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Aita Marra Rogers
Hallmark Artist

On Tuesday, November 17, Hallmark Artist, Anita Marra Rogers chatted with collectors via Facebook. Here is a synopsis of that chat that highlights most of the questions and responses. Please note the chat is not in chronological order and has been grouped by subject and edited for brevity.

Puppy Love

Anita: When I did the first one it wasn’t meant to be a series, it was just meant to be a cute puppy with a long tail holding a candy cane. But my boss approached me about it becoming a series with different breeds so I docked its tail and it became a cocker spaniel.

Anita: Most of the dogs in the series thus far have been based on dogs of friends and family, which makes them extra special.

Anita: I give suggestions and we pick as a team (most of the time I get my wish).

Anita: I have worked on a few, but I mostly leave that to Nina.

Puppy Love
25th in the series.

Anita: We did a “designer breed” or cross-breed a few years ago (a golden doodle) so no official mutts yet.

Anita: I would love to include a basset hound, after Lulu (my favorite dog). Although she has made a couple of appearances on other Keepsake Ornaments, including the last in the thimble series.

Anita: Yes, I did do Lulu as a miniature where she appeared with 5 puppies. She was also in the final ornament in the Thimble series, but that is not a mini.

Anita: For the anniversary piece I tried to pick three different puppies that anyone could love!

Anita: My only pets right now are fresh water tropical fish. Most of my life I have had puppies, but I don’t have one of my own at the moment.

Anita: I have already done a King Charles based on Ken Crow’s dog Charlie, so don’t have any other plans soon.

Anita: The list of dogs I would love to do is so long and unfortunately the coonhound was not on my radar, but thanks for the suggestion!

Anita: I don’t currently have plans for one but I will add it to my list of considerations.

Anita: There are so many wonderful dogs! It is not on my current list, but you never know. I had a short haired dachshund growing up named PeeWee.

Anita: I have lots of ideas on my list. Can’t reveal next year’s, but I can say that it is a dog small enough to fit in its own doggy dish.

Other Work

Best Chef
Scooby-Doo

Anita: For Scooby we collaborate very closely with a team at Warner Bro’s (in either KC or California). We also reference the original tv show to help come up with ideas.

Anita: I enjoy designing Scooby for that same reason. I loved to watch him as a kid and he was one of my son’s favorites.

Anita: The initial idea came from my Product Development Manager, Kurt Gaulke and he and I then collaborated to bring them to live. I am really excited about the 2016 ornament since it is a tuba, which is inspired by the instrument that my son plays in the marching band.

Anita: The idea came from what we thought Keepsake Ornaments would have looked like back in the 60’s.

Renee Micallef: I wish the retro ornaments would light up.

Anita: We didn’t talk about adding light to the, but not sure if there would even be room.

Anita: I do the Happy Halloween series, with the pumpkin scenes.

Other

Anita: I did do a Jem and the Rockers ornament for 2016 and I usually do Star Trek and have some new ones for next year.

Anita: Sometimes I select the colors for repaints, but not always. It really just depends.

Anita: It’s hard to think of just one. I’ve done over 400 ornaments. But back in 1994 I did a Beatles gift set and that was the first time I had sculpted a human likeness. I do that a lot now but at the time that was a huge stretch!

Anita: I enjoy tie-dyeing scarves and clothes. It is fun for me because it is so different from the sculpting work I do here at Hallmark.

Anita: I have a 9 foot Christmas tree in my living room and about half of it is Hallmark, a lot of which is my work. But I do have ornaments from my mom’s tree and the crafts my kids brought home from their school days. I have too many favorites to pick just one, but Puppy Love is up there.

Anita: Yes of course, I have lots of ornaments that my friends have made me and they are all on my tree!