Ornament Spotlight: Disney
100 Years of Wonder
Disney Mickey Mouse
Hallmark Celebrates 100 Years of Disney
We are delighted to congratulate The Walt Disney Company on its first 100 years!
To honor Disney 100 Years of Wonder, our Keepsake Ornament artists have created a collection of 100th anniversary ornaments featuring beloved Disner Characters. Hallmark and Disney share a proud history dating back to 1931. when the first Disney character appeared on a Hallmark greeting card.
And in 1977, the first Disney characters showed up on Keepsake Ornaments.
Who were they? Mickey Mouse and friends, of course! Our two company founders J.C, Hall and Walt Disney, enjoved a strong business partnership and genuine friendship for many years, and we honor that today with our ongoing partnership We think our founders would be proud.
“Hallmark Celebrates 100 Years of Disney” 2023 Dream Book: 38
Ornament Spotlight: The Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion Tree Topper
The Haunted Mansion Collection
A Ghoulish Delight
The ghostly, ghastly Disney Parks Haunted Mansion has arrived in Keepsake form! Relive memorable moments from your trip through the eerie estate with this series featuring actual dialogue and music from the attraction.
Keepsake Studio Art Director Charles Young calls this collection a “true team effort, with the combined talent of sculptors, an editor and engineers, as well as collaboration with our partners at Disney.”
And this spirited three-year series is just getting started. Charles says, “These are the first ornaments in a collection that will take fans through favorite moments from the Haunted Mansion attraction, so stay tuned to see what supernatural moments we bring to life next.”
Victor Geist
The Haunted Mansion Collection
Madame Leota
The Haunted Mansion Collection
The Coffin in the Conservatory
The Haunted Mansion Collection
“A Ghoulish Delight” 2023 Dream Book: 40
Ornament Spotlight: Lil’ American Trucks
1954 Mercury M-100
Lil’ American Trucks
1st in the series.
For the Love of Trucks
Keepsake Artist Alex So’s passion for vintage trucks began with a college research project.
“The 1954 Ford Mercury M-100 was the first truck that caught my eye. Its design was unique, with a brand-specific grill that really stood out, and I fell in love with it. So for me, it’s exciting to create these trucks in miniature scale, while preserving as many details as possible to capture their beauty. This series is a celebration of everyone who loves their pickup trucks.”
So what’s coming next? Alex will only say,
“You can look forward to another exquisite, iconic miniature truck!”
“For the Love of Trucks” 2023 Dream Book: 64
Local Club News: March 2023
Here is the latest Club communication.
Dear Local Club Presidents,
Happy Spring from the Keepsake Village! We hope this update finds you well. We can’t wait to share more about all the exciting spring & summer plans we’ve been working on for you!
Attached you will find your Q2 2023 Local Club President update. In it, you will find information about upcoming events, sneak peeks, and more!
2023 Sneak Peek
Here are two more sneak peeks from the 2023 Keepsake Ornament line featuring Just Believe by Gregor Benedetti and the 15th in the Season’s Treationgs series by Sharon Visker.
Just Believe
Season’s Treatings
15th in the series.
Announcement: Six Beloved Hallmark Keepsake Artists Retire
Robert Hurlburt
(45 years)
Rodney Gentry
(44 years)
Joanne Wright
(42 years)
Six beloved Hallmark Keepsake artists Robert Hurlburt, Rodney Gentry, Joanne Wright, Tracy Larsen, Anita Marra Rogers, and Nina Aubé each has announced their retirement. Collectively, these six artists have a combined 238 years of service, knowledge and expertise at Hallmark. Though they will no longer be active at Hallmark day to day, these beloved artists will always be a part of the Keepsake family and will continue contributing to the larger Keepsake artist community by creating exciting new content for fan-favorite series and characters. We are grateful for their rich legacy of artistry and wish them all the best in their next chapter!
Tracy Larsen
(36 years)
Anita Marra Rogers
(36 years)
Nina Aubé
(35 years)
2023 Sneak Peek: Lil’ American Trucks
1954 Mercury M-100
Lil’ American Trucks
1st in the series.
Here is a sneak peek of the first in the Lil’ American Trucks series, this 1954 Mercury M-100 was inspired by Keepsake Artist Alex So’s passion for vintage trucks. Available beginning Ornament Premiere in July.
2023 Sneak Peek: Frosty Friends
Frosty Friends
44th in the series.
Did you know Frosty Friends is Hallmark’s longest-running series? These little charmers have been capturing hearts since 1980! Their original design was inspired by a Hallmark greeting card from the 1970s. Available beginning Ornament Premiere in July.
Artist Insights: 2023 Holiday Parade
There’s nothing quite like a parade⏤ the excitement of kiddos running to scoop up candy, the happy hellos from your neighbors, the music from the marching band. It just brings a smile to your face! Those are exactly the feelings Keepsake Artist Tammy Haddix set out to capture in her Holiday Parade series. And after just a peek at the 5th ornament in the series, it’s safe to say: Tammy’s done it again!
Featuring an adorable snowman in a bowler hat and bright blue scarf, this year’s ornament was inspired by someone very close to our heart.
“I reached out to all my fellow artists and asked a few questions about if they were to own their own shop in a cute little Christmas town. It was so fun to read the responses and get to know them a little bit better,” Tammy says. “The truck you see is inspired by my good friend Nello Williams, who loves music and even makes his own guitars!”
Once Tammy decided on the theme, she got to work sketching, crafting, and bringing this toe-tapping truck to life. She says she began by sketching in the Procreate app on her iPad. Then she reused a past truck sculpt to make sure the undercarriage and size remained the same.
“I move the wax around to create a whole new truck,” Tammy says. “The hardest part is deciding how to change up the body of the truck without copying any actual styles or brands.”
After the truck is designed and sculpted, it’s time to add the signage and those little details we love. This year’s design features a “Nello’s Music Shop” logo with a vinyl record, a musical note hood ornament, real spinning wheels, and a Christmas tree guitar tucked in the trunk.
“It’s super exciting when I finally get to paint, design the shop logo for the side of the truck and add all the fun details. But, if I’m being honest, my favorite part is sharing it with the person who inspired it! It’s so fun to see what they think,” Tammy says.
Holiday Parade #5 will be available in just a few months at Ornament Premiere in July. Tammy hopes you enjoy lining up all your trucks and creating a little Christmas parade of your own.
“And stay tuned because there are some exciting things coming soon that go with this series!” Tammy says.
Music to our ears!
Holiday Parade
5th in the series.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments. “Behind the scenes with Tammy Haddix about her Holiday Parade, 5th in the series, that will be releasing at Ornament Premiere!” Keepsake Ornament Club Facebook Page, March 21, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/groups/KOCMembers/posts/3377491769157490
2023 Double Take: Young Santa
As part of the 2023 Dream Book cover reveal, many of you noticed the second installment of the Young Santa series. Here’s a closer look at this year’s edition, which continues to tell his childhood tale. We can’t wait to meet this cutie at Ornament Premiere!
Young Santa
2nd in the series.