It's a cover-up

Bloggers Tours Event in our Inspiration Store

Nine lovely bloggers from the Bloggers Tour 2014 visited our Inspiration Store in Stockholm. We had some nibbles and drinks and the bloggers got to create their very own cushion covers. 

We supplied them with Bemz cushion covers, paint, pencils, studs, sequins, fabric, fringes and much more and let their imaginations run wild. They created lots of creative, beautiful and fun contributions. 

At Bemz we are all about personalisation and DIY-projects. And it is easy and fun to create your own, one-of-a-kind cushion cover, why don't you try it? 

Elena Gardin working on her cushion cover with the help of scotch tape and white paint. Visit her blog here. 

Design by Elena Gardin. Visit her blog here. 

Design by Allan Torp with black, white and gold textile pens. Visit his blog here.

Dramatic design with running, white paint by Emma Fexeus. Visit her blog here. 

Anna Gustafsson designed this stunning cushion cover by cutting out crosses from patterned fabrics. Visit Annas blog here. 

Design by Desiree Groenendal. Desiree used black and white fabric samples from Bemz to create this stylish cushion cover. Visit her blog here. 

This creative design by Igor Josifovic is created with paint, pencil and fabric samples from Bemz. Visit his blog here. 

Lovely cushion cover designed by Linda Elmin with studs and fabric samples from Bemz. Visit her blog here.  

This cushion cover dedicated to Dolly Parton was designed by Gerard McGuickin, with fringes, fabric samples from Bemz, and butterflies. Read his blog here. 

Riikka Kantinkoski created this modern and minimalistic cushion cover with paint and fabric samples from Bemz. Read Riikkas blog here.

A big thank you to all the lovely bloggers that visited us! 

Vote for your favourite design in Bemz Design Award

In September 2013 Bemz launched Bemz Design Award, the first European textile design contest to find tomorrow's most talented textile designers.

Over 200 entries have been received from four different countries, and three student finalists from each country have been chosen by an expert panel of judges. The in total 12 finalists now has the chance to win Bemz Design Award 2014. The winning creations will be available for purchase around the world as sofa covers, curtains, cushion covers, chair covers and bedroom products, alongside the hundreds of home textile products already available at Bemz.

Now it's your turn to have your say with the Bemz People's Choice: Pick your favourite design from each country and enter to win a one-of-a-kind designer bed make-over (pictured, RRP £780) from Bemz!

Vote now and support the designers of the future! Voting ends February 28th, 2014.

The picture below shows just a few examples of the shortlisted students designs. See all 12 contributions here. 

By voting you will also be entered to win one-of-a-kind designer bed make-over (pictured below) from Bemz. 

Bemz Design Award: Top European design schools

If you follow our blog you’ll already know that the Bemz Design Award is a new competition for students from major design schools across Europe to encourage their future design careers, as well as inspire upcoming generations of designers.

Last week we took a look at the judging panels responsible for picking the winners of the Bemz Design Award 2014. And this week we're introducing the 16 participating design schools across Europe.

Students from ENSAAMA-Olivier de Serres

All in all, four top design schools from France, Germany, Sweden and the UK will submit entries to the competition. For most of these countries, the Bemz Design Award is the first European contest open to the textile designers of tomorrow.

Student at L'Ecole supérieure d'art Françoise Conté

In France, the participating schools are: L'École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs; Ecole Duperré; L’Ecole supérieure d’art Françoise Conte; and ENSAAMA – Olivier de Serres.

Trier University of Applied Sciences

In Germany, the lineup is Hof University of Applied Sciences; Reutlingen University; Trier University of Applied Sciences; and Deutsche Meisterschule für Mode Designschule München.

The Swedish School of Textiles

In Sweden the four schools are: HDK — School of Design and Crafts, University of Gothenburg; Berghs School of Communication; The Swedish School of Textiles; and Beckmans College of Design.

The Cass Faculty, London Metropolitan University

And in the UK it's De Montfort University, School of Textiles; Nottingham Trent University, School of Art and Design; The Cass Faculty, London Metropolitan University; and Heriot-Watt University, School of Textiles and Design.

Heriot-Watt University

One lucky winner from each country will see their design developed, produced and introduced into the ranks of the Bemz Designer Collection, alongside long established and illustrious designers like Marimekko and Designers Guild. And the overall winner will have three of his or her designs developed.

Stellan Mörner’s Comedin Går, 20th century design, from the Bemz Designer Collection

The theme of the competition is 20^th century design, translated via a digital printing technique onto cotton textile.

 We'd like to wish all participating students the best of luck. We're really excited to see your entries!

For more information on participating schools visit the Bemz website. 

Myself mag awards: Vote now for Bemz & be a winner too!

We are delighted to say that Bemz founder Lesley Pennington/Bemz has been nominated by German Myself magazine - in the Home category - as one of their favourite companies!

But we're not the only ones nominated. So vote before September 17 to make sure Lesley wins - and be a winner too.

When registering to vote you will be automatically entered for the chance to win a number of great prizes, including a dream holiday for two to Thailand, a moped, an Xperia tablet Z and a free subscription to Myself magazine.

Okay, to successfully vote you have to do two things (it's all in German):

1) Click on the link below. Scroll down. Vote for one person PER CATEGORY. Lesley is under “At Home (‘ZUHAUSE'). After voting for one person in each category press ABSENDEN.

2) Fill out the registration form and be automatically entered into the draw.

Click here to vote! (Voting closes September 17)

Thank you for voting and good luck!

Announcing the Bemz Design Award

Bemz loves design. So much so that we have decided to throw our energy in to a competition to help the next generation of textile designers break into the big league. Yes, we are proud to announce the inauguration of the Bemz Design Award!

Our new prize will bring together students from major design schools around Europe, encouraging their future design careers and inspiring upcoming generations of designers. Students working with textiles from renowned design schools in Sweden, Germany, France and the UK, will compete for the prize: one lucky winner from each country will see their design developed, produced and introduced into the ranks of the Bemz Designer Collection.

Bemz cover in Pienet Kivet by Marimekko from the Bemz Designer Collection

Bemz cover for PS armchair in Duck Egg Brera Lino by Designers Guild

Here, the winners will see their names sit alongside long established and illustrious designers like Marimekko and Designers Guild...

Bemz cushion covers in Blue on Blue Kaleido, Brown on Plum Kaleido by Viola Gråsten and Ash Brown Bulbous by Stig Lindberg

... as well as designers like Stig Lindberg whose seminal vision changed the face of textile design for future generations...

Bemz cover for Stockholm Easy chair in Blue on White Korall, Brown on White Korall, design Bantie

... and Lisa Bengtsson and the designers at design house Bantie who are a testament to contemporary design and were not long ago students themselves.

Furthermore, the winning creations will be available for purchase across the globe, from Australia to the Americas, making their way into homes as sofa covers, chair covers and bed covers to name a few, alongside the hundreds of home textile products available at Bemz.

The Bemz Design Award will be launched at the end of August 2013 at which time members of the judging panel and participated schools will be announced. You will also be able to follow step-by-step as the competition unfolds.

 

Win a free slipcover from Bemz!

It's competition time again and you could win a free slipcover* (up to a value of €250).

To enter, all you need to do is:

1. Show us your favourite Bemz slipcover: this can be a photo of the fabric, or a slipcover on a piece of furniture in the Bemz webshop or even use one of our in situ photos from our Lifestyle pages. If you have a Bemz slipcover at home, then you can use that too! 

2. Get the picture to us. This is where you can be creative: you could change your profile picture to your favourite Bemz cover, you could upload a photo to your blog and send us the link, or come up with your own idea. Regardless, we're here on the blog, on Facebook and email (blog [at] bemz [dot] com).

3. Answer the skill testing question: Which is your favourite Bemz fabric? Attach this to the photo that you use, whether it is through the blog, email or Facebook. For example: Hey Bemz! My favourite fabric is Flamingo Park Fuchsia from the Designers Guild collection. Your favourite fabric and picture do not need to match.

That's it!

Enter now! Competition closes June 24, 2011. The winner will be picked randomly from those who have met all three criteria listed above.

Just FYI: all the pictures included in this post are for slipcovers that come in around the €250 mark - just to give you an idea of what you can get if you win...

*The value of the prize is €250 (or equivalent value in SEK, Pound Sterling, US Dollar or Canadian Dollar at the exchange rate on day of draw) for shopping ONLY at Bemz. No cash alternative. The cost of a slipcover depends on the model and fabric. Not open to Bemz employees or their families or affiliates. Entrant consents to the use of his or her name, picture or likeness for publicity without further compensation. Competition closes June 24, 2011. Winner will be notified and announced no later than June 29, 2011. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

Y2K Bemz: Become a fan and win!

Last I checked we had 1838 fans on the Bemz Facebook page and we want to celebrate this! We've decided to run a competition until we reach our next landmark number: 2000 fans. So, become a fan and win one of a possible 10 exclusive designer prizes from Bemz. Winners will be able to choose from a cushion cover in Josephine- Strong Pink by designer Göta Trägårdh (pictured above) or a limited edition designer bag from Bemz in the same fabric (pictured below).

Want to play? Just follow these simple steps:

1. Not yet a fan of the Bemz Facebook page? Then become a fan and your name will be entered into the random draw to win. All you have to do to enter is:
a) Become a fan.
b) Post that you are a new fan along with your favorite Bemz fabric on the Bemz FB wall, e.g., "I'm a fan and my fave Bemz fabric is (insert name of favorite Bemz fabric here!)".
Your name will then automatically be entered into the Y2K Bemz: Become a fan and win competition.

2. Already a fan?? Don't worry! We want all our fab existing fans to be a part of the action too! To enter all you need to do is:
a) Recommend a friend who isn't already a fan of Bemz on FB.
b) For every new Bemz FB fan you recruit, you'll be entered into the draw.
c) Post that you've recruited a new fan along with your favorite Bemz fabric on the Bemz FB wall once your friend has joined (and they've posted as much on the Bemz FB page wall), e.g., "I just bagged you a new fan and my fave Bemz fabric is (insert name of favorite Bemz fabric here!)".
Your name will then automatically be entered into the Y2K Bemz: Become a fan and win competition.

Good luck!

The 'small print': There are a total of 10 prizes to win. Winners will be able to choose between a cushion cover or bag, all in the same Bemz designer pattern. Obviously no one from Bemz or affiliates can enter the competition. The 10 winners will be selected randomly from all entries up until the number of fans reaches 2000. Only the winners will be contacted, via email, latest 10 days after 2000 fans goal has been reached. Entering automatically gives Bemz permission to use entrant’s name and the photo entered for promotional purposes. No purchase necessary. No cash alternative.

This is personal: cupcake craze

At Bemz we are all about personalization - putting your mark on your home, your surroundings; giving you the chance to have things the way you want them. Recently Bemzies decided to put their money where their mouth is and had a cupcake competition. Cupcakes were judged (by an outside, independent adjudicator of course!) on taste and looks. Here are the entries:

And the winner? Annica, the lady in charge of the money (coincidence?)...

Annica, newly crowned Cupcake Queen. Our local tea house, Java, kindly donated the prize: one bag of "lunda" and one of "Lidingö" loose tea mixes. Thank you! And let's not forget the winning recipe:

Hi-hat cupcakes (makes 12)

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2.5 dl/1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar (can substitute with vanilla extract)
50 g/2 oz butter
1 dl/3.5 fl oz cream
2 tbsp cold coffee
3.5 dl/1.5 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp cocoa
1 pinch salt
100 g/3.5 oz 70% dark chocolate

Frosting / Meringue:
6 egg whites
8.5 dl/3.5 cups sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp vanilla sugar (can be substituted with vanilla extract)

Chocolate Coating:
350 g/12 oz 70% dark chocolate
3 tbsp cooking oil

Preheat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF.
Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar until pale and fluffy. Melt butter. Add cream and coffee to butter and pour into egg mixture. Mix. Mix flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and fold gently into the batter. Chop the dark chocolate roughly and melt it in a double boiler. Line muffin tin with cupcake paper and fill to 2/3.
Bake in middle of oven for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

For the Frosting / Meringue:
Mix egg whites, sugar and juice of lemon into a stainless steel bowl. Whisk until frothy by hand, about 1 min. Place bowl over a pot of hot water (like double boiler) and whisk until sugar crystals melt and the mixture has reached a meringue-like consistency. Remove bowl and whisk in the vanilla sugar. Beat with electric mixer for a few minutes until the meringue has thickened and cooled. Pipe the meringue onto the cupcakes in the peak-shaped spirals, leaving about 1 cm around the edge free. Leave to harden in the refrigerator.

Chocolate coating:
Chop the chocolate and melt in the microwave with cooking oil. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Dip the top of the meringue into melted chocolate and leave it to harden on a platter in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Do you have a winning recipe? Share it with us!

Everyone really enjoyed the experience and we hope to make it a regular feature. Any ideas for our next competition?

You're welcome Iro Ivy

Iro Ivy was one of the entries featured in our Crafty Christmas post. As thanks she, along with the other entrants, received a cushion cover from Bemz which Sara picked out. Iro then featured this photo on Flickr. Thanks!

Stay tuned, as Iro Ivy is also going to guest write a blog post for us.

Crafty Christmas

As craft is officially cool, we asked our Facebook fans to show us some of their home-brewed Christmas decorations and here are the really great entries:

This from Kathleen Smith who says: My Christmas craft is my tree. I made it with a spiral plastic tree (the kind you buy for your front yard) and feather boas! Ingenious and very festive.

Both of Iro Ivy's entries are worth their moment in the spotlight:

...let it snow! I always dreamed of having a real Christmas tree decorated by snow...This year it is happening....so so happy that I returned home today after a lovely lunch and found this....: ).....: ).....: )...love the simple things in life... : )

....some of my creative moments this Christmas so far....almost everything of the decor is handcrafted by me. Some of them are also available in my Etsy shop and others are on their way there. Hope you enjoy! Best wishes to all : ) : ) 

Jenna's was probably the most original!

Here's my Cool Craft (really it's a geek craft). The blinky computer Christmas wreath! (It lights up and blinks, although that's difficult to get in a picture).

Each of these ladies has a gift from Bemz on its way to them. Thanks everyone for your inspirational entries!