KOC-exclusive Rainbow 
 Lorikeet 
 coming in July
We have a feeling this 
 one will fly off the shelves!

Rainbow 
 Lorikeet
Member Exclusive

Keepsake Artist Emma Leturgez-Smith’s newest 
 club-exclusive ornament will brighten any perch on your tree. And it seems destiny took over when deciding what this ornament would be.

Emma explains, “The decision was almost made for me in a weird, fated way. For one of our virtual events in 2022, all the studio artists did a short video with Santa. Those videos were compiled together and shared with club members.

“For my video, the Kansas City Zoo was kind enough to allow our crew to come in and film me in the Rainbow Lorikeet cage! We all showed up bright and early, and I was the first to feed them that day, so they were very eager to see the grapes and fruit nectar cups I had. It didn’t take long before I was covered in parrots. I had so much fun—how could I not create a Rainbow Lorikeet ornament after that!”

Lorikeets are common backyard birds in Australia, and Emma’s knowledge of their habits gave her the perfect inspiration for this beauty’s perch.

“I wanted to try a different type of flower shape. Lorikeets in the wild are fond of bottlebrush flowers, both as a place to hang out and as a food source. A brightly colored pipe cleaner gives a similar fluffy look for this bird’s flower perch.”

An avid bird lover, Emma has three birds in her little flock at home, each with its own distinct personality. She says, “Though I don’t have a Rainbow Lorikeet, one of my parrots does share a few of the same colors. It’s incredible how vibrant the colors are. And Rainbow Lorikeets are very playful and curious, so I gave this one a little head tilt to convey a cute, inquisitive look. To me, the pose is saying the lorikeet is ready to listen to whatever you have to say—or maybe it’s singing a Christmas song!”at they’re peeking at…only they know what ornaments are on their Wish List!

Remember, this ornament is available only to club members. You can pick yours up at Ornament Premiere 
 in July!

“KOC-exclusive Rainbow 
 Lorikeet 
 coming in July.” For Keeps 23 Spring 2024: 3-4.