Italian free blown | Celebrate365

Halloween is on the way!

The Halloween issue of Celebrate365 is off to the printer tomorrow morning. This is was created electronically in its entirety. No proofs printer or sent, all digital images, pdf proofs … There’s definitely a learning curve but we survived the new experience and I think we can continue.

The Halloween issue continues to outsell all the other seasons. This year, Celebrate365 received submissions from 71 different artists, designers and manufacturers. Talking about record-setting participation! This just might be the best issue in our history … well you can tell us!

We anticipate shipping this issue during the last week of September.

Want to order a single copy? No problem. Please CLICK here! You’ll find a quick preview of what you’ll read about in this upcoming issue!

Coming Your Way … Celebrate365 Summer Issue

It’s in the mail … the summer issue of Celebrate365 … featuring ornaments and folk art from these designers:

	Who do you know? Can you match the designer with his or her creation? Artistry of Poland Carrie Murtha Christina’s World Christopher Radko David Strand Inge-glas JingleNog Lori Ann Corelis Maggie’s Memories for Bethany Lowe Designs Nancy Malay Pam Garcia Patricia Breen Soffieria De Carlini Thomas Glenn Answers to follow!

	Who is Who on the Cover: Front Cover: Row 1: David Strand Sunflower Santa; Carrie Murtha Blue Cat Hot Air Balloon; Artistry of Poland Sun and Moon (double-faced ornament) Row 1: Patricia Breen Tartan Beeskep; Thomas Glenn Japanese Lantern, Raspberry; Artistry of Poland Butterfly Row 3 (on watermelon): Christinas’s World Golden Sunflowers; Soffieria De Carlini Caterpillar; Inge-glas Lucky Lady Bugs (full size & petite); Artistry of Poland Sunflower; Soffieria De Carlini Ants Bottom of Page: JingleNog Ribit-O-Rana Back Cover: Row 1: JingleNog SunDays; Thomas Glenn Oriental Teapot Row 2: Thomas Glenn Swan; Christopher Radko Nap Time Nick Row 3: Patricia Breen Aviary Finial, Green; Nancy Malay Patriotic Chester; Pam Garcia Hotdog Vendor; Lori Ann Corelis E Plurbus Row 4: Maggie’s Memories for Bethany Lowe Designs Yankee Doodle Dandy; Carrie Murtha Smiling Frog Row 5: Soffieria De Carlini Gentleman Snake; Christopher Radko Beat the Heat; JingleNog Sailor’s Delight; Christopher Radko Sandy Family
Featured in this issue: Artistry of Poland Bethany Lowe Designs, Maggie’s Memories Bronner’s Carmen Ellis, Spooky Hollow Carrie Murtha Christina’s World Christopher Radko David Strand Designs Flora Thompson Inge-glas Jennifer MacNeill Traylor JingleNog Joy to the World Klassics by Kurtis, 248-593-1034 Lori Ann Corelis Nancy Malay Old World Christmas Ornaments to Remember Pam Gracia Patricia Breen Robert Brawley Soffieria De Carlini Susan Vanderhoek Sweetb Folk Art Thomas Glenn Please Support Our Advertisers: Bethany Lowe Designs Apple Tree Gallery David Strand Designs Debbee Thibault Elaine Roesle’s Snow Children Eric Cortina Ornaments The Heart Cottage The Historical Christmas Barn Kitty’s Ltd Spooky Time Jingles Williams Nursery Willow Springs Family Farm

Celebrate365, Spring Issue Arriving Soon


Coming soon to a mailbox near you … Celebrate365’s Spring 2010 issue! Cover design: Sheryl Parsons – Mother’s Dream Artworks Celebrate365 is beginning its second decade of reporting holiday, ornament and folk art news. I can hardly believe that it has been 10 years since this little “retirement” pastime began. How technology has changed in those 10 years! Back in October 1999, I used my brand new, top of the line 1.5 megapixel Sony digital camera to take photos for the the Halloween test issue. I must say that my camera and editing skills have improved significantly over that first black and white issue. I’ll be announcing 10th Anniversary celebrations and surprises in the coming days and weeks. Stop back often for updates! To purchase a single copy of this issue, CLICK here.
Inside this Issue:

Illustrated in this Issue: On the Cover Designers: Bethany Lowe Designs Allen Cunningham for BLD Debra Schoch for BLD Johanna Parker (BLD) Bruce Elsass Christina’s World Christopher Radko David Strand Designs Debbee Thibault Elaine Roesle Eric Cortina JingleNog Joy to the World Collectibles Maggie’s Memories Ornaments to Remember Soffieria De Carlini Teena Flanner Thomas Glenn Vaillaincourt Folk Art: Carrie Murtha Elizabeth Howard David Everett Flora Thompson Lori Rudolph Inside the Issue (Easter): Bethany Lowe Designs Greg Guedel Carrie Murtha Christina’s World Christopher Radko David Everett David Strand Designs Debbee Thibault Elizabeth Howard Flora Thompson Folk Art from the Heart Ginny Diezel Greg Guedel JingleNog Laurie Hardin Lori Rudolph Mary Lesniak Nancy Malay Patricia Breen Design Sheryl Parsons Soffieria De Carlini Inside the Issue (Atlanta 2010): Bethany Lowe Allen Cunningham Debra Schoch Dee Foust Johanna Parker Maggie’s Memories Vergie Lightfoot Bruce Elass David Strand Debbee Thibault Christina’s World Christopher Radko Elaine Roesle Eric Cortina Inge-glas JingleNog Joy to the World Klassics by Kurtis Old World Christmas Ornaments to Remember Teena Flanner Soffieria De Carlini Thomas Glenn Vaillancourt Folk Art Shop for Items Illustrated in this Issue: Eric Cortina Collection Chicken Lips The Christmas Tree David Strand Designs Elaine Roesle’s Snow Children The Heart Cottage The Historical Christmas Barn Kitty’s Ltd Williams Nursery Willow Springs Family Farm

Sunday – Another Day With Connie

On Sunday, we road MARTA in to AmericasMart Atlanta. It was a tad bit chilly outside waiting for the train but it was a lot better than trying to deal with icy roads and trying to find parking. Benita stayed back with our hosts Mark & Margaret Feit to help prepare for the annual Celebrate365 reception that would be held in their beautiful home later that evening.

Our first stop was in the West Wing Gourmet temporaries. Connie looked for a cup of coffee and I found sipping chocolate. Wow, is that stuff rich! Next stop was the High Design temporaries, Connie was gathering ideas and also stopped off at Glory B Hats. She found out that they were doing another give away, so we headed off to get our free hats.

With hats on head, we were off to JingleNog – Connie had work to do there.

Connie had to finish up at Thomas Glenn, so off we went. I left her to finish up her work there to grab a cup of coffee. While waiting in line for my coffee I was inundated with questions about the hat I was wearing. Since I had become a walking display for Glory B Hats, I figured I should at least be able to give people a bit more info about them, so I headed off to their display to see if I could grab a few business cards to hand out.

After we finished up at Thomas Glenn, we grabbed a bite to eat in the Press Room, then headed off to the Eric Cortina showroom. I could not take my eyes off the Christmas Candy ornament – a clear glass apothecary jar filled with blown glass candy – amazing!

Next stop – Klassics By Kurtis where we got a peek at the tribute piece to the “Gloved One” – a glove covered in silver sequins and a “Big Boy” ornament that sparked a conversation into the history of the “Big Boy” restaurants.

Off to Inge-Glas, where we got the complete tour of the showroom. Look at those chocolates – good enough to eat! Continuing on to see the amazing artisanship and detail, but I don’t want to spoil anything that Connie will be writing about her visit to their showroom.

It was time for us to gather up our belonging and head to the MARTA station because their was still a party to throw that evening.

This has been the second of three guest posts by Leslie Kirk.

A Day With Connie

While driving over to Atlanta Saturday morning to meet up with Connie and her sister Benita of Willow Springs … a family farm at AmerciasMart Atlanta an idea came to me. We all enjoy the beautiful publication Celebrate365 that Connie creates for us, so I thought a behind the scenes look at what goes on would be fun to share.

The day started off with me arriving in Atlanta around 10am, trying to find a “reasonably” priced place to park near the AmericasMart -Atlanta $25 a day to park in the garage was a bit too steep in my book. I did find a place a few blocks away. Walking in the bitter cold back to the Gift Mart had me rethinking the value of the parking deck. After meeting up with Connie & Benita, Connie took me to get my badge “that must be displayed at all times”.

Elaine Roesle graciously let us store our coats and excess “baggage” in her showroom closet. When Elaine was not busy talking with buyers, you could watch the great care that is taken with each individual piece in action. I was also introduced to Luca Terruzzi of Soffieria De Carlini Italian Ornaments.

Benita and I wandered off to attend the keynote address by Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business. The session was a very informative reminder as to why we need to be using blogs, Facebook and Twitter. After that we met back up with Connie on the 20th Floor. Then we headed to the Press Room for credentialed media types like ourselves and had a nice lunch.

We stopped off for a few minutes to chat with Debbee Thibault and she showed off some of her beautiful work to us. We then headed over to see the JingleNog and Thomas Glenn displays. Connie had quite a bit of work to do at the Thomas Glenn booth. Since photographing and measuring every ornament would be time consuming, I wandered off to see other parts of the Gift Mart.

More treats were in store for us this evening as we made our way back to the 20th Floor to attend Halloween Carnevil – a whimsical little Halloween party that included a meet & greet with the artists along with a signing event.

What a wonderful surprise it was for me to see old friends again – Glenn Lewis and Debi Thomas of Traditions. This year I had the pleasure of meeting Debi’s mother. The last time I saw Glenn or Debi was in 2001.

We left the Gift Mart around 8pm, wrapping up glitter jam packed day. This is only one of eight days that Connie will spend gathering information for all of us to ahhhh and ohhhh over.

This has been the first of three guest posts by Leslie Kirk.

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