HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AMERICA!

Editor's Note: I was going to post this a couple weeks ago but was afraid ABC (the big one in New York) would make me yank it. I think we're close enough to the time of release now that I'm safe. If this post is gone in the next day or two, please send a search party for me. Also... Good Morning America is in KC on Wednesday, so I'm thinking that might be the day of the big reveal. Stay tuned... -Bess

Thanks to the creative talents of our Trend Expert, Scott Butterfield, and a collaborative Hallmark team, Kansas City will be wishing America happy holidays this December.

ABC’s Good Morning America will transform its ground-level studio windows at Times Square into three holiday display windows, each featuring a different city. Throughout the season, the two-sided displays will be visible from inside the GMA studios and by foot traffic on Broadway and 44th street. Nine cities were invited to compete for a window, and through the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association, Kansas City’s invitation ended up in Scott’s hands.

With his background in visual merchandising and store design, Scott was a great choice to lead a collaborative team to work on the entry. Illustrators, designers, and lettering artists all helped to develop the concept. Partners in retail and our model shop helped with the initial renderings. The Union Hill Photo Studio contributed through the efforts of photographers and photo retouchers bringing the photos to life. In Scott’s words, “they’ve all brought unique and valuable perspectives and talent to this project.”

Needless to say, their resulting design and presentation blew the judges away, making Kansas City GMA’s first choice! The winning concept will be unveiled on Good Morning America during the week of December 3-5. It features ornament vignettes, inspired by the magical light innovation of our own Keepsakes ornaments.

I'd share a sketch of what the window is going to look like, but I've been informed that you'll have to wait until GMA unveils it. So be sure to tune in to Good Morning America the week of December 3-5!

Read more here.

TrendPlant ACTIVITIES

September 29th was our last TrendPlant meeting. So sad not to be meeting each month, but it was so great!

We had a potluck and everyone brought awesome fall food!!!







It was such an honor and great opportunity to be in the pilot TrendPlant group. I've learned so much more about researching. I'm going to bring my new findings back to my team so everyone can be inspired.

TrendPlant ACTIVITIES

We, the TrendPlant group, went on our last retail outting 9/29.

First we went to Ten Thousand Villages in downtown Overland Park. They work with artistan groups around the world for quality and authentic goods. I believe some of the money from your purchase goes back to the country the item came from.

I thought the place was a great spot to get unigue gifts. The prices were reasonable too.








Then we went to Dean & DeLuca for lunch. Didn't have much time to look at all of the goodies because we were off down the street to West Elm.


A fall masculine theme was definitely present.


I'm sad that this was our last outing. Being in the group was such a privilege and I learned so many new research skills to apply to my job and personal projects.

TrendPlant ACTIVITIES

Every year at Hallmark the Trends department has COLOR WEEK. It's a week full of inspirational presentations on color.

There is always a cool poster announcing the event. This year the members of TrendPlant were asked to make a poster and ALL of them would be posted. I was so happy and honored to be a part of this project and see my poster along with the other awesome designers in the group.

So here they are!

by Elizabeth



by Court



by Ralanna



by me, Jeanee



by Kristine



by Kim




by Dee

TrendPlant ACTIVITIES

Last Thursday was another fun-filled monthly meeting in my Hallmark TrendPlant group.

Our object of our afternoon retail excursion was to see if the business had:
• theme or intent
• if the product or service reinforced by experience
• what could have been better
• what was great

First we went to Blue Grotto, a new pizza place in Brookside, for lunch.

This gorgeous place used to be some sock store. But now owner, Chris Graham makes authentic Italian pizza. The secret is this super-fine flour used in the crust, which Chris special orders for his pizza.

The place has only been open for like a month. So go check it out! (Sorry I didn't get any pics of the pizza, but the all LOOKED exceptional!).

Brookside had just started their summer sidewalk sale. After lunch we walked over to Shop Girls.

Super cute store with unique stuff. And a super cute business card.














Then we went next door to 5B & Co. Candlemakers. They make handmade candles.

Too many scents to smell! The food smells made me want dessert!

Then on the way back to Hallmark we went to B Bop comic store.

Love the store sign.

I even found a cute birdie Brookside brochure. I even found the new Blue Grotto restaurant listed!


I can't wait for our August TrendPlant outing!

TrendPlant ACTIVITIES

At Hallmark we have a cool trends department ran by Marita and Scott. They chose 8 employees to meet on a monthly basis to develop our research skills. I'm so happy to be in this group to sharpen my research skills. The group is called TrendPlant.

For this month's theme was customization. So I suggested we do a swap. What's a swap? Well, everyone makes a list of their likes and dislikes of their hobbies and such. Then we drew names and kept our swap partner a secret. Kinda like secert Santa. The swap theme was green, the color and eco-friendly items.

Here is a photo of everyone's packages today. They all look so nice!!!


These are some of the items I gave my swap partner.


This is the package I received.

I like to cook and I don't have any bamboo cooking utensils. So that was a super fun thing to receive!

After we opened our goodies Marita took us out to the Leawood, KS in•gre•di•ent location.

They've been open for a month. I've been to the Lawrence, KS once and they are opening one on the Plaza soon.

I ordered mahi tacos.


We ate outside. There were colorful chairs and a oversized plant bucket water fountain.


It was a fun afternoon. And it was work too!!!