About
Hello dear customer,
My name is Darlene, and I am excited to introduce you to HeirloomMe! One-of-a-Kind miniature versions of your beloved family members, friends, pets, and even 'things'. Memorial keepsakes, novelty gifts, heirlooms, and priceless treasures to be passed down for generations.
It all started 15 years ago with a visit to an antique store where I was introduced to Betty Bonnet and her brother Bob!
Perhaps it began long before that… As a young girl growing up with two older brothers, I’d often escape to my ‘girl world’. That was where I would explore, create and build my creative mind. I had only two dolls as a child, a Chrissy and a Wendy Walker, but what I really enjoyed most, were those paper cutout dolls. I was completely captivated with the illustrations, the designs of their costumes and accessories. The artist’s drawings were always so beautiful. I could play for hours with these, but unfortunately, they had devastating flaws.
Fortunately, I had a lot of paper, pencil crayons, scissors, tape and glue to repair these beautiful paper dolls, as eventually the tabs would break off, heads needed to be taped back on, and oftentimes a popsicle stick would find itself glued to the back, making them sturdier for a somewhat longer life. When the paper outfits were beyond repair, I’d draw, colour and cut out new outfits.
Fast forward to becoming a wife, then a mom of 3 beautiful boys, it seemed I was destined to continue being surrounded by, and engulfed into, the world of ‘men’! It’s a wonderful world in it’s own right, but having no likeminded souls around me, and 3 boys who did not inherit my creative genes, meant I’d need to find snippets of time where I would return to my ‘girl world’, to unwind, relax, and continue building on my creative abilities. Once our boys were grown and headed on their own paths in life, I rediscovered my passion for the arts, mainly watercolours, and then again - for those cutout dolls - through the door - into that antique shop, where I met Betty Bonnet and her brother Bob.
My name is Darlene, and I am excited to introduce you to HeirloomMe! One-of-a-Kind miniature versions of your beloved family members, friends, pets, and even 'things'. Memorial keepsakes, novelty gifts, heirlooms, and priceless treasures to be passed down for generations.
It all started 15 years ago with a visit to an antique store where I was introduced to Betty Bonnet and her brother Bob!
Perhaps it began long before that… As a young girl growing up with two older brothers, I’d often escape to my ‘girl world’. That was where I would explore, create and build my creative mind. I had only two dolls as a child, a Chrissy and a Wendy Walker, but what I really enjoyed most, were those paper cutout dolls. I was completely captivated with the illustrations, the designs of their costumes and accessories. The artist’s drawings were always so beautiful. I could play for hours with these, but unfortunately, they had devastating flaws.
Fortunately, I had a lot of paper, pencil crayons, scissors, tape and glue to repair these beautiful paper dolls, as eventually the tabs would break off, heads needed to be taped back on, and oftentimes a popsicle stick would find itself glued to the back, making them sturdier for a somewhat longer life. When the paper outfits were beyond repair, I’d draw, colour and cut out new outfits.
Fast forward to becoming a wife, then a mom of 3 beautiful boys, it seemed I was destined to continue being surrounded by, and engulfed into, the world of ‘men’! It’s a wonderful world in it’s own right, but having no likeminded souls around me, and 3 boys who did not inherit my creative genes, meant I’d need to find snippets of time where I would return to my ‘girl world’, to unwind, relax, and continue building on my creative abilities. Once our boys were grown and headed on their own paths in life, I rediscovered my passion for the arts, mainly watercolours, and then again - for those cutout dolls - through the door - into that antique shop, where I met Betty Bonnet and her brother Bob.
They made a such a huge impact on me, I brought them home, and hung them on my wall for inspiration. In this new era of technology, plastics, and virtual ‘everything’, I started thinking about those two siblings - Betty and Bob, born into the Ladies Home Journal in 1918, and memorialized forever behind glass. How exceptionally wonderful it is that someone thought to protect those illustrations for future generations, as here they are, over a hundred years later, gracing my wall and bringing joy and memories of days gone by.
Having recently moved into an almost 200 year old stone house, where there are no historical photos to be found (I’m still searching), nor even any information on it’s beginnings, I have become increasingly more committed to preserving our past.
(update: I have discovered the property was 'patented' in 1833, and sometime between then and possibly 1840, the stone store was built).
Consequently, I came to realize that the thousands of photos memories I’ve captured are either downloaded onto my computer, where they are sorted and stored into virtual folders, forever, or still on my cell phone - in the cloud!!
Electronic Dust! Those rare photos that make it onto actual paper - are mostly stored away in boxes never to be seen for years.
I wanted to remedy this, to bring those moments into our lives to be seen - and to make something to preserve our past. Something organic in nature, handcrafted and one of a kind. Something that wouldn’t break easily, tear, melt, fall apart, or disintegrate. Something my grandchildren could play with, and engage them in their heritage, and that would still be preserved enough be passed on to their children. It had to be something tangible, to fit in my hand, miniature, able to display, and in a beautiful way - memorialize my passed loved ones, replicate delicate and favourite things that stay stored away for protection, something to be treasured, handed down, and loved. It had to be an Heirloom.
After several attempts and failures over the past ten years, designing and manufacturing a more solid, longer lasting cutout, I have finally created my little HeirloomMe’s. I am honoured to make a mini version for you of someone or something, you love, someone you have lost, one for every family member, your friends, even your pets! Family members we are unable to see very often, loved ones and dearly loved pets who have passed on, special moments, vacation memories, holiday costuming, milestones - all captured forever in a Miniature.
4-6" wooden laser cutouts, on which your photo is adhered, followed by a clear gloss UV protectant non toxic resin to protect your cutouts for years to come - even a 1/12 scale cutout of your family members - to fill up your dollhouse.
It is my mission to help families preserve their history with a meaningful handcrafted heirloom - a tangible, beautiful, memory, bringing joy and happiness with every touch. All I require from is something from today’s era of technology - digital photos - of the person, pet or thing you’d like to forever memorialize as an HeirloomMe.
Hugs, Darlene
They made a such a huge impact on me, I brought them home, and hung them on my wall for inspiration. In this new era of technology, plastics, and virtual ‘everything’, I started thinking about those two siblings - Betty and Bob, born into the Ladies Home Journal in 1918, and memorialized forever behind glass. How exceptionally wonderful it is that someone thought to protect those illustrations for future generations, as here they are, over a hundred years later, gracing my wall and bringing joy and memories of days gone by.
Having recently moved into an almost 200 year old stone house, where there are no historical photos to be found (I’m still searching), nor even any information on it’s beginnings, I have become increasingly more committed to preserving our past.
(update: I have discovered the property was 'patented' in 1833, and sometime between then and possibly 1840, the stone store was built).
Consequently, I came to realize that the thousands of photos memories I’ve captured are either downloaded onto my computer, where they are sorted and stored into virtual folders, forever, or still on my cell phone - in the cloud!!
Electronic Dust! Those rare photos that make it onto actual paper - are mostly stored away in boxes never to be seen for years.
I wanted to remedy this, to bring those moments into our lives to be seen - and to make something to preserve our past. Something organic in nature, handcrafted and one of a kind. Something that wouldn’t break easily, tear, melt, fall apart, or disintegrate. Something my grandchildren could play with, and engage them in their heritage, and that would still be preserved enough be passed on to their children. It had to be something tangible, to fit in my hand, miniature, able to display, and in a beautiful way - memorialize my passed loved ones, replicate delicate and favourite things that stay stored away for protection, something to be treasured, handed down, and loved. It had to be an Heirloom.
After several attempts and failures over the past ten years, designing and manufacturing a more solid, longer lasting cutout, I have finally created my little HeirloomMe’s. I am honoured to make a mini version for you of someone or something, you love, someone you have lost, one for every family member, your friends, even your pets! Family members we are unable to see very often, loved ones and dearly loved pets who have passed on, special moments, vacation memories, holiday costuming, milestones - all captured forever in a Miniature.
4-6" wooden laser cutouts, on which your photo is adhered, followed by a clear gloss UV protectant non toxic resin to protect your cutouts for years to come - even a 1/12 scale cutout of your family members - to fill up your dollhouse.
It is my mission to help families preserve their history with a meaningful handcrafted heirloom - a tangible, beautiful, memory, bringing joy and happiness with every touch. All I require from is something from today’s era of technology - digital photos - of the person, pet or thing you’d like to forever memorialize as an HeirloomMe.
Hugs, Darlene