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Ken Crow
Hallmark Master Artist

On Tuesday, February 28, Hallmark Master Artist, Ken Crow 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.

Jingle All the Way

Ken: It’s the one I’ve never designed yet because the best is yet to come. If I had to choose, it’s Jingle All the Way, an ornament coming out this year. It’s the most animated excitement I can put in my mind.

Ken: Every morning at 5 AM I get up to sketch. It’s my form of mental exercise. These sketches we posted here are sneak peeks of my Jingle All the Way ornament. This is my favorite I’ve ever done.

Ken: In honest to goodness, it’s the best of my talents matched with other great talents like engineers and writers at Hallmark. It’s the most perfect stage production with lights and cool actors. In fact, my family is in it! And my dog.

Ken: It has light, sound, and motion! Oh, the horses actually go up and down over the valleys as the houses in the center turnaround and present many different scenes.

Jingle All the Way

Ken: Always but they make me feel like I can do what I didn’t know I could do. They bring out the best in me.

Santa’s Christmas Clock!
Tabletop Decoration

Santa’s Christmas Clock!
Tabletop Decoration

Ken: My grandpa always wound a cuckoo clock up on the farm that I stayed at every summer. So, there’s magic to me in a cuckoo clock – just like there’s magic in Christmas!

Ken: There are lots more whistles and bells in this clock!

Ken: The functioning clock will be powered by Hallmark’s universal adapter (included) or batteries and the joy of Christmas!

Ken: There are three songs: We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Up On The Housetop and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas!

Ken: I am keeping my fingers crossed because I am a clock maker at heart – can’t wait to make another mechanical wonder!

Ken: Yes, we have landed on it. $119.95.There is so much going on in the clock that it’s like 5 or more ornaments in one! We’re also giving away a clock in the Keepsake Community!

Toymaker Santa Express
Electronic Train Set

Toymaker Santa Express
Electronic Train Set

Disney

Ken: I have a bunch of Disney Keepsake ornament designs coming out this year, such as great anniversary pieces to celebrate some of my favorite movies. I love the old Disney animated movies.

Ken: I have about 3 or 4 Disney ornaments that I’m about to being working on. I grew up next to Disneyland. It was my first touch of magic. It’s a non-pharmaceutical tranquility for me.

Ken: Yes, I did sculpt this year’s! One of the first things I did as a “Hallmarker” was to work at Jim Henson’s Muppets Studio in New York. Look for more of my New York adventures in Keepsake Community.

Miscellaneous

Ken: When I first saw one of my ornaments made. When I actually got to hold one from the Hallmark Gold Crown, I realized I was a part of something much bigger. I mean, Hallmark is a big deal!

Ken: Jed Beck came up with the name. It used to be Trim-a-Home and they wanted a new name. So Keepsakes was born. Yes, I worked at Hallmark at the same time as Joyce Hall. I even rode the elevator with him. There was an ‘aw’ around him. He created such a wonderful place for us to work.

Ken: I married my favorite Hallmark artist, met on a blind date. My wife puts up seven Christmas trees, six of which are Hallmark and the last has ornaments from my children.

Ken: It isn’t an artist, it’s an engineer. Ron Carlson. Besides my wife, he’s the best thing that has happened to me at Hallmark.

Ken: Oh yeah! I lived one house away from the house that put Santa’s reindeer up every Christmas in my cul-de-sac. It took 5 houses to put this whole show together as each house took a reindeer and the last displayed Santa. No snow.

Ken: They are small and mechanical. I don’t even know what the third one is yet myself! It’s a great idea waiting to be made.

Ken: I used to put on talks and puppet shows! But this year I think I’m going to focus on signing ornaments. And don’t worry, Crow will be in attendance.