Home & Family: Ken Crow’s & Nichole Reed’s Visit
Ken Crow’s Visit
Hallmark Keepsake Master Artist Ken Crow visits Hallmark Channel’s HOME & FAMILY show to talk about his latest ornaments including Santa’s Magic Train, Christmas Carousel and Christmas lantern. He also shares that he loves how his ornaments play into people’s holiday traditions every year, including his own family’s.
Keepsake Ornament Club and Dream Book
Later in the show Product Director of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments Nicole Reed stops by to talk about the Keepsake Ornament Club and Hallmark’s Dream Box.
Q&A: Robert Hurlburt
Keepsake Artist Robert Hurlburt was asked to give a little more background on some of his 2018 ornaments. Here’s what he had to say!
1932 Buick Fire Engine
16th in the Fire Brigade series.
Robert: It was great to talk to the folks at the Firehouse that maintain the fire truck and had a hand in rebuilding it, especially little details like the top half of a “milk can” they used to create the filler neck and lid for the water tank. They made us feel really welcome and even got the truck out for us to ride, which I hadn’t even thought would be possible. We always like to get the photos ourselves, and usually the firehouses are always so enthusiastic, that we get plenty of great pictures to work from. While working on the Fire Brigade series I always think of my best friend Bill who was a fireman who lost his life after answering a call. I always wish I could show him what I make every year.
1968 Chevrolet Nova SS
28th in the Classic American Cars series.
Robert: I love older cars! I had a 1965 Nova, a 1969 Mustang, a late 60s dodge Dart with a Hemi, and a 1977 Firebird. Sadly, I made choices to sell—with regrets always. When I was young, I did some restoration and worked in a body shop, so I appreciate the work that goes into it. This year’s ornament made me think of my oldest brother and his car (a Chevelle Super Sport) that he snuck out late at night to race every weekend that he could.
Cinderellas Castle
Disney Cinderella
Robert: You get several of the princesses together and with that castle backdrop all lit, and the music, it makes for a real celebration of each princess individually. The size and lighting effect timed to the music is very unique.
Santas Sleigh Dome
Heritage Collection
Robert: It was challenging to figure out how it needs to be sculpted to work with the glass blowers and how it will be constructed. I love the freedom of creating your own design elements and sculpting it as you go and making changes as you see fit, while trying out different paint schemes to get to the final look.
Artist Journal: Orville Wilson
Sunday, July 8, 2018
When I start working on a concept for a new ornament, I really get into looking for references for each and every part of the sculpt.
The Grandkids ornaments are good examples of that process. I looked up poses, clothes, hats, gloves and the sled.
Then when I am actually digitally sculpting the ornament, my imagination kicks in and I start to see myself at play—sliding down the hill.
Grandson
Granddaughter
Artist Journal: Kristina Gaughran (Reimagining Fairy Messengers)
Friday, July 6, 2018
My inspiration for this project was my love of fairy gardens and fairy houses. When I found this little rectangle box display at a discount store, I thought it would make a cute fairy display. I hadn’t quite visualized what the fairies would look like yet, but I’ve always loved clothespin dolls and knew I wanted to re-image my Fairy Messengers into that format.
I love the freedom this (#My5Days) project gave me to explore other possibilities. There was not right or wrong answer, I could go wherever my imagination led me!
Fairy Messengers Reimagined
#My5Days – A program Hallmark began in 2016 that gives creative employees five work days per year to explore any creative project that inspires them.
2018 Ornament Spotlight: 2245P Texas Special Locomotive
2245P Texas Special Locomotive
LIONEL® Trains
23rd in the series.
The 23rd installment of the LIONEL® Trains collector’s series is the 2245P Texas Special Locomotive. Made of die-cast metal and painted sharply in red and white, this ornament commemorates the many popular electric cars used in the 1950s. The 2245P Keepsake Ornament also features wheels that turn and is sold alongside coordinating LIONEL® Train ornaments, 2245C and 2436.
Featured Artist: Robert Hurlburt
Title:
Hallmark Production Designer
Started at Hallmark:
November 1978
Started at Keepsakes:
November 2004
Hometown:
Holden, Missouri
.
Over thirty years ago, Robert Hurlburt began his Hallmark career as an engraver. Even as he pursued accuracy in his work, Robert’s move to the Keepsake Studio in 2004 offered an opportunity to tell stories in meaningful, magical new ways. Now he enjoys crafting Keepsake Ornaments inspired by both real-world and magical sources, all in precise detail.
Get it right is Robert Hurlburt’s mantra. Even as a child, Robert took a scientific approach to his art. No purple suns in his boyhood pictures. He enjoyed sketching celebrities from photographs. “I wanted to see how close I could get,” he says. With that kind of mindset and determination, it’s no surprise that when he was hired at Hallmark more than 30 years ago, Robert excelled in the detail-focused engraving department.
In late 2004, he brought his talents to the Keepsake department, which he calls “a whole new game.” Just a month into his job, Robert was asked to design. His first ornament, a Star Wars™ piece, was available in 2006.
As the Keepsake Artists continue to collaborate, Robert is challenged with finding ways to keep the creative process simple and the sculpture detailed. Robert is hooked on working with three-dimensional product, and his scientific mind continues to question how to take his artwork further. The daily one-hour commute to Hallmark gives him plenty of time to think about ornament design. When home, Robert and his wife, Lori, are constantly tinkering on projects at the farm and sharing their 40-acre homestead with horses, chickens, cats and dogs.
July Keepsake Wallpaper
Celebrate the upcoming July 14 release of the 2018 Keepsake Ornament line and get excited for Ornament Premiere with this month’s free desktop or mobile device wallpapers featuring the beloved Disney friends showing the true spirit of the season.
Disney Christmas Carolers
Collector’s Set
Limited Edition
2018 Reveal: Additional QVC Exclusives
Hallmark has released four additional QVC Exclusive Keepsake Ornaments as part of QVC’s Christmas in July Sale. All ten ornaments are NOW available and can be purchased by either calling: 1 (888) 345-5788 or by going online to QVC.com and doing a search for “Hallmark.”
Hallmark Keepsake Magic Lantern Ornaments
Tinsel and popcorn have nothing on the magical glow of these musical lantern ornaments.
Winter Lantern
QVC Exclusive
Santa’s Magic Lantern
Christmas Cardinal
QVC Exclusive
Christmas Cardinal
NOTE: To access the Red Cardinal ornament, click on the Hallmark Keepsake Magic Lantern Ornament picture and then go to the the “Option” header. (located on the right side of the screen under QVC price) and click on the name of the desired ornament.
Hallmark Keepsake North Pole Ornament
Here comes Santa Claus, wishing a Merry Christmas to all as he flies over the snowy scene in this Keepsake Ornament.
Merry Christmas to All
QVC Exclusives
Merry Christmas to All!
Hallmark Keepsake Santa’s Workshop Ornament
Take a peek into Santa’s Workshop with this magical keepsake ornament. Watch as Santa controls a model train through a snow-covered tunnel in this seasonal scene.
Santa’s Christmas Train
QVC Exclusive
Santa’s Magic Train
For Keeps: Volume 17, Issue 3 Summer 2018
Read the stories behind the ornaments, see a couple of 2019 sneak peeks, take a look inside the Keepsake Studio, and discover three local club Keepsake Artist signing event contest winning entries.
- A note from the Keepsake Studio
- Joanne Eschrich
- Tammy Haddix
- Tom Best
- Tracy Larsen
- Ornament Premiere is finally here!
- Magic Doesn’t Get Any Sweeter
- Mischievous Kittens Reaches Milestone
- Start A New Series!
- The Stories behind the ornaments
- Must-Haves For Star Wars™ Fans
- Mary’s Angels Lives On
- Up And Away!
- A Magical Christmas Lantern
- Keepsake artist explore new creative ventures
- Sharon Visker, From cardboard to costume
- Kristina Gaughran, Reimagining Fairy Messengers
- A look inside the Keepsake Studio
- Local clubs win Keepsake Signing Events
- Murphy’s North Pole Collector’s Club – Nashville, Tennessee
- Madison Area Hallmark Collector’s Club – Madison, Wisconsin
- Renaissance Ornament Collectors Club – Ridgeland, Mississippi
For Keeps – The Official Newsletter of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club.
Ornament Spotlight: Christmas Lantern
Ken found his inspiration for the tabletop Christmas Lantern in an antique store when he happened upon a vintage carousel music box that stored items about the size of a lipstick. With the push of a button, the piece would play music, spin and doors would open so the items could be removed. With Ken’s lantern, you’ll see even more magic. When you push the button, the doors open, the tree spins, colorful lighting effects are activated and snowflakes are even projected on to the table around you! There are also animated toys surrounding the tree.
