sneak peak!

We are really looking forward to the Urban Stitch shopping social tomorrow and have been sewing all week in preparation.  So here a sneak peek at some awesome new spring tank styles we will be premiering at the show...hope to see you there!

a creative whim...

Kelly went crazy tonight and randomly decided to update/redesign our website! 6 hours after initiation (and about 3 cokes worth of caffeine later) Kelly has finally completed the new face of bennykelly. Check out this very productive creative whim at www.bennykelly.com!

we must admit the contact page and home page are totally our favorites! What is yours?

an old fashioned barter

One of the things we love most about the growing DIY scene/mentality is its good old fashioned barter system!  There is something fantastically primal about two people bartering with what they have made with their own two hands.   A simple & timeless system that leaves all involved happy! Recently, benny and I did a fantastic trade with Amber over at Bolla Soaps by BSoaps for a few of our recycled fleece shawls.  Amber, who lovingly hand makes bath products using 85% Certified Organic ingredients (the highest percentage possible in soap production) with no artificial additives, sent us these amazing anxiety relief bath salts and a cedar citrus sage bar soap...check em out!

last minute SAVE THE DATE...

Sorry for the late notice but benny and I decided to participate in Urban Stitch the sunday, Feb 21st in the city!!  We are really excited and have been sewing up a storm all week in order to bring you some of our newest spring tanks.  So if you have some free time on sunday, stop by for some awesome shopping, good music, and strong drinks!

just listed...temporary fun!

we just listed some awesome new temporary tattoo packs for your shopping pleasure...

a little love makin'

To help you get ready for this weekend's love ridden holiday, benny and I will be sharing some crafty love with you all throughout the week!  Let's start things off with some Candy Heart Tea Bags!!

So invite your "hot momma" over for a cup of tea in this rainy weather.  We are sure they will find you irresistible!! How tos after the jump...

Step 1:  gather supplies

Not much is needed really, most of which you probably already have lying about.  Things to get...glue (any kind really depending on the material you plan on gluing here), scissors, card stock, bagged tea and any needed markers/pens/paints.

Step 2:  cut out hearts

First, we need to create our hearts for the end of the tea bags.  To do this cut out a template heart (make this one a real good one it is what all your hearts will look like) and then trace it multiple times onto your card stock.  You will need two hearts for every bag of tea.

Helpful Hint:  A good trick for cutting out a template that is symmetrical is to fold the card stock in half and then cut out half a heart with the folded edge acting as the middle divider of the heart.

Step 3: decorate hearts

Once the hearts are cut, it's time to color and decorate them, making them look more like candy hearts. We used spray paint as a quick and easy way to color the hearts to our liking.  But you can color the hearts however you want with markers, paint, crayons, anything really!

And now for the very best part of this craft!!  The part where you get to bring all your witty genius to the table, coming up with hilarious saying for your intended valentine.  Although we have our talents, Kelly thought we were a bit lacking in the creative writing department, so we enlisted the help of our friends.  They helped us to brainstorm a great little list of tea related love sayings, for your pleasure of course!

10 tea-tastic love sayings...
"U warm my heart", "steaming 4 you", "chai love U", "UR my sweetea", "steep in love", "honey 4 my honey", "boiling hot", "berry nice", "2 hot 2 touch", and "stir it up"

Step 4:  gluing!

The next step is just putting all the pieces together.  Take your glue (we used our trusty hot glue gun for this one) and bagged tea, remove the small paper square at the tip of the tea's string and glue a pair of your hearts together, sandwhich the end of the string between the two hearts. Once the glue sets you have yourself a custom tea bag!!

Show us what hilarious sayings and creative designs you come up with.  We would love to post them!!

give a bit of love!

Benny and I are always trying out new crafts and recently we gotten super into making our own stamps.  So to help you spread a bit a love this holiday, we are making FREE HOMEMADE VALENTINES CARDS and offering FREE GIFTWRAPPING with every purchase until Feburary 14th!! Buy your lovely something sweet!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="..back view.."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="432" caption="the wrapping!"][/caption]

designers and artists: January in LA

Benny and I had a fantastic time this weekend in LA for yet another awesome designers & artists (DNA) Pop Up shop.  A very big thank you to all our fans and friends that came out to show support!!

more pictures....

see you saturday!

kelly and I are stocked up, packed and on our way down to warmer weather and a fantastic saturday!  All this we have been week sewing away and and breathing paint fumes creating some really awesome new pieces for you to shop this weekend!!  here are a few pictures to tempt you further...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="336" caption="new hand-dyed and hand stenciled tees!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="all sorts of stenciled circle shawls..."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="296" caption="super warm two tone circle shawls"][/caption]

Also don't forget to bring any unwanted holiday gifts for DNA's REGIFTING BOOTH!  You can trade that gift in for a much better one (of your choice) you'll absolutely adore!!

one more tidbit...Our awesome friend Jody at When You Awake will be DJ the Pop Up Shop from 3pm -5pm.  Come out and enjoy the sunny classic atomosphere she lovingly creates!!

just listed...

We finally got around to taking pictures of our new temporary tattoos designs and posting them in our store.  Check out these amazing beauties and grab a set for your stylish self!!

stocked up!

We just dropped up a bunch of new stock at RAG co-op in the city, including our STENCILED circle shawls! Go and get it!!

save the date...

Sorry benny and I have been quite since christmas, but it is only because of a lack of time not love!  Lately we have been super busy making new accessories, stenciling new renewed items and getting shows together...so we are super exctied to announce our that first show of the year will also be our first trunk show in Los Angeles!!

Join us for an awesome day of holiday re-gifting, amazing local clothing & accessories, and as always awesome people! "What is the re-gifting?", you ask. Well along with all the amazing local shopping there will be a huge FREE gift exchange.  Bring in any unwrapped & unwanted gift from the holiday season and exchange it for another's unwanted gift that you like better!

only four days left!

Only four days left to get FREE SHIPPING on all orders of more than 1 item and FREE GIFTWRAPPING on all orders!!

we just can't get enough...

We just stocked up our etsy store with new lovely plaids and solid recycled fleece circle shawls!!

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$5 dollar goodies...

When it comes to winter, benny & i always have a either shawl on or a blanket wrapped around us!  So when we were deciding what awesome low cost item to offer for the holiday season we immediately thought of making our own shawls.  And what better way to keep cost low then to recycle some fleece blankets!!  Our handmade circle shawls are the perfect low cost gift this holiday for all your loved ones...enjoy!

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