Plant a Flower, Celebrate Spring

Everyone loves a holiday, and if you look, you’ll discover that just about every day of the year is some sort of holiday. Well, we discovered that tomorrow is “Plant A Flower Day.” Is that sweet or what? It’s timely, too, since spring seems to finally be tip-toeing in; after all, last week was positively polar.

I remember that my own grandmother maintained a garden for years. She grew her own tomatoes and zucchinis, and she also planted beautiful border beds around her entryway and the trees in her back yard. When I visited her around this time of year, she enlisted my help, and I loved helping plant all the flowers because I got to pick the colors of the flowers when we selected them from her local nursery. To this day, when I look at pansies, I remember her—she was the one who taught me about their “faces.”

Now my little boy is about the same age I was when I first began helping my grandmother in her garden. And my own mother is anxious again to have her grandson visit her again. She has purchased large pots to plant an assortment of spring flowers, and she can’t wait to have his help!

It just so happens that we are premiering a BRAND NEW Precious Moments figurine. Just like we think “Plant a Flower Day” is such a sweet idea, we think this little teardrop-eyed boy makes such a sweet presentation. I can’t wait to place my order so I can send this one to my mother. If you’d like to order one as well, please respond to this posting or let us know on Facebook!

A Night to Remember Is Always Better When Shared

March is a big month for me. It’s my mom’s birthday month, my husband’s birthday month and my own birthday month. And there’s March Madness, of course. They say it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but I have to say it has come in like a polar bear this year. It has been unseasonably cold!

Another March event is the Academy Awards. I usually watch every year, although it’s difficult to stay up until the very end—especially this year. See, I used to watch the Oscars every year with my close friend, who now lives in Texas. We made an event out of the show and rated the red carpet looks, watched who showed up with whom and, of course, we chose the winners and watched to see if our guesses were correct. And for me, they are truly guesses. I have a 4-year old, and while going to the movies isn’t impossible, it’s hard to see all the nominated films by Oscar night. I will get around to seeing the films, of course—eventually.

This year I kept my date with my friend and watched some of the evening’s presentation while talking on the phone with her. Talking with her and sharing the experience made it so much more fun, and it made me realize that events like this are more fun when shared, much like actually going to a movie with a friend.

So who did we like on the red carpet? Well, we definitely liked Sandra Bullock’s dress. She looked Oscar-worthy, especially with that beautiful makeup. And another standout was Vera Farmiga. Today we learned that both are by the same designer, Marchesa.

Here are those dresses. The photos are from the Oscar.com.



Did you watch the Oscars with friends? Did you have a favorite red carpet look? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook.

Missing A Co-worker

Things in our office environment are almost always fast-paced. There’s always so much to do and think about. Precious Moments figurines are sweet, and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make them not only appealing but also of high quality at a fantastic value.

This week, we are losing one of our long-time office pals. He is moving to our corporate office far away. So on Wednesday, to send him off right, we gave him a good ol’ fashioned breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, grits (we’re in the South), fruit, orange juice and other goodies. It was a great way for everyone to get together and wish him goodbye.

Now his office is empty. It’s a little sad to walk by the space where we used to see him. Not only was he knowledgeable, helpful and prompt when we needed help with things—he kept all of our computers running so smoothly—but he was a good friend to so many. It just goes to show that the true value of a co-worker is hard to quantify and measure. He was a friend, and that’s a priceless thing.

We’ll miss you, Tom! Keep in touch!

Post-Valentine's Day Thoughts

So Valentine’s Day has passed. For some, it was a whirlwind of a weekend. For me, between my son’s 4-year old birthday party, a long-overdue date night with my husband and a lot of odds-and-ends errands, it was a very busy weekend. For a couple of my single friends, it was a weekend of anxiety. Will he call? Will I be the one who doesn’t get flowers in my office-turned-flower-shop workplace?? He did/did not kiss me, and what does that all mean?

Last week I received a call from a friend from college. The cute puppy she got from the animal shelter while we were in college together was put to sleep two weeks ago, and she was absolutely heartbroken over the loss. And when she said, “He was my favorite Valentine,” it made me realize that she did bring him home on February 14. And then it made me realize all over again how animals are wonderful friends. They truly touch our lives in ways that no human being can.

This week, the world-renowned Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is being televised. I know, the Olympics are on, too, but take a break from ski slopes and ice rinks and check this show out! Snuggle up with your own four-legged friend and enjoy the show. The dogs are beautiful, the mood is exciting, and you really can learn a lot about all different kinds of dogs. I also marvel at the glamour of this event—women wearing full-sequined gowns to watch dogs. I’ve been told this is the Super Bowl of dog events.

My son and I will be watching the dog show. He loves dogs. But no, we don’t have a dog! Why? My husband—my dear Valentine—does not like dogs!

This Is My Precious Moment

From the first day that I started to work for The Hamilton Collection, I was impressed by the quality of each of the collectible figurines we create. What I did not realize until recently was the effect a collectible figurine can have on your life. This is my precious moment.

During part of my career here at The Hamilton Collection, I had the opportunity to work with the Product Development team. I spent many weeks, months and years working with a team of talented individuals creating the best Precious Moments collections.

Understanding the intricate details of Sam Butcher’s tear dropped eyed children was not an easy task. Learning design standards such as the measurements of their eye shape, each figurine’s correct proportions and even how their hands were shaped was a challenge I was ready for. What I do not think I was prepared for at the time was the personal impact one Precious Moments figurine would have on my life.

Let me first introduce one of the greatest women to enter my life, my mother-in-law fondly known to all as Granny. She was a beautiful woman so full of life that always sang, laughed and found a silver lining in every cloud. One of her favorite songs was “Singing in the Rain.” She never complained, had a great sense of humor and loved her family. Widowed at a young age, Granny kept her family close and surrounded herself with a simple life building a legacy for her children.

I fell in love with Granny the first time I met her. Her laugh was contagious and I still remember sitting with her that first visit listening to stories about her family. She beamed with love for life and a halo of warmth shined brightly around her. There were many more days like this one that followed, each one creating a new precious moment in my life.

As Mother’s Day 2007 approached, Granny was approaching the celebration of her 84th birthday. She had touched my heart so many times that I wanted to express my love for her in a very special way. I set out on what began as a research project and evolved into a project of love. I wanted to create a scrapbook to preserve Granny’s many memories. I wanted to document the precious moments of Granny’s life.



I still remember her smile the day we gave her the scrapbook along with the Precious Moments “My Granddaughter, My Joy” figurine. Although she was only my mother-in-law, she was a great-grandmother, grandmother, and loving mother to so many. I felt this piece depicted the love we all had for Granny. Plus seeing the grandmother and granddaughter sharing a scrapbook made this truly a precious moment.

This was one of the last moments we had with Granny. In December of that year, she joined her devoted husband for an eternal dance amongst the clouds of heaven. The Precious Moments “My Granddaughter, My Joy” figurine returned to me. It sits atop my shelf in my craft room. When I enter the room and look at this beautiful figurine, I immediately hear Granny’s laugh and “I’m singing in the rain, just singing in the rain”.

If you are looking for a way to express your love for the special people in your life, Precious Moments collectibles have a way of expressing what your heart really feels. I have experienced this first hand, and would love to hear your own stories. What are the Precious Moments of your life?

A Precious Moment Is Worth A Few Very Good Words

The titles for Precious Moments figurines make all the difference, don’t they? It’s part of what endears so many people to them. You can look at the product and think it’s sweet, but then when you turn the figurine upside down to look at the base, the title truly provides the “awww” factor that makes the little teardrop-eyed children so memorable!

For over three decades, Precious Moments figurines have captured the hearts of collectors. Those teardrop eyes are unmistakable and unparalleled, and their titles are a tremendous part of their appeal.

Precious Moments figurine titles often contain a pun that relates to the piece. For example, one of the most well-known Precious Moments figurines, “Love Lifted Me,” shows a little boy and girl on a see-saw.



Here is a more recent figurine titled “Drawing Us Closer Together,” which shows a sweet little boy looking up at his Mother while he draws with Crayola crayons.



Other Precious Moments figurines don’t incorporate titles. Some are more sentimental and focus on relationships. Here is a very popular piece titled, “My Granddaughter, My Joy.” In fact, the title is displayed on Grandmother’s apron, so no need to look on the bottom stamp for the title!



It’s worth noting that Sam Butcher, the creator of Precious Moments, was a chalkboard minister before he began drawing his innocent little teardrop-eyed children. Many of the figurines have an inspirational tone, and so do their corresponding titles. One of the most memorable is “Praise The Lord Anyhow,” portraying a little boy whose ice cream has fallen out of his cone, much to his dog’s delight.



Do you have a favorite Precious Moment figurine? Which one is it, and why is it your favorite? Does the title add to your enjoyment? We invite you to share with us on Facebook!

Resolutions: Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. We’ll, here we are at Day 21 in this New Year, and for some of us, those resolutions we made three weeks ago might be slipping. Maybe you’re sneaking cookies and promising yourself you’ll spend 15 extra minutes on the treadmill (but then don’t) or maybe you’re sneaking cigarettes. Maybe you ran out and bought more Precious Moments figurines when you swore you wouldn’t. (Hey, we’re not complaining about that!)

We’re not therapists, of course, but we can remind you that you’re human! You’re going to slip up, have setbacks, and get derailed. It’s OK. Really!

It has taken us many years of slip-ups and setbacks—and successes, too—to come to the conclusion that life is never all or nothing. But we all seem to view resolutions that way, right? One mistake, and that’s it. All is lost. We certainly don’t live our lives that way!

So on this 21st day of this New Year in this New Decade, let’s focus on a new saying: Plan your work, and work your plan. Plan your goal and plan for mistakes along the way, too. Because in life, it’s not a race to the finish line. It’s how we get there that matters most!