Chalk Walk Success

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

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

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

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!

...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

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

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…

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

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

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

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!

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.