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.
2023 Sneak Peek: Puppy Love
Terrier
Puppy Love
33rd in the series.
It’s National Love Your Pet Day, and that’s a doggone good excuse for a sneak peek of the 33rd ornament in the Puppy Love series, designed by Anita Marra Rogers. This terrier cutie will be available in July.
Ornament Spotlight: Christmas Angels
A true labor of love
Joanne Wright shares the inspiration behind #6 in the Christmas Angels series.
Good Cheer
Christmas Angels
6th in the series.
The one question people always have for Keepsake artists is how they come up with the ideas for their ornaments. And you’ll find that no two answers are the same. Some artists are inspired by hobbies, trends or nature. Others simply dig deep into their imaginations. For Joanne Wright, inspiration for the latest ornament in her Christmas Angels series came from a beloved family member.
“My daughter-in-law Jill is beautiful and full of grace, so that is why I thought she’d be the perfect model.“
Joanne mentioned how excited her daughter-in-law was about the prospect. Who wouldn’t be?
“She was so thrilled when I asked her if she would pose for me,” Joanne continues. “She even helped me brainstorm around the story that the finished ornament would bring.”
The sixth ornament in her Christmas Angels series, which will be available for purchase at Ornament Premiere in July, is as elegant as it is endearing. Working with her editor, Lindsay Evans, Joanne chose to have the angel holding a poinsettia.
“Poinsettias symbolize the Christmas season and the miracles it celebrates,” Joanne says. “They also mean joy, cheer and success, which all represent Jill.”
Her process always begins with sketches, drawings and working with her model to ensure the proportions and gestures feel perfect. That’s when the sculpting begins-using a proprietary wax created here at Hallmark. Once the sculpted piece is approved and molded, she begins to paint and add attachments.
One such addition to this ornament was the message “Christmas is a season of love and good cheer” on the bottom of the ornament. We couldn’t think of a better sentiment to add to such a beautiful story.
Christmas Angel 2023 sculpt with pictures of Jill modeling
Christmas Angel 2023 sculpt
“A true labor of love.” For Keeps 22 Spring 2023: 7.
2023 Sneak Peek: Father Christmas’s Reindeer
Father Christmas’s Reindeer
Special Edition
Here is a sneak peek of this year’s limited-edition Father Christmas’s Reindeer Keepsake ornament! It will be available at Ornament Premiere in July!
2023 Sneak Peek: Series
Here are two more sneak peeks from the 2023 Keepsake Ornament line featuring the 23rd in the Snowball and Tuxedo series by Joanne Wright and the 12th in the Holiday Lighthouse series by Tracey Larsen.
Sharing a Slice
Snowball and Tuxedo
23rd in the series.
Holiday Lighthouse
12th in the series.
Artist Insights: 2022 The Beauty of Birds
Emma Leturgez-Smith was the perfect choice when it came to deciding who would carry on The Beauty of Birds series. As she explains, “I’ve been in love with birds of all kinds since I was young, and it’s so much fun sculpting my favorite creatures and seeing how colorful I can get. I’m also loving the growing library of cute bird references I now have on my computer!”
When it came to her 2023 design, Emma had artistic reasons behind her choice of the Steller’s Jay for the 19th ornament in the series. “I felt like sculpting a stately bird this year as opposed to some of the more round and sweet birds. The shapes of the long beak and crested head of this jay really stood out to me. And its colors are so interesting. The small, bright streaks of color on top of the jay’s head turn to teardrop streaks on the sculpt, with darker blues around it that make the colors pop.”
Emma also has a reminder about something to be on the lookout for. “Keep an eye out for the limited quantity companion this year. It’s called a Leucistic Steller’s Jay, and this one has a unique (and totally opposite!) color palette that I ended up absolutely loving.”
Sounds like a couple feathered friends will be flying off the shelves in 2023. Don’t miss your chance to pick up both ornaments this year!
Steller’s Jay
The Beauty of Birds
19th in the series.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments. “Behind the scenes with Emma Leturgez-Smith about Steller’s Jay, 19th ornament in the Beauty of Birds series that is available now!” Keepsake Ornament Club Facebook Page, January 30, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2330268633879814
2023 Sneak Peek: 50th Anniversary Keepsake Ornaments
Let’s Start with Something Special
That’s just what our Keepsake artists intended when they created these special ornaments to remember our first 50 years.
They started by bringing some past favorites to life in beautiful new ways. Take a close look at The Artist at Work to see Santa’s workbench filled with Keepsake Ornaments from Christmases past. Every single artist in the Keepsake Studio contributed to this masterpiece!
Ring in the Season
50th Anniversary
Special Edition
50 Years of Memories
Special Edition
50 Sweet Years
Special edition
The Artist at Work
Special Edition
Christmas Commemorative
50th Anniversary
Special Edition
Repainted Series Favorites
Below, you’ll find series favorites that have been repainted especially for this anniversary. We love these memories. and we hope you do, too.
Cozy Critters
Special Edition
Gnome for Christmas
Special Edition
Beer Stein
Special Edition
Nifty Fifties Keepsake Ornaments
Special Edition
A Creature Was Stirring
Special Edition
Brilliant Butterflies
Special edition
Fairy Messengers
Special Edition
North Pole Tree Trimmers
Special Edition
Celebrate 50 years of Keepsake Ornaments with this collection of ornaments commemorating the journey. The line of 2023 ornament releases is coming later this year, so keep an eye out for new favorites!
UPDATE (04.01.23) – Reformatted and added additional text.
“Let’s Start with Something Special” 2023 Dream Book: 6