Don Palmiter Archives - Page 2 of 31

Traditional Clapboard Two-Story

Don Palmiter, who started his career as an artist at Hallmark fresh out of high school in 1967, believes that Keepsake Ornaments are like time capsules. Every time he holds one, it whisks him back to a special time in his life that he wants to treasure. Don isn’t alone–his nostalgic, retro-themed cars and houses are considered preserved pieces of time by enthusiasts all over the world.

Description

37th in the series.

Features a two-story blue clapboard house with a bright red front door, cozy front porch and red brick chimney. Interior includes a family room decorated for Christmas with a bottle brush tree and two bedrooms. Year-dated 2020.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2020 (Ornament Premiere)
Retail Price: $21.99 USA/$27.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.4" w. x 3.51" h. x 1.85" d.
SKU: QXR9341
Produced in: Sri Lanka
Production Date(s):

Alternate Versions

Nostalgic Houses and Shops
Limited Quantity

A Dream House
Keepsake Artist Don Palmiter brings an early 1900s aesthetic to Nostalgic Houses & Shops #37.

Don starts out just as a builder would when creating the dimensions and detail of this long-running series.

“After creating a blueprint, I build the basic frame of the houses and buildings with wood–all the doors, windows and most of the trim are also wood.”

From there, it only gets more detailed. He covers the wood frame in wax so he can sculpt out all the fine details of the house or building to make them feel as realistic as possible.

“Then I build all the furnishings with the same wood and wax,” Don explains. “Once the prototype is finished, I break it into several parts for molding.”

“I always try to make the furnishings feel as though they tell a story of what might be going on for those people who live, work or shop in all the different businesses and houses.”

“A Dream House.” 2020 Dream Box postcard.

Related Ornaments

Description

37th in the series.
Features a two-story blue clapboard house with a bright red front door, cozy front porch and red brick chimney. Interior includes a family room decorated for Christmas with a bottle brush tree and two bedrooms. Year-dated 2020.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2020 (Ornament Premiere)
Retail Price: $21.99 USA/$27.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.4" w. x 3.51" h. x 1.85" d.
SKU: QXR9341
Produced in: Sri Lanka
Production Date(s):

A Dream House
Keepsake Artist Don Palmiter brings an early 1900s aesthetic to Nostalgic Houses & Shops #37.

Don starts out just as a builder would when creating the dimensions and detail of this long-running series.

“After creating a blueprint, I build the basic frame of the houses and buildings with wood–all the doors, windows and most of the trim are also wood.”

From there, it only gets more detailed. He covers the wood frame in wax so he can sculpt out all the fine details of the house or building to make them feel as realistic as possible.

“Then I build all the furnishings with the same wood and wax,” Don explains. “Once the prototype is finished, I break it into several parts for molding.”

“I always try to make the furnishings feel as though they tell a story of what might be going on for those people who live, work or shop in all the different businesses and houses.”

“A Dream House.” 2020 Dream Box postcard.

Alternate Versions

Nostalgic Houses and Shops
Limited Quantity

Downloads

Related Ornaments

digital DREAMBOOK Team2024-02-25T02:07:12-06:00July 11th, 2020|

Noble Tudor

From muscle cars to pickup trucks to realistic architecture, Don Palmiter has been infusing the Keepsake Ornament lineup with a healthy dose of retro-Americana for over 30 years now. Don’s highly detailed ornaments are timeless classics that evoke the hope and happiness of times gone by.

Description

36th in the series.

Features a Tudor styled home with a steeply pitched green tile gable roof and a stucco and white brick façade with dark brown trim. Tiny window boxes filled with flowers adorn the three-paned windows.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2019
Retail Price: $19.99 USA/$24.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.18" w. x 4.12" h. x 1.87" d.
SKU: QXR9439
Produced in: Sri Lanka
Production Date(s):

Related Ornaments

Description

36th in the series.
Features a Tudor styled home with a steeply pitched green tile gable roof and a stucco and white brick façade with dark brown trim. Tiny window boxes filled with flowers adorn the three-paned windows.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2019
Retail Price: $19.99 USA/$24.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.18" w. x 4.12" h. x 1.87" d.
SKU: QXR9439
Produced in: Sri Lanka
Production Date(s):

Related Ornaments

Alternate Versions

Related Ornaments

Downloads

Related Ornaments

digital DREAMBOOK Team2020-03-30T10:56:33-06:00July 13th, 2019|

O Tannenbaum

O Christmas tree, O Christmas Tree, how lovely is this Keepsake! The Collaborative efforts of four* Hallmark Keepsake Artists created this tree that’s inspired by Keepsake Ornaments from years past. Robert Chad sculpted the angel on top, an homage to Mary’s Angels. Nina Aubé’s cute kitty from Mischievous Kittens plays with the puppy from Anita Rogers’ Puppy Love. Gifts, like a bright red guitar, designed by Nello Williams, sit nestled under the tree. All of these things come together for a beautiful, one-of-a-kind club-exclusive ornament.

Keepsake Artist Contributions

Design Concept–Tom Best
Angel Tree Topper (Mary’s Angels)–Robert Chad
Cute Kitty (Mischievous Kittens)–Nina Aubé
Puppy (Puppy Love), Tree and Packages–Anita Marra Rogers
Fire Truck–Don Palmiter
Guitar–Nello Williams
Technical Details–Rodney Gentry

NOTE: Although the box back identifies four contributing artists, in the O Tannenbaum article, Keepsake Artist Anita Marra Rogers credited seven Keepsake Artists for their contributions to this piece.

Description

Member Exclusive

Features a festive Christmas tree with an angel on top (a homage to Mary's Angels). A cute kitty nested inside the tree plays with a puppy. Gifts, a bright red guitar and a fire truck sit under the tree.

This collaborative piece that includes the work of seven Keepsake Studio Artists was inspired by Keepsake Ornaments from years past.

Artist: See Keepsake Artist Contributions
Released: 2019 (April 1)
Retail Price: $15.99 USA (regularly $17.99 USA)
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.42" w. x 4.83" h. x 3.16" d.
SKU: QXC5380
Produced in: China
Production Date(s):

Coordinating Ornaments

Mischievous and Loving
KOC Exclusive

O TANNENBAUM
With Anita Marra Rogers

When charged with coming up with the next great ornament idea for the Keepsake Ornament Club, Keepsake Artist Anita Rogers knew she wanted the ornament to reflect the work of many different artists in the studio. “We tried to come up with an ornament that would incorporate several well-loved series ornaments, plus a couple of others,” she said. “I think Tom Best came up with the original concept for the tree and we decided together what ornaments or characters would best fit the situation.”

“O Tannenbaum” ended up having seven different artists help shape it in some way—from the idea, all the way to the finished piece. “Nina Aubé sculpted the Mischievous Kitten peeking out of the tree and the angel tree-topper is one of Robert Chad’s Mary’s Angels,” said Anita. “The guitar is Nello Williams’s miniature guitar, the fire truck was an old Don Palmiter miniature from 1993, and I sculpted my Granddog, Oreo who represents the Puppy Love series. I finished by sculpting the tree and packages, and put it all together!”

Anita makes it sound simple, but every artist works differently, so “O Tannenbaum” had to be traditionally and digitally sculpted to help bring it all together. “Rodney Gentry helped scale down the angel and the guitar digitally from existing ornaments, and the fire truck was an actual mini ornament already,” said Anita. “Nina was the only artist other than myself who did an original sculpt for the piece. I basically put it almost all together and left a space for her to sculpt the kitten in.”

Anita also made sure to add little touches special to her that she knew KOC members would love. “I chose to put gold tinsel garland on the tree because my own tree every year gets gold tinsel garland, and it has for as long as I can remember,” she said.

It’s little touches like the tinsel that made Anita fall in love with the finished ornament, and she thinks KOC members will, too. “I think the collectors are going to love that so many artists and series are represented,” said Anita. “They might also love that it is such an iconic Christmas morning scene with cute interaction between the pup and kitty.”

So what’s Anita’s favorite element of the ornament? “That’s an easy one,” she said. “My Puppy Love, Oreo, of course!”

Related Ornaments

Description

Member Exclusive
Features a festive Christmas tree with an angel on top (a homage to Mary's Angels). A cute kitty nested inside the tree plays with a puppy. Gifts, a bright red guitar and a fire truck sit under the tree.

This collaborative piece that includes the work of seven Keepsake Studio Artists was inspired by Keepsake Ornaments from years past.

Artist: See Keepsake Artist Contributions
Released: 2019 (April 1)
Retail Price: $15.99 USA (regularly $17.99 USA)
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.42" w. x 4.83" h. x 3.16" d.
SKU: QXC5380
Produced in: China
Production Date(s):

O TANNENBAUM
With Anita Marra Rogers

When charged with coming up with the next great ornament idea for the Keepsake Ornament Club, Keepsake Artist Anita Rogers knew she wanted the ornament to reflect the work of many different artists in the studio. “We tried to come up with an ornament that would incorporate several well-loved series ornaments, plus a couple of others,” she said. “I think Tom Best came up with the original concept for the tree and we decided together what ornaments or characters would best fit the situation.”

“O Tannenbaum” ended up having seven different artists help shape it in some way—from the idea, all the way to the finished piece. “Nina Aubé sculpted the Mischievous Kitten peeking out of the tree and the angel tree-topper is one of Robert Chad’s Mary’s Angels,” said Anita. “The guitar is Nello Williams’s miniature guitar, the fire truck was an old Don Palmiter miniature from 1993, and I sculpted my Granddog, Oreo who represents the Puppy Love series. I finished by sculpting the tree and packages, and put it all together!”

Anita makes it sound simple, but every artist works differently, so “O Tannenbaum” had to be traditionally and digitally sculpted to help bring it all together. “Rodney Gentry helped scale down the angel and the guitar digitally from existing ornaments, and the fire truck was an actual mini ornament already,” said Anita. “Nina was the only artist other than myself who did an original sculpt for the piece. I basically put it almost all together and left a space for her to sculpt the kitten in.”

Anita also made sure to add little touches special to her that she knew KOC members would love. “I chose to put gold tinsel garland on the tree because my own tree every year gets gold tinsel garland, and it has for as long as I can remember,” she said.

It’s little touches like the tinsel that made Anita fall in love with the finished ornament, and she thinks KOC members will, too. “I think the collectors are going to love that so many artists and series are represented,” said Anita. “They might also love that it is such an iconic Christmas morning scene with cute interaction between the pup and kitty.”

So what’s Anita’s favorite element of the ornament? “That’s an easy one,” she said. “My Puppy Love, Oreo, of course!”

Coordinating Ornaments

Mischievous and Loving
KOC Exclusive

Downloads

Related Ornaments

digital DREAMBOOK Team2023-10-06T17:51:25-06:00April 1st, 2019|

2019 Sneak Peek: Nostalgic Houses and Shops

Noble Tudor
Nostalgic Houses and Shops
36th in the series.

Here is a sneak peek of the 36th in the Nostalgic Houses and Shops series, and the newest piece of real estate in Keepsake Korners – a Noble Tudor all dressed up with flowering window boxes.

digital DREAMBOOK Team2020-11-24T19:56:30-06:00March 26th, 2019|

Ornament Spotlight: O Tannenbaum

O Tannenbaum
Member Exclusive

With Anita Marra Rogers

When charged with coming up with the next great ornament idea for the Keepsake Ornament Club, Keepsake Artist Anita Rogers knew she wanted the ornament to reflect the work of many different artists in the studio. “We tried to come up with an ornament that would incorporate several well-loved series ornaments, plus a couple of others,” she said. “I think Tom Best came up with the original concept for the tree and we decided together what ornaments or characters would best fit the situation.”

“O Tannenbaum” ended up having seven different artists help shape it in some way—from the idea, all the way to the finished piece. “Nina Aubé sculpted the Mischievous Kitten peeking out of the tree and the angel tree-topper is one of Robert Chad’s Mary’s Angels,” said Anita. “The guitar is Nello Williams’s miniature guitar, the fire truck was an old Don Palmiter miniature from 1993, and I sculpted my Granddog, Oreo who represents the Puppy Love series. I finished by sculpting the tree and packages, and put it all together!”

Anita makes it sound simple, but every artist works differently, so “O Tannenbaum” had to be traditionally and digitally sculpted to help bring it all together. “Rodney Gentry helped scale down the angel and the guitar digitally from existing ornaments, and the fire truck was an actual mini ornament already,” said Anita. “Nina was the only artist other than myself who did an original sculpt for the piece. I basically put it almost all together and left a space for her to sculpt the kitten in.”

Anita also made sure to add little touches special to her that she knew KOC members would love. “I chose to put gold tinsel garland on the tree because my own tree every year gets gold tinsel garland, and it has for as long as I can remember,” she said.

It’s little touches like the tinsel that made Anita fall in love with the finished ornament, and she thinks KOC members will, too. “I think the collectors are going to love that so many artists and series are represented,” said Anita. “They might also love that it is such an iconic Christmas morning scene with cute interaction between the pup and kitty.”

So what’s Anita’s favorite element of the ornament? “That’s an easy one,” she said. “My Puppy Love, Oreo, of course!”

digital DREAMBOOK Team2019-01-29T16:35:53-06:00January 29th, 2019|

1940 Ford

Robert Hurlburt’s Keepsake work has always been influenced by the models and machines he made when he was a kid. “I’m always thinking about the process and the detailing that turn a simple object into a work of art,” he says. “I like to knowhow things are put together, and I love making the practical and pragmatic look magical.”

Description

4th in the series.

Features a striking blue car inspired by vintage Ford hot rods. Doors open and wheels turn.

Artist: Robert Hurlburt and Don Palmiter
Released: 2018 (Ornament Debut)
Retail Price: $17.99 USA/$23.99 CAN
Material(s): die-cast metal
Dimensions: 1.43" w. x 1.57" h. x 3.75" d.
SKU: QX9306
Produced in: China
Production Date(s):

Related Ornaments

Description

4th in the series.
Features a striking blue car inspired by vintage Ford hot rods. Doors open and wheels turn.

Artist: Robert Hurlburt and Don Palmiter
Released: 2018 (Ornament Debut)
Retail Price: $17.99 USA/$23.99 CAN
Material(s): die-cast metal
Dimensions: 1.43" w. x 1.57" h. x 3.75" d.
SKU: QX9306
Produced in: China
Production Date(s):

Related Ornaments

Alternate Versions

Related Ornaments

Downloads

Related Ornaments

digital DREAMBOOK Team2023-07-24T07:53:45-06:00October 6th, 2018|

2019 Sneak Peek: Route 66 Keepsake Collectors Club In-Store Artist Signing Event

In conjunction with the Route 66 Keepsake Collectors Club’s Local Club Dinner in Tulsa, OK, Keepsake Artists Tom Best shared a sneak peek of some of the designs he is working on for the 2019 Keepsake ornament line.

by Tom Best

Beer Stein*

That’s a Wrap!

NOTE: Although Retired Hallmark Senior Artist, Don Palmiter was also present at the dinner, he did not share any of the his future designs.

Contributors to post: *Jason Dortch

digital DREAMBOOK Team2019-09-20T08:03:36-06:00August 17th, 2018|

Upon This Rock

From muscle cars to pickup trucks to realistic architecture, Don Palmiter has been infusing the Keepsake Ornament lineup with a healthy dose of retro-Americana for over 30 years now. Don’s highly detailed ornaments are timeless classics that evoke the hope and happiness of times gone by.

Description

Magic (lighting effect)

Features a gothic-inspired chapel with an ivy-covered stone exterior and arched double entrance doors, accented with a metallic copper steeple and a glittering blanket of snow.

For a special lighting effect, insert the bulb of a standard U.L.–listed mini light string through the rubber grommet and let the let the holidays shine.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2018 (Ornament Premiere)
Retail Price: $17.99 USA/$23.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 2.29" w. x 4.16" h. x 3.14" d.
SKU: QGO1956
Produced in: Thailand
Production Date(s):

NOTE: This ornament is modeled after the Pilgrim Chapel (formerly the Pilgrim Lutheran Church for the Deaf) in Kansas City, Missouri.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church for the Deaf, constructed by the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in 1941, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Pilgrim Chapel is a rare example of a religious building constructed by and for a special needs congregation. This “Church of Silence” provided religious services and special opportunities for deaf and hearing-impaired individuals until its closing in 1987. Through its simplicity of design, Pilgrim Chapel embodies the philosophy of its architect, Frederick R. Webber.

In 1997, Pilgrim Chapel was acquired for use as a public chapel, open to people of all faiths.

Related Ornaments

Description

Magic (lighting effect)
Features a gothic-inspired chapel with an ivy-covered stone exterior and arched double entrance doors, accented with a metallic copper steeple and a glittering blanket of snow.

For a special lighting effect, insert the bulb of a standard U.L.–listed mini light string through the rubber grommet and let the let the holidays shine.

NOTE: This ornament is modeled after the Pilgrim Chapel (formerly the Pilgrim Lutheran Church for the Deaf) in Kansas City, Missouri.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church for the Deaf, constructed by the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in 1941, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Pilgrim Chapel is a rare example of a religious building constructed by and for a special needs congregation. This “Church of Silence” provided religious services and special opportunities for deaf and hearing-impaired individuals until its closing in 1987. Through its simplicity of design, Pilgrim Chapel embodies the philosophy of its architect, Frederick R. Webber.

In 1997, Pilgrim Chapel was acquired for use as a public chapel, open to people of all faiths.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2018 (Ornament Premiere)
Retail Price: $17.99 USA/$23.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 2.29" w. x 4.16" h. x 3.14" d.
SKU: QGO1956
Produced in: Thailand
Production Date(s):

Related Ornaments

Alternate Versions

Related Ornaments

Downloads

Related Ornaments

digital DREAMBOOK Team2025-05-01T00:38:28-06:00July 14th, 2018|

Festive Firs Christmas Tree Farm

From muscle cars to pickup trucks to realistic architecture, Don Palmiter has been infusing the Keepsake Ornament lineup with a healthy dose of retro-Americana for over 30 years now. Don’s highly detailed ornaments are timeless classics that evoke the hope and happiness of times gone by.

Description

Nostalgic Houses and Shops
35th in the series.

Features an old-fashioned country Christmas tree farmhouse with a quaint front façade, two bottle brush tree attachments, and a dollhouse-like interior decorated for the holidays.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2018 (Ornament Premiers)
Retail Price: $19.99 USA/$24.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.31" w. x 3.93" h. x 1.75" d.
SKU: QX9426
Produced in: Sri Lanka
Production Date(s):

Coordinating Ornament

1936 GMC® Pickup
Nostalgic Houses and Shops
Limited Edition
Miniature

Festive Firs Christmas Tree Farm

Don Palmiter was inspired to create this ornament, the 35th in the Nostalgic Houses and Shops series, by an outing with his wife and granddaughter.

“It was in the fall, and we drove out to a great farm that has a pumpkin patch in the fall and a tree farm in the winter,” he explains. “During the Christmas season, they take people out and let them cut down their own trees.

The design came from research I did on old farm houses. I found a really cool, old, Gothic-style farmhouse with a porch that went across the entire front. I designed it to put a bottlebrush tree on each side of the house because I couldn’t do d separate tree lot. That incorporated the whole feel of a farm into one piece.”

Related Ornaments

Description

Nostalgic Houses and Shops
35th in the series.
Features an old-fashioned country Christmas tree farmhouse with a quaint front façade, two bottle brush tree attachments, and a dollhouse-like interior decorated for the holidays.

Artist: Don Palmiter
Released: 2018 (Ornament Premiers)
Retail Price: $19.99 USA/$24.99 CAN
Material(s): plastic
Dimensions: 3.31" w. x 3.93" h. x 1.75" d.
SKU: QX9426
Produced in: Sri Lanka
Production Date(s):

Festive Firs Christmas Tree Farm

Don Palmiter was inspired to create this ornament, the 35th in the Nostalgic Houses and Shops series, by an outing with his wife and granddaughter.

“It was in the fall, and we drove out to a great farm that has a pumpkin patch in the fall and a tree farm in the winter,” he explains. “During the Christmas season, they take people out and let them cut down their own trees.

The design came from research I did on old farm houses. I found a really cool, old, Gothic-style farmhouse with a porch that went across the entire front. I designed it to put a bottlebrush tree on each side of the house because I couldn’t do d separate tree lot. That incorporated the whole feel of a farm into one piece.”

Coordinating Ornament

1936 GMC® Pickup
Nostalgic Houses and Shops
Limited Edition
Miniature