Sketchbook: Kristina Gaughran
“When I started thinking of my fairies as a monthly series, my first question was, ‘What would be a good representation of each month?’
Love Fairy
February had Valentine’s Day and March had St Patrick’s Day. April had Easter but what about May, June, and July? Those were more challenging.”
May Flower Fairy
Then I remembered back to my childhood and placing May baskets on neighbor’s doorsteps with my friend Susan,
and how “April showers bring May flowers.”
April Showers Fairy
Beach Fairy
And how people go on vacation in the summer, so maybe June could be a trip to the beach!
Summer Snow Cone Fairy
Which then led me to the 4th of July and once again I was thinking back to my childhood and going to the Clarke County fair and the sights and sounds and food!
So slowly the fairies evolved through drawings and each one represented her particular month.”
“I knew I wanted these six fairies to live in the Fairy Messengers world, so I brought out my bag of fairy sculpt pieces and went though each face and body, arm and leg, and looked at them with this new series in mind. I reuse my sculpts often so that my characters stay similar in size and feel like they all belong to the same world. I hope that those who love the Fairy Messengers will find that same spark of sweetness in this series.”
2018 Sneak Peek: Halloween Keepsake Ornaments
Miniature Keepsake Ornament Tree
Re-issue of 2017 Display Tree
Sugar Skull Gal
Miniature.
Bitty Bat
Miniature.
Trick-or-Treat Snoopy
Miniature.
Spooky Snoopy
The PEANUTS® Gang
Ghostly Mausoleum
Caramel Apple Goodness
Season’s Treatings
Bewitching Bat
Happy Halloween!
6h in the series
2018 Reveal: Keepsake Celebrations
Celebrate special moments, capture important memories, and nurture meaningful relationships as they happen throughout the year with Keepsake Celebration ornaments.
Each of the nineteen designs makes the perfect unique and customizable gift to commemorate life’s milestone occasions.
Love & Wedding
A New Life Together
Photo holder
So This is Love
Disney Cinderella
Time for Love
Happy Anniversary!
Faith & Spirituality
Sacred Heart
Guardian Angel
Be Lifted
Baby & Family
Miracle in the Making
Photo holder
Baby’s First Christmas
Baby Mine
Disney Dumbo
Thanks; Mom
Godchild; You Shine!
Moments & Milestones
Congrats, Grad!
2018 Graduate
Photo holder
New Home
Bright Tomorrows Await
Honor & Remember
Remembered with Love
Forever My Friend
Photo holder
Keepsake Celebrations – A collection of year round ornaments designed to celebrate major life milestones.
2018 Sneak Peek: Dog Photo Holder
Good Dog
Photo holder
Here it is! A sneak peek of the 2018 Good Dog photo holder ornament featuring Teddy the Spaz Man, the winner of last year’s fan photo facepaper contest!
Reveal: Friendly Fairies Six Month Series (UPDATED)
Each ornament in this new six-part series will feature a Friendly Fairy that is seasonally appropriate and themed to the upcoming month. Designed by Hallmark Artist Kristina Gaughran. Catch a new ornament each month, starting in January 2018.
Collect all six to complete the series!
Love Fairy
1st in the Friendly Fairies series
Good Luck Fairy
2nd in the Friendly Fairies series
April Showers Fairy
3rd in the Friendly Fairies series
May Flowers Fairy
4th in the Friendly Fairies series
Beach Fairy
5th in the Friendly Fairies series
Summer Snow Cone Fairy
6th and Final in the Friendly Fairies series
Featured Artist: Kristina Gaughran
Title:
Hallmark Senior Artist
(Master Sculptor)
Started at Hallmark:
May 1995
Started at Keepsakes:
May 1995
Hometown:
Osceola, Iowa
Memories of her small-town Iowa upbringing inspire Kristina Gaughran’s work. Even in her magical Fairy Messenger and Friendly Fairies series, many themes, expressions, and details come from her early impressions and real-world experiences. In 2018, Kristina charts new territory with the same creativity that’s made her a Keepsake Ornament fan favorite.
Even though there were lots of stars to wish upon growing up in rural Iowa, Kristina Gaughran never asked their help in finding a job with Hallmark. “I grew up in a tiny town,” she explains. “There was only one Hallmark store.”
Upon graduation from high school, Gaughran landed in Hallmark’s hometown–Kansas City, Missouri. As a student at the Kansas City Art Institute, artists from Hallmark often visited. In 1995, during her junior year, the manager of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments visited one of her classes. He asked each of the 70 students to submit two drawings. One from each student would then be selected to sculpt.
“I submitted a worn little teddy bear with a cat rubbing up against him affectionately and a Christmas wreath with a mouse hanging off of it,” Gaughran remembers. “The teddy bear was the one they chose.”
Based on that submission, Hallmark offered Gaughran an internship for the following summer. At the end of that summer, Hallmark asked her to continue as a contributor. “Once a week I would meet up with a group from Keepsake Ornaments for lunch,” she says. “I wasn’t out of school yet, but already it was very much like family. It was like having 30 friends that were there to support and help you.”
When Gaughran finally graduated in the spring of 1996, she was offered a full-time position with Keepsakes.
“Growing up, I actually wanted to work for Disney because I love animation,” she confesses. “The funny thing is, I get to work for Disney after all!” Many of Gaughran’s Keepsake Ornaments are Disney characters. She even travels to Disney headquarters on occasion for approval on some of her sculpts. “It’s like the best of both worlds,” Gaughran says. “I get to visit Disney, but I get to live at Hallmark.”
Reveal: January Keepsake Wallpaper (UPDATED)
Set a new, fresh (and magical) tone to the new year with this month’s free desktop or mobile device wallpapers featuring the first in the Friendly Fairies series by Kristina Gaughran.
Friendly Fairies
series
UPDATE (01.09.18) – A second alternative desktop wallpaper featuring the 1st three Friendly Fairies has been released.
2018 KOC Membership Overview
Five big things KOC Members need to know about the changes coming in 2018. From enrollment and dates to communications and new benefits.
Five things that are different from the KOC membership program today and that will be new and exciting in 2018.
New Membership Timing
- Change from rolling membership to “Calendar Year” plan Membership
- Starts when you enroll and continues throughout the calendar year
- Ends December 31st of each year (The earlier you join the longer your membership is technically active.)
One Membership fee ( for all) to join the club
- Annual membership fee of $49.99 (requires no ornament selection up front and kicks off the delivery of several exciting Keepsake Studio gifts)
- No taxes
- No shipping
- Benefits and exclusives ship immediately
Later open Enrollment in 2018
- Enroll starting April 2nd
- Enrollment closes October 31st
- KOC Brochure (explaining all of the 2018 benefits) and Application Form mailed in late March
The gifts of Membership
- Welcome Letter and NEW (plastic) KOC Membership card
- The NEW Keepsake Dream Box filled (a special membership box full of club exclusive gifts and ornaments delivered to your doorstep. Will begin shipping as soon as you enroll! Give it a week or two to arrive.
- 2 Exclusive Ornaments (over a $70 value)
- The exclusive KOC Dream Book
- 4 additional FREE Gifts ($40 value)
More Benefits and Exclusive ornaments than ever!
- Opportunity to purchase up to 10 additional club exclusive ornaments offered in the NEW KOC Product Shop (Both online and in stores, all year) New exclusive releases including limited quantity ornaments will be released throughout the year.
- Monthly Email Newsletter
- 1500 Crown Reward Bonus Points
- Surprise Rewards and offers
- Access to Keepsake Community
- FREE Unlimited access to Hallmark Movies Now
- And all of the benefits you’ve always loved (ex. For Keeps, Free Gift at Ornament Premiere, Local Club Free Gift)
Additional Resources
Anita Winter, the KOC Manager has created a video outlining the changes coming to the KOC in 2018. Watch this video to see all the changes and so much more!
Local Club News: Local Club DVD Video Links
Here is the latest Club communication from the KOC.
Hello!
Below please find the links to the videos that were on the Local Club DVD*. We hope you find the videos entertaining as well as informative. Feel free to forward this email to your online member family.
2017 KOC Convention
Keepsake Ornament Club Convention Recap – Over 1,800 of our biggest Keepsake Ornament fans visited Kansas City August 3-5 for KOC Con 2017!
Friday Night Special 30th Keepsake Ornament Club Anniversary Presentation – Experience the magic as the Keepsake Ornament Club celebrates its 30th anniversary. This opening night celebration includes charming moments, compelling speakers, artists honors, and many more surprises. The Keepsake Studio’s very own Ken Crow serves as Master of Ceremonies guiding fans throughout a night they’ll never forget.
Crafty Chicks Holiday Decor
Cake Stand Tree – Crafty Chick Em whips up something special with her baking inspired Cake Plate.
Glam Alternative Wall Tree – Crafty Chick Thea shows just how easy it can be to spruce up wall space with a Glamorous Tree.
Ladder Tree – Crafty chicks Nicole and Emily team up to create a unique Ladder Tree and add a few more crafty tips before bringing it to life in the living room.
Hoop Wreath – Crafty Chick Casey is ready to entertain friends with her festive bar cart topped off by a Hoop Wreath.
Special Feature Videos
Big Details, Tiny Packages – Miniature ornaments have been a staple within the Keepsakes Ornament line since 1988. Ranging from .5” to 1.5” in height, these artistic miniature marvels are imbued with all the wonder, artistry and story that goes into the regular Keepsakes line, but are augmented with a level of detail unmatched in the industry. Watch for the big details that come in these tiny packages.
Sparks of Imagination: Ken Crow, Santa’s Magical Clock – Growing up Keepsake Artist Ken Crow spent his summers on a tiny farm in Fulton, Missouri, over 1000 miles from his California home. He attributes the influence of that farm and the love of his grandparents as the beginning of his journey to become an artist. In the summer of 2017, this gentle artist returned to revisit this magical place that shaped him into the master craftsman he is today.
As always, thank you for your loyal support of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club. Local Clubs are very important to us here at Hallmark. Thank you for all you do!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
* Hallmark grants you a limited license to access and make personal, noncommercial use of the KOC DVD and its contents and not to download, modify, replicate or sell the video content, in whole or in part, except with express written consent of Hallmark or where expressly permitted.
Home & Family Anita Rogers & Nello Williams Interview
Earlier today, Hallmark Keepsake Ornament artists Anita Rogers & Nello Williams and Keepsake Ornament Collector Diana St. James made an appearance on the Hallmark Channel’s HOME & FAMILY show. During the segment, Diana shared how she started collecting Keepsake Ornaments and Anita and Nello showed the process they each go through to make their beautiful creations, and then went on to talk about how they got started at Hallmark.
In case you missed it, here it is. Click on the image below to see the interview.
