Issue 17 April 2008

Each year at the Flamingo Fling fundraiser, held in Florida, Hallmark holds a special table where they give a first look at the new year’s ornaments. They show off prototypes and sneak peek of a draft copy of the Dream Book itself. This year, Collectors in attendance were kind enough to take photos of the book and post them online.

Some highlights from the draft copy: This seems to be the year of the licensed product. (Enesco fans may remember that licensed property ornaments helped lead to the end of that line.) Precious Moments quietly leads that parade with a porcelain Disney crossover ornament. Others include Dr. Seuss, High School Musical, Magic 8 Ball, Pac-Man, Speed Racer, The Muppets, The Simpsons, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Johnny Quest, Tom and Jerry, Beauty and the Beast, and Indiana Jones, to name a few.

Many of these were previously licensed by Carlton Cards. How these new Hallmark deals effect their line is still unknown.

This year’s “record player” is a colorful, bubbly jukebox. The sets of six miniature ornaments we have become accustomed to are now sets of three and include classic Mickey, Pixar’s Finding Nemo, Peanuts, traditional Christmas and a set of four penguins similar to last year’s themed set.

At least three new series this year: Noel Nutcracker series, beginning with Candy Claus. Making Memories, featuring two snowmen. Comic Book Heroes, beginning with Superman bursting from a readable comic book.

The printed Dream Book should mail in May, and parts, if not all of it, will be online sometime in April.

2008 Dream Book Exposed

THE NavigatorHEADLINES

Hallmark To end

producT lines

ediTorial: signings updaTe- sT. louis cHeaTed

open door

animal sancTuary

remains cHariTy

sHop To Win aT amy’s

In Memoriam Retired Enesco founder, Eugene Freedman, passed

away in February.

Freedman is widely considered the grandfather of the modern collectible industry after discovering

Sam Butcher and having his work translated into

sculpted form, which became Precious Moments.

gathering sunday, may 18

6:00 PM Amy’s Hallmark

of St. LouisCollectors

SPIRIT

{EDITORIAL}

2008 Signings - St. Louis Cheated

First, let me preface this editorial by saying no offense to the Artists in question. I’m sure they are nice and good at their craft. How-ever, that is an assumption, as I am even just barely familiar with their names, much less their work, and therein lies the problem.

St. Louis has proved itself to be an excellent choice for Hallmark to hold events. In 1994, they chose the area for their first-ever expo-style event and had collectors wrapped around the building. Later they held a pre-event tour stop here and quickly filled all available spots. In 2005, they held an extremely successful event down at the riverfront, which was one, if not the highest attended events by far that year.

Since they held large events in 2007, this year they are doing small Artist stops at local Hallmarks. In the past, these stores earned their signings by selling the most memberships in the KOC the year prior.

If this is still the case, that’s a lot of work and Jan’s Hallmark of Edwardsville, Illinois accomplished a major feat. Their reward: two Artists, that between the both of them had four things in the line last year, and one of those wasn’t even an ornament. Actually, that’s incor-rect... all four things came from just one of the Artists.

Examining my own database of ornaments, I only have one ornament between the both of them. The fewest of any other Hallmark Artist I have is 12.

Now perhaps they each have a ton of ornaments in the ‘08 line that Hallmark figures Jan’s can sell. However, who is going to be there? I cannot even remember the two Artists names as I write this, nor do I have any excitement to see them. I’m not going to buy their work that day (if any) “just because.”

All of the other cities this year have established Artists, except for Delray Beach, and at least their Artist, while relatively unknown, has been quite prolific in past year’s lines so attendees there are likely to have something.

Other stores that are known to have an “in” with Hallmark got more popular Artists like Ken Crow, despite being in less populated areas.

It just feels like Hallmark really cheated St. Louis (and Jan’s Hallmark) this time around.

september 6Tucson, AZ - Linda Sickman

Alpharetta, GA - Tammy HaddixGresham, OR - Julie Forsyth

Holly, MI - Nina AubéShenandoah, TX - Edythe Kegrize

september 13Delray Beach, FL - Terri Steiger

& Robert HurlburtMadison, WI - Tracey Larsen

Lexington, SC - Katrina BrickerWarsaw, IN - Ken Crow

Buffalo, NY - Sharon Visker

september 20Omaha, NE - Nello Williams

Pottsville, PA - Anita Marra RogersColonial Heights, VA - Joanne Eschrich

San Jose, CA - Robert ChadShelby Township, MI - Don Palmiter

september 27Waco, TX - Sue Tague

Murray, UT - Sharon ViskerSan Diego, CA - Tammy Haddix

& Orville WilsonEdwardsville, IL - Tom Best & Steve Goslin

Clarksville, TN - Kristina Kline-Gaughran

If you can’t

make it to

Tennessee,

or another

signing,

here’s one

reason to

stop in the

Edwardsville

signing... There will be a special

ornament available, sculpted by

all the Artists. It’s a Hallmark

Store window with a lot of

collector nostalgia, including

old Keepsake ornaments and a

Hallmark shopping bag.

SpIrIT CluB NEwSlocal Club Mailing. The club has received the first of two KOC local club mailings in 2008.

The mailing included a CD of the 2007 Hallmark slideshow you may have seen at a Hallmark event.

A 2007 Holiday Instant Scrapbook with Keepsake Studio photo was also in the mailing.

Club Information. Would you like to help with a small pham-plet for the club? Hopes are to have something created in time for Premiere. See article in this issue for more details.

Charity. We will accept donations for the Open Door Animal Sanctuary at our July Premiere Party. As always, they can use cat and dog food, towels, toys, trash bags, cleaning supplies, etc.

If you shop at Schnucks you can also help ODAS by participat-ing in the eScrip program, which is similar to Crown Rewards, except ODAS receives the benefits. Just swipe your card with each purchase. After you get your card, you must choose online or by phone which charity you wish to support.

2008 KOC Choice Preference Sales Report

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At the end of March, Hallmark announced that it had double-digit growth in 2007. Worldwide revenue rose 8% to $4.4 billion.

Hallmark North America, which includes Keepsakes experienced a 7% growth. They are crediting growth from Crayola, music cards, expanded humor cards and their (PRODUCT) Red lines. Details about how well lines like Keep-sakes did are unknown as Hallmark is privately held and is not required to release those financials.

Hallmark International had a 3% increase, due to a new partnership with Wal-Mart’s UK division.

Crown Center redevelopment, which man-ages the property around Hallmark’s Kansas City headquarters, experienced a 3% increase due to increased occupancy and more visitors.

Crown Media Holdings (aka The Hallmark Channel), which is publicly traded, reported a loss of $159 million.

Hallmark Magazine has experienced a 100% growth in ad pages since 2006, which is excep-tional in the industry.

Hallmark.com is expected to get 150 million page views in 2008. Both Hallmark Flow-ers and gifts on the Hallamark.com have been discontinued (some are now on sale).

HAllMArK$

In a time where music online is a hot topic, Hallmark has entered the fray with an exclusive contract with Universal Music Group to sell online greetings with music. Each greeting will feature 10-15 seconds of music and cost the sender $1.99.

In it’s first offerings, coming in May, Hallmark will feature such songs as: “Funky Town” by Lipps, Inc.; “Push It” by Salt-n-Pepa; “Is This Love” by Whitesnake; “Ladies Night” by Kool & The Gang; “Mr. Roboto” by Styx; and “Dis-co Duck” by Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots.

HAllMArK MuSIC

SHop AT AMy’S To wINFrom April 1 - 30, shop at Amy’s Hallmark - West County to win prizes at the May Gathering. To enter, just attach proof that you shopped at Amy’s during April. Proof can be receipts, a printout of your Crown Rewards statement on Hallmark.com, etc. It doesn’t matter how much you spend.

All we want to see is Amy’s and a date, so feel free to blacken out everything else, if you wish. Copies and emails are fine too. Each member may have up to four (4) entries with four receipts from different days. Entries must be received before, or at the May 18th Gathering to be eligible. Drawing will take place May 18th.

1st Prize - $25 Hallmark Gift Certificate 2nd Prize - AngelWorksArt Ornament 3rd Prize - $10 Hallmark Gift Certificate 4th Prize - $5 Hallmark Gift Certificate

Member Name: ________________________________

Number of Entries Attached: ___________

Mail to: 1290-4 Enderbury; St. Louis, MO 63125 or Email to: TheTSArt@gmail.com or Bring to May Gathering

The following is a list of unconfirmed 2008 Keepsake limited editions. These are the ones typically available at Premiere, Debut, etc. and some-times are repaints.

Riding the Rails Emperor’s Royal GuardA Pony For Christmas Mayor’s HouseSuppertime! Snow White Precious MomentsThe Joker 1968 Pontiac FirebirdSlippin and Slidin’ Hot WheelsEvening Gala Peyton ManningSteamboat Willie New Haven Diesel LocomotiveHeaven Comes To Earth Ringing In ChristmasWaiting for Santa

The following have been noted as ball ornaments:

A Holiday “Hello” So Nice Being on IceAdding The Final Touch Christmas on Main StreetHaving a (Snow) Ball!

2008 lIMITED EDITIoNS

In late March, Hallmark announced a new product for the busy consumer that appreciates giving an actual wrapped gift.

To put it succinctly, think of this new product as a large rolled up sticky note. It has no backer, nothing to peel, and sticks to itself, so you don’t have to worry about it unrolling all about. The new low-tack backing is not licensed from 3M, but a unique Hallmark formulation which they have a provisional patent on.

ADHESIvE gIFT wrApSet to be released this Christmas, “Thomas Kinkade’s Home For Christmas” will detail how the Artist first got into painting—the inspiration behind “The Christmas Cottage” painting.

Jared Padalecki, star of CW’s “Supernatutural” will play a young Kinkade. Ed Asner, Marcia Gay Harden, Peter O’Toole, Richard Moll, and Aaron Ashmore also star.

KINKADE MovIE

Sponsored by Spirt of St. Louis Collectors.