quick snapshots. Every once in a while, a great photo emerges – which is amazing, considering my lack of pre-planning! When I do find an intriguing shot, I blow it up to a 10×13 poster via Snapfish and frame it in a lime green metal frame from Michaels. The playroom and art studio walls are now covered from floor to ceiling. I love it that way.

These two shots are taken while touring the mansions of Newport Ct. It’s not all about the homes. I often use the grounds of famous sites to capture their cheeky grins. Try that next time you are on vacation.

Below is one of my all-time favorites.  It was completely UNSTAGED. Blake was running from a very slow apple tractor at Solebury Orchards here in Bucks County. The funny thing about this is that he was running in slow motion when I turned to take his picture. I am so glad I captured this, it reminds me of the apple picking day we had and is now hanging on my wall forever. Take your camera EVERYWHERE… you never know what is waiting or who is running in slow motion.

Heirloom
- Award-winning, CUSTOM DESIGNED STORY INVITATIONS for EVERY EVENT -

Several years ago, my sister and brother-in-law came to me searching for the perfect wedding story to enhance their invitations. After a few conversations we settled on a sweet and simple story they told me about their engagement. The entire suite consisted of several 4″x 4″ stacked square cards tucked into a hand-sewn cream fabric pocket and placed into a decorative square envelope.

Quickly we had the story, then the words developed, but we still needed the ART. We decided to commission a dear friend of the bride. This subtle cream snowflake illustration was painted with watercolors and then used as the central focus throughout the wedding. Taking advantage of the talents of a friend or family member to create your artwork, saves on costs and adds that “something sentimental” to your day.

Small response cards, doubling as escort cards, were die-cut into circles and hung on a tree of brown branches to look like snow. Guests removed them to find their table.

Little square Thank You Cards were included in the stationary suite. They were printed at the same time to save money, but sent after the affair. If you or someone you know is planning a winter event (or even one in July), Take a look a this blog by the Offbeat Bride – Alter your thinking. I hope it alters your plans.

Thank you to my dear loyal readers. Contact Kim at Heirloom to design your next event whether large or just a simple snowflake of an idea.

Each year around this time I find myself becoming impatient with ever frantic TV ads and the crazy “gift-giving scramble”. Each season Mike and I try to buy a few gifts for our own three children in November and then try to rest, enjoy and create homemade treats for everyone else on our list during December. We tried to pass that value along to our children this year. They are creating home-sewn pillows, crocheted bracelets and model cars for one side of cousins and have opted for a day of lunch, music, play and laughter with their other set of cousins. Stress levels are down, but anticipation for a fun time is up.

Here is a gift idea we like to use around the Bensing house often. When another kid birthday or holiday sneaks up on you and you have limited gift shopping time and/or you just don’t know what to buy, try this: Create a “Friendship or Cousin Coupon®”, like we often do. This coupon is good for one arranged activity of the recipient’s choice. It’s a great alternative to more STUFF, commercialism and wasteful shopping. In the case of a birthday gift, your child actually gets to plan the activity, and interact one-on-one with their special friend. Tie a balloon or flower to one of your own “Friendship Coupons®” next time you just don’t feel like another trip to the mall, or call or email Kim at Heirloom. Many designs in stock. Complete customization free of charge. Sent to your computer within 24 hours. $5 each. Give one for the holidays, it will help you remember why we celebrate in the first place.

Heirloom
- Award-winning, CUSTOM DESIGNED STORY INVITATIONS for EVERY EVENT -

Heidi tutors German, and she and her husband also raise bees. It’s their fun backyard hobby, and as a result they produce delicious local honey. I tasted this honey upon receiving a sample, after completing the design above. It was fabulous. I am now a regular customer and have successfully turned a client upside down. I purchase these gorgeous vintage bottles as teacher gifts, for myself and for friends upon request. I sometimes recycle for more honey, and other times use them for flowers or rooting herbs. Buy local, eat honey and read Heidi’s blog: Notes from the Meadow.

Contact Heidi Shiver for some Holiday Honey: shiverjh2002@yahoo.com   ( $4.00 for 8 oz bottles and $8.00 for 1 lb jars )

What was once just a horrible little room off the kitchen, used for storage and everything pantry related, has now been lovingly transformed into what we consider an authentic farmhouse pantry. Take a look at these awful BEFORE shots and I will tell you how my husband, Michael and I did it.

The first thing we always like to do is completely strip down the room. Everything out. Shelves included. I’d like to say we had a plan, but that is about as far as our plan went. I knew I wanted crown molding, so Mike set out to build that, while I painted the walls a soft gray, just a shade lighter than the Marina Gray in the adjoining hallway. Next step, I set out on a quest for an authentic jelly cabinet!

I was so lucky to stumble into Impact (a local 2nd-hand store in our area) and find this perfect white antique jelly cabinet, that had originally come from a store. The best part is that it fit exactly into the nook carved into one of the inside walls. Wow. We were lucky there. I quickly washed and filled every ball jar I had been saving for years and started my display of beans, nuts, grains, and even M&M’s for Mike. On lower shelves I placed wire baskets I once found at a yard sale. Filled them with onions and potatoes, even boxes of pasta.

We then found a short storage cabinet in another room of our home and repurposed it as our Cereal holder. I’d like to say it holds other items, but Mike pretty much panics if we run out of cereal, so it’s stocked for eternity. I drapped a vintage feed bag, and decorated above with floral prints by and old friend, Khara Flint, framed in barnwood. I gathered a few more LARGE sealable jars for granola, rice, and even more cheerios, added an antique gumball machine, that was my mother’s, and the room was almost complete. Kids are allowed ONE gumball on fridays after school. (but I keep finding Mike reaching for stash).

This is a favorite…I stumbled upon this New York Dairy Crate at another sale, and brought it home for $5. I purchase all of our milk from Penn View Farms in glass bottles, so this is a great place to keep them safe, before my weekly return.

Next, take a look at the pegs holding pretty aprons and an egg basket. The lime green apron is a treasured gift and the expandable wire egg basket, another find, is waiting for some wooden eggs. (still hunting).

Just before you walk into the pantry we painted a rectangle with black chalkboard paint and framed it with a wooden frame, added an alphabet above and recycled pegs, we had hanging in our other house, across the bottom. The pegs neatly store the chalk, a hand-made cloth eraser, and a few kitty toys.

Two of our favorite parts of this renovation are the door and light fixture we added. These two, totaling only $200, were our biggest splurge. The room was formerly closed off with a farm door, with a great black vintage handle. So we salvaged the handle and put it onto a french door from Lowes, painted white to match the home interior woodwork. The door and track light add dimension to the room, allowing visitors a peek inside. You can also spy on the kids when they are sneaking candy.

We also carved out a cookbook shelf and an antique wooden ladder, propped against a wall, holds vintage tea towels.

This renovation project reminds me of my beloved grandmother who used to bake hundreds of pies and cinnamon buns and store them in her pantry til the family came to pick them up. I hope to do the same someday. Next Heirloom project, Creating a vintage laundry room.

For the bride who is not interested in the ordinary, Heirloom has created a twist on the traditional. LOVE NOTES ®, exclusively by Heirloom,  provide a sentimental way for a couple to express their thoughts, and bring their guests to tears, just before they walk down the isle.

Little love letters are written privately by the bride to the groom and by the groom to the bride. They are luxuriously printed and tucked into a small, coordinated envelope along with a thank you note, entitled “LOVE NOTES”. When guests arrive, instead of reading a traditional, and sometimes boring, wedding program, they are surprised by love letters from the couple. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

See how Love Notes works!