Q&A: Tom Best
Keepsake Artist Tom Best was asked to share a little more about being a Keepsake Artist. Here’s what he had to say!
Local Club News: September 2018
Here is the second Club communication that was received today.
Hello Local Club Presidents and Club Leaders! It’s hard to believe that August has come and gone and we are in the last 4 months of 2018. I hope you and your club members enjoyed the games we provided to you in June as well as the reveal of our July KOC Exclusive Product Shop ornaments.
As a valued member of our Keepsake family and an important influencer and communicator for your club members, we want to keep you informed about some important and fun information related to the KOC. As a reminder, we encourage you to forward this email on to your Local Club members and/or print or verbally share at your Local Club meeting. This Local Club President Email communication will arrive in your inbox five times a year: January, March, June, September, and December.
Here are a few important updates we want you to know about:
Member Exclusive Offer: KOC Flash Sale (2018 Comic Con Ornaments)
We are excited to share that on October 8, 2018 KOC Members will have the opportunity to purchase three of the 2018 Comic Con Keepsake Ornaments online or by calling 1-800-Hallmark. This special purchase opportunity will be available for all 2018 KOC members (even if you already purchased this year at the Comic Con Convention). Restriction of 1 ornament per KOC membership number remains.
Lando Calrissian™ and Lobot™
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back™
Lieutenant Arex and Lieutenant M’Ress*
STAR TREK: The Animated Series™
The Iron Giant
Ready Player One
*NOTE: Was also available at The Official STAR TREK™ Convention held August 1-5 in Las Vegas.
UPDATE (10.07.18) – FLASH SALE: The Comic Con Exclusive ornaments will go on sale on October 8 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time. But don’t wait long – supplies are limited.
UPDATE (10.08.18 @ 11:54 a.m.) – the Lando Calrissian™ and Lobot™, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back™ set has SOLD OUT.
UPDATE (10.23.18) – the Lieutenant Arex and Lieutenant M’Ress, STAR TREK: The Animated Series™ set has SOLD OUT.
Available on Hallmark.com or by calling 1-(800)-HALLMARK
ONLINE ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS
– Go to: Hallmark.com
– Click on: Account (at top of page)
– Click on : Sign in
– Enter: Email address and Password
– Click on: SIGN IN button
– Click on: Hi, Name (at top of page)
– Click on: Keepsake Ornament Club
– Find your Active membership
– Click on: Options
– Click on: Purchase Product Shop ornaments
– Scroll to the bottom of page to see Product Shop offerings
– Click on ADD TO CART for each ornament you wish to purchase.
When finished Click on CHECKOUT> and process order as usual
Myrtle Beach Artist Signing Update
Due to the recent passing of his father-in-law, Ken Crow will be unable to attend his upcoming signing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on September 8th.
Hallmark has announced that Joanne Eschrich and Sharon Visker will be the replacement artists for the signing.
Joanne Eschrich
Sharon Visker
Date: September 8
Kendall’s Hallmark Shop #2
Myrtle Beach Mall
10177 N. Kings Hwy., Ste. 5
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
(843) 272-8272
Artist: Joanne Eschrich & Sharon Visker
Hosted by: Grand Strand Keepsake Collectors Club
Personalized Keepsake Ornament Event (UPDATED)
Home Sweet Home
Personalized Ornament Photo holder
In conjunction with the release of the new 2018 Personalized Keepsake Ornament designs, Hallmark has announced a new (online only) Personalized Keepsake Ornament Event (September 15-23, 2018). During the event, Hallmark will be releasing new designs and offering 100 Crown Rewards Bonus Points for every personalized Keepsake Ornament purchased.
Individuals can go to Hallmark.com to create a one-of-a-kind Keepsake Ornament, with a photo or message, to capture specific moments or to honor favorite people and passions.
UPDATE (09.13.18)–The 2018 Personalized Ornaments are now available on Hallmark.com. These ornaments are an online exclusives this year and are not available in stores.
ORDER NOW
Available on Hallmark.com
Featured Artist: Tom Best
Title:
Hallmark Artist
Started at Hallmark:
December 1982
Started at Keepsakes:
June 2003
Hometown:
Avon Lake, Ohio
Anything from Tom Best’s childhood on Lake Erie is game to be turned into a Keepsake Ornament: food, music, fishing and every bit of Midwestern nostalgia you can imagine. Find out more about the artist whose “Beer Stein” ornaments are entering their seventh year of creation.
Tom Best grew up on the shores of Lake Erie, just west of Cleveland, Ohio. The youngest of three boys, he was surrounded by creativity. His brothers and father were all accomplished musicians, but Tom says music didn’t come naturally to him. It was his artistic abilities that, in grammar school, gave him the reputation as “that kid who can draw.”
By his freshman year in high school, he had decided to focus his studies on art. In 1982, he received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design.
Tom’s career at Hallmark started immediately after graduation when he became an illustrator and graphic designer in the greeting card department. He also worked in Hallmark’s business-related loyalty marketing department and had a short stint in the licensing studio.
Some 21 years and hundreds of greeting cards later, Tom joined the Keepsake Ornaments department in 2003. He now truly enjoys developing 3-dimensional product for Keepsakes. “It’s a thrill seeing your ideas and drawings come off the paper or computer screen and into your hands!”
Outside of work, Tom enjoys running and keeps very busy with his daughter, Madeline; wife, Denise (also a Hallmarker); and three very active dogs. (more…)
September Keepsake Wallpaper
Set the stage for yuletide excitement with this month’s free desktop or mobile device wallpapers featuring a beautifully-boxed assortment of holiday ornaments.
Among the many Keepsake Ornaments found in this free wallpaper are a pair of cardinals on a pretty white heart, a glittery snowman sharing a hug with a sweet little lamb, an elegant angel holding a bouquet of holiday poinsettias and a sparkling snowflake, a frosty baker with a festive gingerbread house she’s just made, an elegant sleigh holding a pair of gifts, a vintage style cookie tin overflowing with glittery cookies, a feline friend tangled in a box of Christmas lights and decorations, Santa clad in sweatpants and exercising with a jump rope made from a string of Christmas lights and a one-of-a-kind Fire Engine.
Featured Keepsake Ornaments
Artist Journal: Tammy Haddix (Reimagining Snow Buddies)
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Here is the work I did for #My5Days on Snow Buddies!
Snow Buddies Tabletop
Tammy’s inspiration for this project was her popular Snow Buddies series. Through the #My5Days program she was able to re-imagine and explore what this beloved series would look like as a tabletop decoration.
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Another fun tidbit about the Snowbuddies tabletop piece. As many of you know I only have one hand, but with encouragement and guidance from Toni, my manager, I learned to knit with a loom. I knitted the scarves that are shown in the pictures. I actually loved doing it so much that I made about 10 neck scarves as gifts for Christmas that year!! I was hooked!
This piece is lighted in the base and the light will shine through the pierced stars and the lantern also glows. This is only a concept piece at this time, but maybe someday it can be more! Fingers and toes crossed!
#My5Days – A program Hallmark began in 2016 that gives creative employees five work days per year to explore any creative project that inspires them.
2019 Sneak Peek: Elam’s Magical Hallmark Memories Club’s In-Store Artist Signing Event
In conjunction with the Elam’s Magical Hallmark Memories Club’s Local Club Dinner in La Mesa, CA, Hallmark Senior Artist Tammy Haddix and Hallmark Designer Matt Johnson shared a sneak peek of some of the designs they are working on for the 2019 Keepsake ornament line.
by Tammy Haddix
Frosty Fun Decade
10th and FINAL in the series.
Snow Buddies
22nd in the series.
by Matt Johnson
Traditional Snowman
Heritage Collection
Sweet Grandkids*
Photo holder
Life’s Next Journey
Little Country Church
Miniature
Contributors to post: *Diana
2019 Sneak Peek: Renaissance Ornament Collectors Club In-Store Artist Signing Event
In conjunction with the Renaissance Ornament Collectors Club’s Local Club Dinner in Ridgeland, MS, Hallmark Artist Anita Marra Rogers shared a sneak peek of some of the designs she is working on for the 2019 Keepsake ornament line.
by Anita Marra Rogers
Happy Halloween!*
7th in the series.
Great Dane
Puppy Love
29th in the series.
*NOTE: Design is still in the planning stages and may change.
Contributors to post: Claudia, Jason Dortch & Jo