cre·a·tiv·i·ty

Kansas City !

2011-02-24T11:21:00.003-06:00

StoryCorps visits Kansas City

2010-09-15T10:08:00.003-05:00

StoryCorps visits Kansas City

Every Friday morning I get excited when StoryCorps comes on Morning Edition on NPR. For those of you who are not familiar, StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit who's mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve stories. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived over 30,000 interviews!

Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind! I was thrilled to find out that their mobile sound booth (that cute little trailer up there) was parked here in Kansas City, September 9-October 3, 2010. It's a partnership with our local NPR station KCUR and sponsored by Mid-Continent Public Library.

The Booth is located at 6301 Brookside Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64113. On the corner of W 63rd St. in the Brookside neighborhood. If you're a Kansas City local please check it out and consider recording your personal story.

Here's tons of info on this exciting project, & I just found out some of the stories have been turned into animated shorts. !

Oklahoma Joe's

2010-08-07T18:23:00.006-05:00

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ from Evan Scherr on Vimeo.

Nice video I found about Oklahoma Joe's. Probably one of the best BBQ places in Kansas City *In my opinion*. I love getting the Z Man sandwich. Mmm!
Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Summer Veggies

2010-07-21T09:09:00.011-05:00

image source: civileats

I'm really enjoying summer in Kansas City, (despite the heat) - one reason is the fact that a lot of summer veggies are in season! I've been going to the River Market on the weekends to check out the local produce and, just a couple month's ago I was introduced to a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at work.

Basically this CSA consists of a group of Hallmarkers who pledged at the beginning of the season to support a farm operation (ours is Good Natured Family Farms). For a very small weekly fee (about $20) I get a bag of great local grown vegetables, fruit, dairy, and meat. My pick up day is every wednesday, and this is "What's in the Bag" for today:

All Natural Beef Patties - Mountain View, Missouri
Farmhouse Cheese, Mild Cheddar or Pepper Jack - Durham, Kansas
Sweet Corn - Columbus, Nebraska
Peaches - Campbell, Missouri
Onions - Rich Hill, Missouri
Bell Peppers - Rich Hill, Missouri
Tomatoes - Rich Hill, Missouri

The CSA season runs through the early fall, and the produce changes up every week depending on what's ready for harvest. I always look forward to the email of what's in the bag for next week, it's such a nice surprise !

If you are a member of a local CSA program, tell me what's in the bag for you this week?

Quixotic

2010-06-22T12:57:00.005-05:00

Quixotic is a local Kansas City collaboration of musicians, dancers, aerialists and designers. They presented its summer show, Paix Reveuse, at the Madrid Theatre this past weekend. The show was a mesh of engaging sights and sounds.

I went to last year's show and I must say Quixotic is similar to Cirque du Soleil. The production, dancers and musicians of any Quixotic are always phenomenal!

photos from INK magazine

it's color week at Hallmark

2010-06-17T14:55:00.007-05:00

Today is the final color week presentation.

I had the pleasure of meeting Erin Olson, author of the popular design blog House of Turquoise.

The blog is an outlet where she shares her passion for the color turquoise and beautiful interiors.

Erin expanded on her love of color when she created Decor By Color, a network of 11 blogs that link consumers with places to purchase home decor and other products, sorted mostly by hue. What started as a hobby in 2003 became an obsession which turned into a full-time dream job.

A reception featuring goodies and drinks - all in turquoise - followed her presentation. Cupcake made by Hallmarker Laura!

YUM!!!

it's color week at Hallmark

2010-06-16T15:42:00.004-05:00

Today's presenter was paper artist, Matthew Sporzynski.

Matthew Sporzynski got his start with Estee Lauder creating intricate paper and cardboard versions of luxury accessories. He is most well known for his paper constructions that appear in every issue of Real Simple magazine.

It was really cool to hear him talk about millionaires contacting him to design their personal Valentine's and party invitations.

it's color week at Hallmark

2010-06-15T13:30:00.011-05:00

A cool thing about working at Hallmark is that we get cool people to come and speak.

This week at Hallmark it's color week. There are presentations on the 2011 color forecast and the week is filled with colorful speakers.

Today it was fine artist, Tim Biskup, long recognized for his complex color and design theories.

It was neat to learn about his struggles of how he became an artist.

Speaking of artist are you watching Work of Art on BRAVO? It's an awesome reality show about artists that premiered last Wednesday.

Kansas City's own Peregrine Honig, owner of local lingerie store Birdies and co-producer of last week's West 18th Street fashion show, is a contestant. She does wonderful illustrative work. And she hasen't gotten kicked off yet!

More about Peregrine here from INK magazine.

Christopher Elbow's Glacé Ice Cream Shop Opens

2010-05-28T08:59:00.004-05:00

Glacé

It's no surprise I love chocolate, especially anything Christopher Elbow makes. So I was thrilled to find out that finally his ice cream shop is opening today! It's located south of the Country Club Plaza, on 4960 Main st.

Just like expected, his ice cream and sorbet flavors are similar to some of his chocolates, and I bet they will change with the seasons. He's done a few preview weekends where you could buy ice cream at his shop in the Crossroads by the pint. I sampled the Fleur De Sel Caramel and it was pretty much amazing.

Here are the ones I want to try:

• Caramelized Banana
• Basil Lime Sorbet
• Peanut Butter & Jelly (mmm?!)
• Rosemary Caramel
• Pineapple Cilantro Sorbet
• Venezuelan Spiced Chocolate
• Strawberry Balsamic

Check out the website for the other flavors. Happy Memorial Day Weekend !

36 Hours in Kansas City, Missouri

2010-05-17T17:45:00.004-05:00

Image Source: NYT

Check out this wonderful article in the New York Times: 36 Hours in Kanasas City. It includes Travel guides for Places to Eat, Things to Do, and Where to Stay.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/travel/16hours.html

hoops&yoyo Fan Store Now Open!

2010-05-07T11:26:00.004-05:00

www.hoopsandyoyofanstore.com

Your favorite bunny and cat now have their very own fan store with gifts for a limited time only! Get your exclusive hoops&yoyo tote bags, beach towels, and a limited edition travel poster. This is the only place and the only time you can get these gifts, so don't miss it! I love these guys!

Fresher than Fresh needs a "kickstart"

2010-04-28T15:10:00.006-05:00

We've featured Lindsay L. and her Fresher than Fresh Snow Cones on cre-a-tiv-i-ty in the past so my moral compass is telling me it's ok to pass along her newest link. Please help keep this unique gem going in Kansas City and watch a cute little video too!

The LOVE Stamp

2010-04-28T09:13:00.005-05:00

If the new Love stamp issued by the United States Postal Service looks familiar, it's because it should. It's based off of Hallmark's best selling card in history.

On Thursday, April 22, the official unveiling and first-day cancellation event for the 2010 Love stamp took place at the National World War I Museum near Hallmark's Kansas City headquarters. Dave Hall, president - Hallmark North America and Gene Maienschein, son of the original pansy card artist Dorothy Maienschein, offered comments during the event.

Read more about it and watch a video of the unveiling here.

celebrating Earth Day at Hallmark

2010-04-19T16:08:00.004-05:00

We're celebrating Earth Day this week at Hallmark!

There will be representatives with information on how to recycle and save energy.

And not only is the 22nd Earth Day... it's also Take Your Kids to Work Day! There will be samples from local food farmers and kids can plant an heirloom tomato plant with seeds and instructions to take home.

Uhmmm... I don't have a kid to bring to work but I want an heirloom tomato kit!

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?

West 18th Street Fashion Show

2010-04-16T14:01:00.007-05:00

I'm so excited to announce that the Tenth Anniversary Celebration of the West 18th Street Fashion Show, A Decadent Summer, will be held at dusk on Saturday, June 12th.

I've been every year since I've been living in Kansas City and I love it each time. This will be my 5th show to see.

The show takes place in on West 18th Street in Kansas City, between the cross-streets of Wyandotte and Baltimore.

As the anniversary event it's going to be more elaborate, over-the-top affair than ever! The show will feature eighteen collections from a select group of local and national designers.

The Art of the Crown

2010-04-06T09:46:00.006-05:00

At the beginning of the year there was an art show in one of our galleries called "Art of the Crown" it helped kick off Hallmark's centennial year (we blogged about it here a little bit). Hallmark artists created 250 uniquely diverse works of art, all starting with the same white resin crown (á la Kidrobot). Jeanee, Josh and I have crowns in the show!

Read more at the Centennial Blog.

Disney Princesses on Ice

2010-03-17T15:29:00.006-05:00

Being a designer in the Licensing department the Disney Princesses and I have become BFFs! And guess what?!? They are in Kansas City starting this Friday with Disney on Ice Presents Princess Wishes!

Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine and Mulan all make their wishes come true in this collection of celebrated tales wonderfully told through artistic skating and acrobatics.

With the help of the magical pixie Tinker Belle, the Disney Princesses’ embark on an adventure to find their heart’s fondest wish. Ariel dreams of a life above the sea; Mulan finds her inner strength; Jasmine discovers a whole new world; and Snow White finds her true love. Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty also find happiness in this beautifully imagined new ice show.

Hmmm... maybe Princess Tiana will get in on the action next year!

Show Times at the Sprint Center:
March 19th : 7:00 pm
March 20th : 7:00 pm
March 21st : 10:30 am and 7:00 pm
March 22nd : 11:00 am, 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
March 23rd : 2:00 pm

Hallmark Channel Branding

2010-03-17T14:44:00.003-05:00

Design firm Imaginary Forces just finished up the 2010 Network Branding for Hallmark Channel (The website got a facelift too).

Here is what they said about the concept:

"The new branding for the Hallmark Channel emphasizes the Network’s goal of “celebrating life’s moments.” Taking the design for the new branding a step further, we celebrated the brand itself. Using an embossed 3D logo, the design physically explores the ins and outs of the logo, and highlights the content of the network with changing color schemes and subtle cues to the programming it surrounds."

It is very very cool! Check out the video on their site.

Big 12

2010-03-09T13:42:00.004-06:00

Not going to lie and say I follow many college sports events, but I keep hearing about the Big 12 Conference coming to Kansas City this week. The Women's and Men's Basketball championships start tomorrow March 10th-14th. Kansas City is expecting to have tons of visitors for the games and the Visit KC website has a wonderful site devoted to just that.

Things To Do
Where To Eat
Places to Stay
Where to Park
Getting Around

Sourdough Bread

2010-03-02T08:37:00.011-06:00

Every Tuesday of this year the Centennial Committee has been posting a video giving us a glimpse into Hallmark's history. I enjoyed this one a lot- one of our bakers tells the story of the sourdough bread recipe J.C. Hall brought back from San Francisco in the 1960s. Enjoy!

Watch other Crown Minutes on the Hallmark Youtube page

the new Garment District opens today

2010-02-26T18:38:00.002-06:00

Did you know that Kansas City once housed a world-famous Garment District right between Washington and Wyandotte? Many don't. In fact, clothing manufacturers employed thousands after WWI, and according to the KC Garment District Museum website, '1 out of every 7 women in the U.S. purchased a KC made garment.' I highly suggest taking a tour there.

The Kansas City Power and Light District unveils their own Garment District today at 1350 Main.

The district is touted as a boutique | bar | collective and will house seven regional retailers such as Westport fave Imagary, City Girls Boutique (from Salina), Urbantique (repurposed vintage), Denim Couture (OP), Label, Two Chic Blvd, & Polka Dot Petals. The best part is, there is a bar in the middle of it all. So grab a cocktail and shop until you drop.

HELLO ART

2010-02-26T13:22:00.004-06:00

Kansas City has a cool art community.

Hello Art is a membership organization created and sponsored by the Arts Incubator to serve as an introduction – an ice breaker of sorts – to Kansas City’s arts community. Hello Art bridges the worlds of the artist, gallery owner, experienced collector and “curious beginner” through a year-round calendar of events designed to strengthen the Kansas City arts scene. The goal of Hello Art is to bring together all who want to appreciate and support art. The point is to build community and have fun.

On First Fridays, members can come by the Hello Art Lounge located in the Arts Incubator. Here, they mingle over wine and hors d’oeuvres and look at art work by featured member artists. Then, members hop on the Hello Art trolley and visit a few galleries where volunteer docents will greet them and introduce them to exhibits and/or artists. Other events include workshops, discussion groups and behind-the-scenes studio tours.

Check it out!

precious places in Kansas City

2010-02-07T00:08:00.005-06:00

As a member of this blog I feel like it's my speciality to inform you of all of the spots here in Kansas City. Well... I'd like to tell you today that there are some little precious places filled with antique and whimsical goods.

Over the weekend I went around to four places for some Valentine inspiration.
• Curious Sofa
• Urban Mining Homewares (owned by a Hallmarker)
• Bon Bon Atelier
• Good Juju

I must say that Kansas City has some of the best antique and thrifting spots. Such eye candy!

See my blog for more!

Hoops & Yoyo LOVE you!

2010-02-05T08:20:00.006-06:00

Around Christmas time I was a bit too busy to blog. But if i could have, i would have blogged about this:

Hoops & Yoyo MOVIE NIGHT

HOLY MOLY! Are you excited?! They're at it again! Hallmark's beloved characters are hosting a movie night, every so often, to get you psyched about movies... and Hallmark... and donuts... and coffee... and popcorn... and all around goodness! The first time was at Christmas, but this time, Hoop and Yoyo will be part of Hallmarks Countdown to Valentine's Day, appearing on February 5th (TONIGHT!) and again on February 12th at 9/8c. Don't miss it!

Check your local cable listings for channel. If you don't have the Hallmark Channel, call your cable provider to find out how. ;)

Cards Reflect Our Culture

2010-01-29T09:30:00.005-06:00

I have never really thought of a greeting card as a sort of "time capsule", but when you think about it...they really can be a freeze frame of world events, slang, social norms and design styles. The Hallmark Centennial site has a really great section where they showcase cards from the past 10 decades, they are grouped in themes. With Valentine's right around the corner, the album up right now shows the different ways people used to say "I Love You", and how they say it today.

While you're there check out the past albums.
• Tough Times, Good Wishes
• Cards Are Groovy, Man

I'm Keeping Busy, and so is Hallmark.

2010-01-20T15:03:00.010-06:00

I haven't been around for a while. But i finally got a break in my busy schedule, so, I thought I would give you an update on what I've been up to. Not that it would normally be interesting enough to mention, but i have had my hand in pretty much everything that has come out in the last few months.

1: DVD Cards - Wouldn't it be cool if you could have a customized movie with pictures of you, your family and/or your friends that can be played on your home's DVD player? Say no more. Hallmark's done it. Takes 10 minutes. Packaged conveniently into a card so you can send it out to your loved ones. Imagine Grandma's surprise when she sees that gem. It will blow her mind. Available at your local Hallmark Gold Crown.

2. Augmented Reality - The world has come one step closer to Holodecks with this innovation. Basically, when you buy specially marked Hallmark Cards (available at Walmart and Gold Crown this Valentine's Day) you get an "Online Surprise". It's a 3D, virtual reality movie, that moves around in your own world when you hold the card up to at webcam. Don't understand a lick of what i am saying? Go try out a free demo here or let Hoops and Yo-yo try and explain it! GO. QUICK!

3. Kids Encouragement - This may not seem terribly innovative, but in reality it is. Hallmark has found that kids need to be spoken to in a certain way. And that parents are starving for a way to talk to there kids. So Hallmark Gold Crown is currently (or will be very soon, depending on the store) sporting a brand new wall display featuring dozens of new products that help encourage kids in their everyday life. And not just cards, but TOYS, BOOKS, and GAMES!

The others are so top secret i can't talk about them. But i will. Oh, i will.

I know this is all pretty boring without many pictures, but maybe you will just have to go out to Hallmark and take a look. ;)
Seriously though, there has been a lot of hard work put into these cards and we'd love to know what you think when you see them!

Love, Josh

Crowns honoring Hallmark's 100th Birthday!

2010-01-19T09:20:00.004-06:00

Remember Jeanee's post awhile back about the crowns that Hallmarkers could create to help celebrate Hallmark's Centennial? Well, one of the gals on my team here in Hallmark's Licensing Design Studio created a series of five Centennial Crowns to honor one of Hallmark's Licensing partners, Lucasfilm. She has been a fan of Star Wars since she was a child, so the project was also a personal one for her. Here are her crowns: Yoda, Darth Vader, Leia, Chewbacca, and a Star Wars tribute crown.

Each of the Star Wars crowns features a sound clip (or several!) from the character and/or music from Star Wars. You can read more about the crowns and the artist behind them on Star Wars.com.

Centennial Colors

2010-01-15T10:18:00.002-06:00

It's starting to look like a celebration wherever you look around here ! Loving these colors everywhere.

This is a photo of the Visitor's Center and Kaleidoscope.

KCUR Covers Hallmark Centennial Celebration

2010-01-14T11:41:00.008-06:00

I'm an avid NPR listener, especially while I design during the day. I like to listen to the local Kansas City Station KCUR. One of my favorite local shows is Up to Date with Steve Kraske of the Kansas City Star.

I wanted to give a heads up about tomorrow's show - Steve will be talking with Hallmark's Historian Lynley Farris about how the need for emotional connection has stayed consistent over the decades even while the means by which we connected - the images and editorial used in Hallmark's greeting cards - changed to reflect the times.

It sounds like an awesome show, if you're in the listening area you should tune in tomorrow Friday 15th 11am - Noon on 89.3 FM, and even if you're not you can still listen online.

EDIT

Here's a Link of the show archive.

How is a greeting card born?

2010-01-12T09:30:00.004-06:00

In this edition of "Glimpses," learn how a card comes to be, from writing to design/illustration, to printing, to distribution. As you can imaging, it's pretty difficult to narrate the greeting card development process in just 2 minutes, but at least you get a quick overview and behind-the-scenes look at one of the things we do best.

For more videos and information on Hallmark product development and on our Centennial, visit Hallmark 100 Years.

What does a 100th Birthday Party look like?

2010-01-11T17:17:00.008-06:00

Here's a sneak peek behind-the-scenes at today's 100th Birthday Party in the Crown Room (cafeteria) here at Hallmark's headquarters... Keep in mind that this was only one of three groups to attend the party today-so you're looking at only 1/3 of Hallmark's employees!

Hallmark employees go cheer with pom poms and clappers, whistle, and cheer as Don Hall, Sr., Don Hall, Jr., and Dave Hall walk onto the stage.
A rare live presentation/speech by Don Hall, Sr. He spoke about what it means to be 100 years old, gave thanks for all Hallmarkers present, and expressed gratitude for Hallmarkers who have gone before. He also teared up as he said that he is so thankful for Dave and Don and he appreciates them "more than they'll ever know."
The crowd listens intently as Don Hall, Sr. addresses the crowd.
A smiling and enthusiastic Don Hall, Jr. takes the stage.
A group of Hallmark employees presented a "Living History" of Hallmark through storytelling, acting, music, and even a little rap song. A narrator told the story of how Hallmark came to be, new products we've introduced, and how we've contributed to the Kansas City community and the world. Between narrations, an actor/actress presented a vignette to illustrate the narrator's story. As for the rap song, you just really had to be there...
Hallmark's 100th Birthday cake is pictured on the left -- it is 100 inches tall and is wrapped in the entire 100-year history of Hallmark. Don Sr., Don Jr., and Dave presented the cake to the roaring crowd, and then we each got to take a cupcake of our own when the celebration ended (see below).
Happy Birthday, Hallmark!

Happy Birthday, Hallmark!

2010-01-11T09:21:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, January 10th, 2010, Hallmark turned 100! The coverage of our Centennial in the Kansas City Star yesterday was excellent. You can browse several articles online: one giving a brief timeline of Hallmark, one entitled On Hallmark's 100th, a fond look back, (a Q&A with Don Hall, Jr., our President and CEO), and one discussing "greeting card keepers" and why they keep the cards they receive.

My favorite part of the coverage in the Star was the online slideshow of historic Hallmark photographs. It is amazing to look back at our rich history and the some of the people who made our company great! Looks like Marcos enjoyed the slideshow too, as he just posted about it as I was writing this post (great minds think alike I guess, huh friend?!) :O)

I'll be recapping the week's events at within Hallmark here on cre•a•tiv•i•ty, and it sounds like Marcos will also be giving inside sneak peeks (along with several other Hallmarkers) on the Signatures blog. There will be lots of good reading this week, so stay tuned!

Happy 100th!

2010-01-11T09:20:00.007-06:00

Photo from: The Kansas City Star

The Kansas City Star has a wonderful photo gallery of Hallmark through the years. As well as timeline of Hallmark History.

------------

Along with our centennial website (as Erin mentioned), there's a Centennial blog called Signatures - it's a behind the scenes look at the year long celebration. The contributors are 11 Hallmarkers (I'm one of them!) Check it out!

Hallmark is Turning 100!

2010-01-08T10:46:00.007-06:00

That's right, Hallmark's official 100th birthday is Sunday, January 10th, 2010! Next week, Hallmarkers here at headquarters will begin a week of events to celebrate our Centennial. I'll be posting about these events as they happen, starting with Monday's giant birthday party in the Crown Room. This event will feature remarks from the Hall family, a "living history" presentation about our last 100 years from Hallmark employees, and the unveiling of Hallmark's allegedly "huge" birthday cake! I can't wait to see it and enjoy one of the Centennial cupcakes!

You can celebrate our Centennial with us by visiting our special Centennial website Hallmark: 100 Years. One of coolest parts of this website are videos called "Glimpses," which are guided, behind the scenes looks at Hallmark. Here's the first one!

new online magazine

2010-01-06T21:58:00.000-06:00

Issue one of Kansas City's new magazine for young adults, "QUIRK."

Very local, very cool, very... quirky.

Kansas City in the New York Post

2010-01-05T13:22:00.006-06:00

photo from: nelson-atkins.org

Sure KC is known for its BBQ, but in an article by the New York Post, it seems our museums might be even better. We have two outstanding museums of contemporary art (Nelson-Atkins and Nerman) as well as a thriving art scene in the Crossroads. The writer also touches on a number of historic and Kansas City landmarks.

Read the entire article here: 50 States: Missouri - Art Attack! In Kansas City, the museums might be better than the BBQ.

For all you've ever wanted to know about Kansas City, check out visitkc.com or thinkkc.com.

Hallmarker chicks rock out!

2010-01-04T15:26:00.002-06:00

Softee is a band composed of four Hallmark Cards gals: Sarah, Steph, Mimi and Flora.

They made the cover of a local Kansas City magazine, HERLIFE.

Like a groupie I went around the office and got each gal to autograph my magazine. It's gonna be work some money one day!!!

Union Station Model Trains

2010-01-04T10:29:00.005-06:00

Happy New Year!
I wanted to share some photos I took before the holiday break, these were taken inside Union Station.

Another holiday tradition in Kansas City are these wonderful toy trains. They take up a large part of the lobby as you can see here.

There is so much detail, this is my favorite area of the display.
It's a vintage drive-in, and it plays old black and white films. (click on the images to see the detail)

The miniature railroads feature a wide variety of model trains in every scale. Holiday trains run through snow covered trees, mountains, and towns. It is definitely a delight for children and adults alike.

The display is free to the public.

The Plaza's Season of Lights

2009-12-14T16:13:00.009-06:00

Did You Know?

The Country Club Plaza uses more than 80 miles of glimmering holiday lights in its annual winter display? ! (That's about 280,000 bulbs!)

The Country Club Plaza is one of Kansas City's famous entertainment and shopping districts, with more than 150 shops and restaurants.

During the winter months the lights have become a Kansas City winter trademark. The 80 miles of light accentuate every dome, tower and window of the Plaza, and it definitely puts you in the Christmas spirit when taking a night stroll through the busy streets.

Here are some fun facts about the Plaza Light Tradition.

Hallmark Creative Summer Internship Program

2009-12-11T15:07:00.005-06:00

You can now apply for our 2010 Summer Creative Internship Program! Deadline to apply is March 1, 2010. Get going! We can't wait to see what sort of talent we'll have this summer!
(The image above mentions attached PDFs. Don't worry. All the info is available on our careers website.)

Star Wars: In Concert Recap

2009-12-11T11:03:00.007-06:00

My fiancé Eric is a true Star Wars super-fan... almost to the point that I am scared to go through his boxes when he moves in, fearing that in his belongings I might find an adult-sized Chewbacca costume or perhaps some hand-built models of the Millennium Falcon. I am a true lover of the symphony, the orchestra, and of movie soundtracks (my favorite XM station is the soundtrack station)... aren't we a match made in heaven!?

When I saw that Star Wars: In Concert was coming to The Sprint Center, it seemed the best of both worlds: Eric would love it because it was Star Wars (and he would tolerate the symphony part) and I would love the symphony (and would tolerate the Star Wars part). So, I got tickets -- Merry Christmas Eric! We went to the concert on Wednesday night at Sprint Center, and the unthinkable happened.....

We both LOVED it--and enjoyed every aspect of it (including the parts that I had guessed we would tolerate)! It was simply amazing. The live symphony and choir was fantastic and was so closely matched with the HD movie clips that we sometimes forgot there was a live symphony playing the music. The HD movie clips were set to not only live music, but intense laser light shows, smoke, and fire!

Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in the original movie was the narrator of the Star Wars tale, and did an excellent job of taking the audience through the entire story from start to finish -- Honestly, it was the first time I had ever actually understood was what happening in the movies, which actually made me interested in watching all 6 movies...

All in all, it was a great experience for us both--and we even got to take pictures with all of the characters from the original movies.

For more on Star Wars: In Concert, check out this video--pretty cool!

FOUR FOODIES

2009-12-09T16:23:00.005-06:00

I've added a new link in the Hallmarkers Who Blog list on the right. Four Foodies is a blog that will make your mouth water. Two Hallmarkers, a former Hallmarker, and a non-Hallmarker make up the Four Foodies. I'm placing a video of theirs in this post because I think it showcases the Kansas City farmers' market quite nicely. If you love food (who doesn't?!) check out the Four Foodies. They even include their recipes! Yum!

Mayor's Christmas Tree

2009-12-08T14:02:00.006-06:00

Did You Know?

The Mayor’s Christmas Tree in Crown Center is taller than the famous trees at the White House and Rockefeller Center in New York City? The Tree is 100 feet tall, making it one of the nation's tallest Christmas trees.

I sure did not know that! - Also after the holidays, the tree is cut into commemorative ornaments and sold to benefit the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund, which assists the city’s less fortunate.

Here is a fun FAQ about the tree.

Why I love my job #2,987,501

2009-12-07T16:02:00.004-06:00

Why do I love my job? Because I am surrounded by extremely talented people every single day who create amazing artwork that is then given away.

A group of Hallmark illustrators (called the Blink Studio) painted cardboard tubes for a holiday display in the building. When the display comes down, they are going to raffle away opportunities to pick out a tube to keep as your very own. You know my name will be in that hat for the drawing! Pick me! Pick me!

WICKED!

2009-12-07T15:46:00.007-06:00

Broadway Across America : Wicked

Ah! Yesterday was the last performance of Wicked, it had been playing at the Music Hall downtown since November 11th.

I was lucky enough to enter the Wicked Lottery, it happens 2 1/2 hours before each show. Basically, you enter in the lottery and if your name is drawn you can get really good orchestra seats for 25 dollars! My friend and I went to the 2pm showing (They only pick 10 pairs per show), we sat on the second row and I had an amazing time!!

This was my second musical in Kansas City. I highly recommend the lottery!

Here's a link to future shows.

Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.

2009-11-23T15:30:00.000-06:00

— Albert Einstein

Holidays by Design 2009

2009-11-23T00:10:00.000-06:00

This year I was honored to participate in the Kansas City DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) event on 11/21.

The annual event raises money to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Kansas City area by auctioning off holiday wreaths created by local designers and artists.

It was a beautiful event! Check my Flickr page for more photos.

National World War I Muesum

2009-11-09T14:26:00.004-06:00

Veteran's Day is this Wednesday November 11th, and I just found out through The Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association's (VisitKC) Twitter page, that the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial will be offering free admission to the public on this day of honor.

Liberty Memorial is a short walk away from Hallmark, and has beautiful views of downtown Kansas City and Union Station (as you saw on my Autumn post). I've always wanted to climb up to the top of the memorial, I'm thinking of going over on Wednesday!

KC Massacre

2009-11-03T13:06:00.005-06:00

Hey Folks,
I know I have been gone for a while, but I'm not gone for good (not yet). Things have been absolutely insane with all the cool new products that Hallmark has been working on, but that's another blog for another time. For now, I just wanted to show you some of the cool stuff that was going on at T2, a video production company in the Crossroads of KC. Enjoy their horror movie inspired First Friday massacre...

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween (and sent lots of Halloween cards).

love,
Josh

Beautiful!

2009-10-21T19:15:00.005-05:00

Moving from Florida to Kansas City and experiencing autumn for the second time has been really wonderful. Most of the trees in the city are changing, so yesterday I took the time during my lunch break to appreciate the colors and take a few photos. Some I took right outside our buildings, and the others I took at Liberty Memorial. Enjoy!

Ripple Glass

2009-10-16T09:59:00.004-05:00

Keeping with the theme of Jeanee's recent post on climate change, I'm excited to post about a new Kansas City company that is impacting local recycling efforts in a big way. Under what is being called "the nation’s first self-contained metropolitan recycling system," Ripple Glass, which launches starting on November 1st, will help shatter the reluctance of Kansas City residents to recycle glass containers.

The Kansas City metro area has a pretty solid curbside recycling program, but that program no longer includes the pick of glass bottles and jars (pickup of bottles and jars in ended in 2003 due to the hazards of sorting broken glass and the problems of separating broken glass from other recyclables). When curbside pickup of glass ended, there were very few locations to recycle glass, so accessibility became an issue, and participation in glass recycling dropped drastically -- KC residents currently recycle only 5% of their glass, compared to the US average of over 28% -- eeeek!

That's where Stacia Stelk, Mike Utz, John McDonald and Jeff Krum, who also work for Boulevard Brewery, came up with a plan. Mike and John actually came to Hallmark about a year ago to present the Ripple Glass idea to Hallmark's Eco Team, an internal interest group focused on Hallmark's green initiatives. I was fortunate to see them present at that time. Their plan was simple: KC metro residents would be able to recycle their household glass (bottles, jars, etc.) at multiple area locations, the glass would then be picked up by a local company, taken to two local companies (Owens Corning and CertainTeed Corp), and recycled into fiberglass insulation and other products. They had me at hello, so to speak.

It took a little time, but they've now got all the logistics figured out, financing (by several local businesses) secured, and are ready to launch! I'm very excited that Hallmark has agreed to participate in the Ripple Glass efforts by having a glass drop-off bin right outside out building!

Read the full Ripple Glass story here, and if you're a KC local, support this program! With over 60 glass drop-off locations, 95% of metro residents will have less than a 5-minute drive to a drop-off location -- you have not reason not to support Ripple Glass! Thanks to Stacia, Mike, John and Jeff for seeing an opportunity to making a difference -- and to taking it!

Blog Action Day: climate change

2009-10-15T10:42:00.005-05:00

Blog Action Day is today, October 15, 2009. Thousands of bloggers will unite to blog about a particular issue that is affecting our world on a grand scale. This year the topic is climate change.

Today I blogged on my blog about the connections between climate and food.

I talked about purchasing sustainable local food. Sustainable agriculture involves food production methods that are healthy, do not harm the environment, respect workers, are humane to animals, provide fair wages to farmers, and support farming communities.

At Hallmark we just completed the summer of a community supported agriculture program. Every Wednesday we picked up a bag of food from local Kanas City Farmers through Hen House. It was fun to get vegetables I'd never buy in the store. But next summer I need to be more adventurous and try to make more recipes. I threw some of the scary squashes away :(

Also, here are some local Kansas City spots that are supporting local farming.
In Kansas City, Bad Seed Farm Market is a local, natural & sustainable food producer marketing to nearby, conscientious consumers. Their farmer's market is open every Friday night, 4:30 - 9p (May thru Nov. 20th). They have a winter farmer's market also.

And... The Farmhouse in Kansas City has bi-weekly farm-to-table-dinners. Four courses meticulously planned for your enjoyment using only the most fresh ingredients available from the farms that week.

Buy local. Eat local.

Have you been to our careers website lately?

2009-09-29T14:06:00.005-05:00

Our careers website has been revamped (by our in-house Marketing Design Studio) and is a great place to explore what it's like to work at Hallmark. There are videos, answers to the most asked questions, fun stuff about our Hallmark culture, info on Kansas City, etc. Search jobs, find out about internships, or just wander through it and be entertained.

www.hallmark.com/careers <----check it out!

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

2009-09-25T16:37:00.004-05:00

September's Artist Trading Card (ATC) trade was our three year anniversary and me passing the reins onto Steph and Gayle! The theme for the at Hallmark was whatever we wanted.

Here are couple of the cards from the trade.

It's so fun to be able to get together and work and do creative stuff!

You can see more at the ATC blog.

Hallmark 100th anniversary

2009-09-23T13:38:00.005-05:00

We're doing a cool project here at Hallmark. For the 100th anniversary celebration there are 500 crowns for designers to design on. We can do whatever we want!

Here are the blank white crowns waiting for us to have our way with.

They will be displayed here in the Hallmark art gallery in January 2010. Cool huh?

something something something... voiceovers for Disney...something something... Bret Iwan....

2009-09-18T14:22:00.003-05:00

Previous blog post to return at a later date... I'm such a tease.

Exciting News!

2009-09-17T14:26:00.006-05:00

Hallmark Among “Best Places to Work”

on Latest Corporate Equality Index

I am a member of the Hallmark Employee Resource group called HERE: Hallmark Employees Reaching Equality, and in our meeting today we celebrated a great accomplishment in our company history! As of yesterday Hallmark became one of the 305 major U.S. businesses to achieve a perfect 100 score in the annual Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) survey.

Organizations receiving a score of 100 are recognized as one of the "Best Places to Work" for and support of equality for GLBT employees.

So congratulations to everyone who made this possible! Woohoo!!! News like this makes me proud to work here.

You can read the official press release
Also...Hallmark was featured in the GLBT News Magazine Advocate.

The Drifting Creatives

2009-09-15T13:46:00.003-05:00

Last week, we had the pleasure of touring the Drifting Creatives around Hallmark!

If you are not familiar, these 2 guys, Martin and Gavin, are recent design graduates from Texas A&M University. Rather than sit around and be jobless after their May graduation into this tough economy, they hit the road. Now they're "designing their way across the country:" living in their cars, showering at car washes, picking up design projects here and there, and rubbing elbows with some of the nation's top designers and creatives.

They spent last Monday-Thursday in KC getting to know some of our local design firms such as Willoughby, Barkley, and Reactor. Keep and eye on their blog as they are sure to talk about their visit to Kansas City soon (though, we hear that when one lives in their car for months on end, the internet connection is spotty at best).

In the meantime, you can read about all of their adventures by visiting their blog.

Thanks to Martin and Gavin for visiting Hallmark! We wish you guys the best of luck (and are kinda jealous of your spontaneity and admire your sense of adventure!)

The Edge of Motherhood

2009-09-04T13:48:00.009-05:00

Recently, Hallmark launched a line of greeting cards called The Edge of Motherhood. The line is designed to help moms connect with other moms to show them support, give them a good laugh, and let them know "hey, I've been there." The line is hilarious (and I'm not even a mom!) and has been getting great reviews, like this one from our new blog-friend Angela:

"These cards were so much fun! They have wonderful messages for moms and the children that they love. So many times we as moms need encouragement while we are doing the day to day task of raising our families. We need to hear that it’s okay that the laundry is piled up sometimes and that others know and care the hard work we are putting into the most important job in the world! These cards do just that: They are perfect for that mom that you talked to on the phone today that is feeling like a failure or just needs some encouragement. They will bring a smile to someones face who wasn’t expecting a card just because."

You can read Angela's full review and see which card she picked as her favorite by clicking here.

Here are a few that I have sent to my friends who are moms -- so much fun!
Inside: "Welcome to the 'do as I say and not as I did' years."
Inside: "Hope your birthday is free of bad-mommy moments."
Inside: "Also, I'm excited about your baby. But c'mon, those boobs! Dang, girl!" -- Note that this card's cover is editable, so you can put in the name of your friend and mom-to-be!

New on "Hallmarkers Who Blog" List

2009-08-28T17:02:00.007-05:00

We just added another fabulous person to the "Hallmarkers Who Blog" list: Teresa L.!

Teresa, from the East Coast, is a senior greetings editor and has been with Hallmark for four years.

Her blog is www.poetprocastinator.blogspot.com. Wait. Procrastinator is misspelled! Teresa says, “that's right. I'm a writer who can't spell, and it's been immortalized in my URL.”

Teresa started her blog in the summer of 2005. The blog is about mostly stuff and also things. “Truthfully, it's just my musings on any given topic. Lately, I've tried to start labeling posts to see if I seem to address certain topics more than others,” Teresa says.

Teresa says she started a blog because all of her friends were doing it. “Seriously, my awareness of blogging (technically as in "web + log" or online journal) coincided with my relocating to a new city for a job opportunity, so I thought it would be a great way to keep my family and friends informed about the goings-on in my life. As irony would have it, my family doesn't read my blog, to my knowledge - they're phone/text people, by and large.”

There is no blog schedule for Teresa. She blogs when she wants and hopes that if a person stumbles across her blog they will enjoy it. “I want people to get from my blog what I get from the blogs I read: the occasional inspiration, something to laugh at, a break from the task at hand, a slice of a life that isn't their own.”

HOOPS & YOYO DAY AT THE K

2009-08-28T13:44:00.004-05:00

Last Sunday was hoops&yoyo day at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals played (and lost) but everyone had fun. How can you not enjoy yourself when this cat and bunny are on the loose!?

You can read more about the fun on the official hoops&yoyo blog. Check it out!

Build Kansas City

2009-08-26T15:08:00.003-05:00

In these hard economic times feel great about your local purchases because you are giving back to Kansas City.

Build Kansas City from Standard Social on Vimeo.

~ by buildkansas city.org

week 6: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

2009-08-25T13:32:00.014-05:00

THIS IS THE LAST CHALLENGE!

For this week’s challenge (8/24), the challenge is to “Encourage a kid going back to school.”

Going back to school can be challenging, exciting or even nerve-racking time for kids, whether they’re riding the bus, finding their way around a new school or walking from the dorm. There’s no better time than now to tell the kids in your life how wonderful they are. It may just be the boost of confidence they need.

Send a card. It’s the biggest little thing you can do for kids going back to school!

Even though that the challenge is over... please, keep sending cards!

Breakaway Brands from 2009: Hallmark!

2009-08-19T16:27:00.004-05:00

The Hallmark brand is something we talk about a lot around here. I know in recruiting, the Hallmark brand is my friend. People aren't always excited to receive and unsolicited phone call or speak to a random person at a conference, but once you drop the Hallmark name people tend to perk up. It's nice. Really nice, actually.

Hallmark has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Breakaway Brands of 2009. Click here to read the article. Here's what AOL Daily Finance and Landor Associates had to say about Hallmark:

The greeting card company earned a spot on our list by going non-traditional, rolling out a customizable digital e-card studio, a line of earth-friendly greeting cards, and a card series called “Journeys” (a line of encouragement cards focused on fighting cancer, coming out, and battling depression). On the screen, the Hallmark Channel reached out to a younger audience by casting more youthful actors and updating music and advertising to appeal to the under-30 set. The company also dramatically expanded its retail presence in grocery stores, drugstores, and even into Walmart.

week 5: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

2009-08-18T09:51:00.000-05:00

For this week’s challenge (8/17), the challenge is to “Reconnect with a friend.”

Remember, you don't have to mail a physical card. Send an e-card! It's the biggest little thing you can do.

Kansas City designer on "PROJECT RUNWAY"

2009-08-13T10:31:00.004-05:00

Ari (say it AIR-ee) Fish, 26-year-old graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute, is one of the 16 designers sixth season of “Project Runway.”

Watch Ari Fish's casting session.

Season 6 of "Project Runway" (filmed in L.A.) premieres at 9pm, Aug. 20 it's new network, Lifetime.

More on Ari.
• Kansas City Star
• Lifetime

week 4: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

2009-08-11T23:22:00.001-05:00

This is the fourth week of the Hallmark Employee Card Challenge.

For this week’s challenge (8/10), the challenge is to “Brighten someone's day through humor.”

Send a card! It's the biggest little thing you can do.

Twilight + Hallmark (insert my 13 year-old girly shriek here)

2009-08-11T10:32:00.005-05:00

People Magazine gave Hallmark's Twilight Greeting Cards front page space this morning online. YAY! I don't know if I'm more excited about Hallmark, Twilight, or People. It's the ultimate trifecta for me. We even have Twilight ecards at hallmark.com! Seriously, could this day get any better?

Check out the article on People.com. I'm off to reread the Twilight series...

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

2009-08-05T14:08:00.002-05:00

July's theme for the Artist Trading Card (ATC) trade at Hallmark was "summer fun." Check out the fun!

You can see more at my ATC blog.

week 3: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

2009-08-04T20:52:00.002-05:00

This is the third week of the Hallmark Employee Card Challenge.

For this week’s challenge (8/3), the challenge is to “Support someone who is going a rough time.”

Send a card! It's the biggest little thing you can do.

Ok, ok...

2009-07-29T16:29:00.008-05:00

...so call me a sap, but I like a nice "feel good" movie once in awhile.

This Saturday, a new Hallmark Channel Original Movie makes its premiere. Check out the trailer for "Mrs. Washington goes to Smith" here. The cast looks strong, the storyline funny and inspirational, and with some popcorn and red wine (or whatever your weekend drink of choice), could make for a nice girl's night... I think I just might invite some gals over to tune in this weekend!

week 2: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

2009-07-27T09:40:00.004-05:00

Ok, we're in week two of the Hallmark Employee Card Challenge.

For this week’s challenge (7/27), the challenge is to “Connect with a Mom.” Moms juggle jobs, kids, family and friends. They need a little bit of humor, encouragement and empathy to get through the ups and downs and the crazy reality of being a mom. Send a Mom a card this week to tell her you know what it’s like, you’ve got her back, it’s OK to be ‘proudly imperfect’ and that she’s doing great.

You can send a card too! It's the biggest little thing you can do.

Oprah’s O magazine brings its “Live Your Best Life” mission to Kansas City

2009-07-22T21:44:00.002-05:00

Oprah’s Live Your Best Life mission is coming to Kansas City, Mo., with a day of interactive lifestyle seminars featuring some of Oprah’s best pals and well-known, hand-picked experts.

O You! will be Oct. 24 at the Kansas City Convention Center. Experts include Gayle King, O, The Oprah Magazine’s editor-at-large; New York Times best-selling author and O’s resident life coach Martha Beck; interior designerNate Berkus; political strategist and author Donna Brazile; make-up artist Ross Burton; O contributing editor Jancee Dunn; weight loss specialist Jim Karas; television host and O columnist Suze Orman; cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz; organizational management guru Peter Walsh; and Stacy London, co-host of TLC’s “What Not to Wear.”

Tickets are $99 and went on sale June 24.

week 1: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

2009-07-21T09:15:00.009-05:00

For the next six weeks the employees here at Hallmark are doing the Hallmark Employee Card Challenge. We're going to send a card every week to friends, family, kids and grown-ups.

For this week’s challenge (7/20), the challenge is to “Encourage a kid with an unexpected card.” Take a minute to celebrate a win, build confidence, encourage, support and make a kid smile. Send an encouragement card today and create a memorable moment in the everyday life of a kid you care about. It’s a small gesture, but an unexpected card can have a big reaction.

You can send a card too! It's the biggest little thing you can do.

Off-the-Wall Film Series

2009-07-17T21:01:00.006-05:00

It's Friday night and I'm in my apartment downtown with the window open, no TV on and I hear these loud voices outside. And I remember... it's the film series at the Kansas City Public Library Central Branch.

It's 'Off-the-Wall Film Series' on the third Friday evening throughout September on their rooftop terrace. The free shows start at 8:45 and they provide free popcorn.

I can see it from my window...

Click here to learn more.

Whoop Dee Doo Art Collective

2009-07-17T09:51:00.008-05:00

Whoop Dee Doo was created by a group of Kansas City Artists in 2006 as a way to promote the arts community in our city. It has now expanded into a faux public access variety fun show. They dance, have fun, learn cool things, play games, and perform skits by Kansas City's talented community. All the events are kid-friendly, and costume encouraged.

Whoop Dee Doo Live Filming November 2008 La Esquina (short) from Whoop Dee Doo on Vimeo.

Our local NPR station recorded a little interview with Jaimie and Matt (The Hosts) about Whoop Dee Doo. & I recently discovered their Vimeo videos. Check them out!

KC's Sprint Center Ranked Among the Top Venues in the World

2009-07-15T21:05:00.003-05:00

Yup, you read that right -- The 2-year-old Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City was recently ranked No. 14 on the list of the world's top venues. It also ranked No. 5 in the U.S. venue rankings. Check out the full article here.

ELLE Decor goes to Kansas City!

2009-06-26T16:36:00.004-05:00

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the InterContinental

Check out the great article in ELLE Decor this month featuring Kansas City!

Also quoted is Hallmark's very own David Jimenez. I especially enjoyed the last page of the article where they showcase the "Essential Kansas City." If you haven't been here to visit yet, what's stopping you?

(Thanks to Mimi & Meg for bringing this article to my attention!)

Hallmark on Twitter

2009-06-19T13:12:00.002-05:00

Hey! Are you on Twitter?
Then you should Follow Hallmark!

Tell your friends about it, you might even get in on some instant deals and discounts!

Take the Kids to KC

2009-06-18T09:51:00.009-05:00

Last week, there was a great article on CNN.com about Kansas City being a perfect summer vacation destination for the whole family.

The article highlighted Hallmark's own Kaleidoscope, where kids can let their creativity shine through craft projects of all kinds, and the Hallmark Visitors Center, where you can learn the rich history of Hallmark and see how greeting cards are created.

Other highlights in the article include: Fritz's Railroad Restaurant, The College Basketball Experience, Science City, and Schlitterbahn Vacation Village.

You can read the full article here, or just come visit us in KC!

Oh, and because summer vacations always remind me of sending postcards back home to my friends, I found some cool vintage Kansas City postcards to share...Enjoy!

To browse more postcards, visit the Kansas City Public Library's Flickr Photostream.

Free Friday Night Flicks at Crown Center 2009

2009-06-16T14:01:00.002-05:00

I saw a poster today for the free movies at the Crown Center.

Grab your lawn chairs and blankets and head to the Free Friday Night Flicks at Crown Center. Films will be shown on the huge outdoor screen on the Crown Center Square located across from the Crown Center Shops July 3rd - August 14th, 2009. Admission is free and the movies begin at around 9pm. Concessions are also available.

Free Friday Night Flicks 2009 Schedule:
July 3rd: 'The Sandlot'
July 10th:'Men in Black'
July 17th:'The Karate Kid'
July 24th: 'Dr. Strangelove'

Colbert Record

2009-06-12T13:00:00.001-05:00

Wednesday night on the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert had Tom Hanks on the show, and they used one of Hallmark's Mother's Day recordables to record a message for the troops (among many other weird things). See it below:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Tom Hanks Care Package

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Stephen Colbert in Iraq

All care packages should include Hallmark cards... and puppies.

i just read that Tom Hanks has actually recorded some of these cards for real too. here.

Happy Friday.

A ROARING 20s WEDDING SHOW

2009-06-11T10:40:00.003-05:00

Join The Wedding Hive as they present a 1920’s inspired Wedding Expo – The Bee’s Knees! This one of a kind event takes place at Terrace on Grand (1520 Grand Blvd., KCMO 64108) on June 11th from 5:00pm – 8:30pm. The Wedding Hive has gathered Kansas City’s finest independent wedding vendors for their biannual summer wedding exhibit.

Should be lots of cool inspiration whether you're already married, not getting married any time soon, or getting married! The first 100 guests through the door get a complimentary, tasty beverage!

West 18th Street Fashion Show

2009-06-05T09:02:00.008-05:00

Exciting! I almost forgot that the West 18th Street Fashion Show in the Crossroads is tomorrow, June 6th. at 8pm.

This year's theme as you can see on the poster is Summer in Space. The free show will feature 18 collections from a select group of local and national designers:

Clothing Designers

Andrew Hansen

Abigail Carolina

Georgianna Londré Buchanan

Ari Fish & Peggy Noland

birdies

Jessy Bergmann

Jovana Mirabile

Joscelyn Himes

Katie Coble

Julie Potratz & Rebecca Taylor

Lacey Doherty

Lindsay Rae Miller

Rachel Rolon

Nataliya Meyer

Sovannra Yos

Sára Emami

Shannon Bailey

Spool*

Jewelry Designers

It will be great! Check out the website for more information & their blog.

New on "Hallmarkers Who Blog" List

2009-06-03T09:27:00.005-05:00

We just added another fabulous person to the "Hallmarkers Who Blog" list: Ana R.! Below is part of her self-authored bio. I can picture Ana saying this out loud -- ah! Another woman who writes like she talks (that is a complement-we could be besties, girl). Keep rockin, Ana!

"Hello. My name is Ana Reinert and I am noticing that I kind of have enormous hair in this picture. Hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it? Currently, I work as a graphic designer for a tiny little division of a great big greeting card company. Before moving to Kansas City, I lived and worked in Chicago, Albuquerque and Knoxville, TN. I never imagined I’d live in Kansas City but sometimes fate plays a hand in our lives and we just have to go with it. I am also a photographer, frequent doodler, knitter, blogger and a (crazy) cat lady. I obsessively collect office supplies, particularly pencils and pens but I can be swayed off the road by an art supply store as quickly as an Office Depot. Some things can’t be helped..."

Stop by and check out Sugaroni!

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

2009-05-28T10:00:00.006-05:00

May's theme for the Artist Trading Card (ATC) trade at Hallmark was "shimmer, sparkle & shine." It's so cool to see how each individual interprets the them. Each card is SO DIFFERENT!

You can see more at my ATC blog.

Handmade Nation

2009-05-19T13:42:00.005-05:00

Today the filmmaker of Handmade Nation Faythe Levine was here at Hallmark to present her documentary about the rise of D.I.Y. art, craft and design.

It was very inspirational for me personally since I am a crafter myself. And I think it's SO AWESOME that Hallmark got her to come here and show her film.

Chalk Walk Success

2009-04-30T20:04:00.006-05:00

Hi there, here are a few photos from Chalk Walk this weekend. It was a great event! I finished my piece in one day, I felt like it was going to rain all morning on Saturday but it held up until I left. :)

Chalk Walk Festival

2009-04-23T12:02:00.007-05:00

2nd Annual Chalk Walk Festival

Hello There!

I wanted to blog about Chalk Walk, happening this weekend in the Historic Northeast of Kansas City.

The festival runs Saturday & Sunday from 9 - 5pm. I signed up to be one of the artists, and I got a call yesterday that Chipotle would be sponsoring me! I get a 6 ft by 6 ft space, and I will be doing a Latin American inspired drawing. I'm really excited since I've never done anything like this before.

What I love about this event is that it benefits the Youth in the neighborhood where the festival will take place, by bringing in funds from the sponsors and using it for after-school arts programs.

More Info. Chalk Walk KC

Say What You Need to Say-Video Link

2009-04-17T09:40:00.006-05:00

We posted a few days ago about Hallmark's new ad campaign, The biggest little thing you can do. Here's the video link. Check it out and pass along to others!

An Interesting Debate

2009-04-13T11:24:00.006-05:00

Watch this video from The Today Show, and let us know your take on Hallmark's Journeys card line, which provides cancer cards and other cards that address life's "difficult to discuss" situations.

More info on Journeys can be found on our website.

Rainbow Bright Returns!

2009-04-07T14:41:00.006-05:00

...and other exciting Hallmark news!

First let me learn ya some stuffs! Did you know that in 1984 Rainbow Bright was created by Hallmark?

Today, Hallmark officially learned about our return to Rainbow Land with Rainbow Bright and the Color Kids. That's right, Playmates has picked up the rights to release the toys this summer or fall for the 25th anniversary of the franchise! For Fall 2009, they will be debuting three dolls (Rainbow Brite, Moonglow, Tickled Pink) and three horses (Starlite, Sunriser, Shimmer). Below, might be your first look at the new, slightly older, updated look for Ms. Bright and her horse Starlite:

We'll try and keep you current on the renewal of this beloved character, but in the meantime, check out the Unofficial Rainbow Bright website for updates.

Also, did you know that Crayola is one of Hallmarks Subsidiaries? Well, they are, and they were here talking about their latest and greatest creation, the Color Wonder Magic Light Brush. For those who have no clue what this is, it's a brush that fiber-optically lights up depending on the paint it's dipped in. The lights are needed because the paint is clear, and only reacts to the Color Wonder Paper, so there is no mess. Woh. There is a lot of technologies going on here at one time.

Lots of other exciting things, exclusive things, are happening to Hallmark Gold Crown stores this year — especially around Christmas. When we're allowed to talk about them more openly, we'll be sure to let you know.

For now, i hope this tickles your fancy.
-Josh

Hallmark blast from the past

2009-04-05T22:20:00.003-05:00

I was at the River Market Antique Shop today and I saw these Hallmark plastic party cups. TOO CUTE! Why don't we make these anymore?!?

new pizza spot in KC

2009-04-05T22:06:00.006-05:00

Today some friends and I checked out the new Plaza location of Spin Neapolitan Pizza. It's super cute and the food was the right price, right portions and right taste.

The graphics were done by our local FAV, Hammerpress.

This is where you walk in and order at the counter. There are plenty of choices. Pizza, salad panninis and gelato too. You order at the register and take your seat.

You get your table number on this cool piece of wood.

The food was yummy. I'll be back!

The Little Things We Do…

2009-04-02T14:32:00.006-05:00

I was looking at some of my favorite blogs today and I ran across a posting on Hostess with the Mostess blog talking about doing little things for people. And there I saw a collage of Hallmark images! How awesome is that?!?

Hostess with the Mostess expressed that she doesn't leave "surprise cards" for her friends as much as she used to anymore due to the daily stresses in life.

"I found myself feeling creative & happy today just remembering how good it feels when you know that you’ve made someone else happy," she says. "With everything that’s going on in the world today, it seems like now might be a better time than ever to start paying attention to the “little things” and spreading some more joy around."

I thought it was such a great reminder on how to give a little happy to the people we care about and make a difference in our daily lives. Send a Hallmark card!

Say What You Need to Say

2009-03-30T12:30:00.005-05:00

In a new series of 15-second television spots that feature John Mayer's "Say" as a musical backdrop, Hallmark's new ad campaign reminds us that there are little things we can do that will have a big impact on people.

In the midst of the current economic recession, people are turning inward to close family and friends to get through the tough times. Sometimes something as little as a 99-cent greeting card is all it takes to give people a smile or a laugh.

I for one, am very proud of this ad campaign and of Hallmark.

Have no fear for givin' in
Have no fear for gettin' over
You better know that in the end
It's better to say to much
Than to never say what you need to say...
-John Mayer, "Say"

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

2009-03-26T13:34:00.003-05:00

March's theme for the Artist Trading Card (ATC) trade at Hallmark was "red." I still have my hard-core group coming to trade. It's such a fun and creative exercise!

Here are a sample of the ATCs.

You can see more at my ATC blog.

visiting lecture series

2009-03-24T13:12:00.011-05:00

Today Baron Wolman, the first chief photographer of Rolling Stone magazine, came to do a lecture at Hallmark.

It was really cool to hear his stories and see his images of musicians during the 1960's and 1970's. It was amazing to hear how up close and personal he got with the artists and built relationships to capture that unique photo during the defining moments of Woodstock. Nowadays there are layers of security before you can get to a musician!

Wolman, said he "saw" the music with his eyes through his lens because he was always taking photos of the performance and not having the change to hear the music.

One of the life lessons I took from Wolman was to say "yes to everything." He was a freelance photographer in San Francisco when he ran across the opportunity to take photos for a music magazine. That magazine became the Rolling Stone. Wolman said if you say no to something you don't know what you're saying no to. If you say yes and it doesn't work out you say no next time.

After three years at Rolling Stone Wolman learned how to fly an airplane so he could do ariel photography. He flies his plane, opens the window and takes his photos all at the same time! He was the first photographer allowed in the locker rooms before a pro NFL game. And he's shot may Super Bowl games from the air.

With all of those accomplishments Wolman was overwhelmed with the "cloud of creativity" he felt when he walked through our Hallmark doors. Wow...

Here are some of the images Wolman showed and told stories about in his lecture.

• Johnny Cash, backstage at the Circle Star Theatre, Redwood City, Dec 1967

• Mick Jagger, on the set of Performance, London, Sep 1968 (Shepperton Studios)

• Miles and Betty Davis, at home in New York. Oct 1969

Happy Friday!

2009-03-20T08:45:00.003-05:00

Lately, Paul Rudd has been popping up all over the place. Some people know him as Phebi's boyfriend from Friends, some know him from Clueless, or maybe you have just started to notice him lately as "that one dude from Forty Year Old Virgin". What many of you might not know is that Rudd is from Kansas City, KS. He went to Shawnee Mission West, and eventually KU to study theater.

Well, this week you can catch Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in the hilarious new comedy, I Love You, Man. I had the privilege of seeing this movie about a month ago, and it was truly very funny. The Lawrence based, movie critic site, Scene Stealers, held an advanced screening for the movie, and this is what they had to say (click the link for a video review). My review? Well, i was an interesting twist on a pretty generic plot. Rudd and Segel carry the movie with dry, awkward humor. But it isn't without a love story, with that girl from The Office, Jim's ex. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good laugh (especially if it rains this weekend).

If you are a fan of an animated feature more, Paul Rudd is also playing a voice in the new Dreamworks animation Monsters VS Aliens. Another movie I liked lots, but this one doesn't come out until next week. The animation is just breath-taking, and really, any movie is just SOO cool to watch in 3D. When you are done seeing the movie, you can go out and buy some of our licensed cards too and understand the characters.

OK, that's it. Enjoy your weekend.
-Josh

PS. Congrats to KU for moving on today.

Surreal World

2009-03-16T20:41:00.001-05:00

Here is something fun to start out the week:

World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.
A strange man builds a world using holographic tools for the woman he loves.

This award winning short was created by filmmaker Bruce Branit, widely known as the co-creator of '405'. World Builder was shot in a single day followed by about 2 years of post production. Branit is the owner of Branit VFX based in Kansas City.He has also done visual effects for many popular commercials, movies, and TV shows. Including my personal favorite, LOST. For more info check out his website.

http://www.branitvfx.com

Beautiful weather we are having here in Kansas City. Be jealous (if you are not here of course).

-Josh

cre·a·tiv·i·ty

Kansas City !

StoryCorps visits Kansas City

Oklahoma Joe's

Summer Veggies

Quixotic

it's color week at Hallmark

it's color week at Hallmark

it's color week at Hallmark

Christopher Elbow's Glacé Ice Cream Shop Opens

36 Hours in Kansas City, Missouri

hoops&yoyo Fan Store Now Open!

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The LOVE Stamp

celebrating Earth Day at Hallmark

West 18th Street Fashion Show

The Art of the Crown

Disney Princesses on Ice

Hallmark Channel Branding

Big 12

Sourdough Bread

the new Garment District opens today

HELLO ART

precious places in Kansas City

Hoops & Yoyo LOVE you!

Cards Reflect Our Culture

I'm Keeping Busy, and so is Hallmark.

Crowns honoring Hallmark's 100th Birthday!

Centennial Colors

KCUR Covers Hallmark Centennial Celebration

How is a greeting card born?

What does a 100th Birthday Party look like?

Happy Birthday, Hallmark!

Happy 100th!

Hallmark is Turning 100!

new online magazine

Kansas City in the New York Post

Hallmarker chicks rock out!

Union Station Model Trains

The Plaza's Season of Lights

Hallmark Creative Summer Internship Program

Star Wars: In Concert Recap

FOUR FOODIES

Mayor's Christmas Tree

Why I love my job #2,987,501

WICKED!

Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.

Holidays by Design 2009

National World War I Muesum

KC Massacre

Beautiful!

Ripple Glass

Blog Action Day: climate change

Have you been to our careers website lately?

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

Hallmark 100th anniversary

something something something... voiceovers for Disney...something something... Bret Iwan....

Exciting News!

The Drifting Creatives

The Edge of Motherhood

New on "Hallmarkers Who Blog" List

HOOPS & YOYO DAY AT THE K

Build Kansas City

week 6: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

Breakaway Brands from 2009: Hallmark!

week 5: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

Kansas City designer on "PROJECT RUNWAY"

week 4: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

Twilight + Hallmark (*insert my 13 year-old girly shriek here*)

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

week 3: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

Ok, ok...

week 2: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

Oprah’s O magazine brings its “Live Your Best Life” mission to Kansas City

week 1: Hallmark Employee Card Challenge

Off-the-Wall Film Series

Whoop Dee Doo Art Collective

KC's Sprint Center Ranked Among the Top Venues in the World

ELLE Decor goes to Kansas City!

Hallmark on Twitter

Twilight + Hallmark (insert my 13 year-old girly shriek here)