You found it!  Welcome to the ... SQUASHVILLE SOCIAL CLUB NEWSLETTER November 2, 2002 Volume I, Number 3 - Revised

(Images may take some time to load. All photos are the subject of copyright protection.)

There's LOTS of news -- so let's get right to it!!
 

SSC MEMBER
FEATURES

Coral Burow, Missouri
   Coral has been collecting Charming Tails for about four years. Her collection numbers between 400-450 ("Can't count that high," she jokes.
 
  "Keeping Our Love Alive" and "Picture Perfect"  were the first two pieces she bought. "I first saw them in a Linda Anderson catalog and thought 'those are so cute!' We went shopping a couple of months later at a mall in St. Charles, Mo. A little collectibles shop had those 'cute mice figurines' and I HAD to get two pieces. I then went on the Internet and found that there was a whole line of CT's and found the SSC club; I've been hooked ever since."
   Her favorite piece changes regularly (as new pieces come out!) but she lists "Come Out And Play" among her favorites.
How does she display them?  "I have them all over my house, I have lots of pictures and shelves (country theme) and the figures fit in nicely with them. I also have 2 shelf units that are intended for videos or CDs - the shelves are only about 8 inches apart and the unit is only about 6 inches deep. I can fit about 95 pieces in these shelf units. Thank goodness I have a spare bedroom to fit them in."
   She met Dean at a signing in St. Charles, at a store called the "Flower Peddler. "He was wonderful," she recalls. "My mother went with me. We got to go through the line four times and got 12 pieces signed. I think Dean thought we were nuts."

MaryKay Doyle, Illinois
MaryKay has collected Charming Tails since 1995. She has 350 pieces plus all 9 of the houses.
   "Hot Doggin'" was her first piece. She received it as a hostess gift from her sister for Thanksgiving, 1995.
          
"I had raved about the cute mouse Christmas and Nativity I had seen at a local gift store and she went looking for the display. By the time she found it the only piece of the entire Charming Tail display remaining was Hot Doggin'. She laughs at my obsession, but she bought the very first one," said MaryKay.
   "Hot Doggin'" is a favorite, of course. "Catchin Butterflies" makes her laugh, she said. "Everybody Sing" is just beautiful, Mary Kay said. "Each and every one has something special about it. As groupings, the Train and the Christmas Parade are very special," she said. "And last, but not least, the Nativity is a wonder."
   Her decorating style: "Seasonally, I take 10-12 related pieces and make a centerpiece display with risers and miniature plants and trees, sandy beach and water, snow hills and skating pond, playground, etc.," she said.
   On meeting Dean: "I met Dean at the European Imports signing in 2000 and again at Rosemont this year 2002. I collected Charming Tails before I knew of the artist and meeting him only explained why the pieces have such an impact on one's emotions," she said. "Dean's sweetness and 'charm' are reflected in his work. The high value he places on family and friends is obvious in his Critters and their interactions with each other.
   Her favorite CT moment was unwrapping a birthday present from her teenage nephew to find "Chauncey Growing Tomatoes." Knowing the then-value of $75.00 and my nephew's lack of such funds, I was amazed. Even more amazing was the fact that my nephew had spotted a dirty, sticker-laden piece of close-out 'junk' as one of my beloved Charming Tails. He made the purchase despite the lack of bottom marking, certain he was correct. The purchase price of 10 cents did not deter him. A little cleaning by his skeptical Mom produced a perfect CT. And a perfect gift for his Aunt," said MaryKay.
   In addition to collecting CTs, "I sew and crochet and do counted cross stitch," she said. I read and enjoy listening to Golden Oldies from the 50s and 60s. Charming Tails are the only thing I collect."
   About MaryKay: "I have a BA in Psychology. I was able to unofficially retire about 10 years ago from a career as a Floral Designer. I occasionally free-lance, but only if I want. I have a long haired Black and White cat, who thinks he is the owner and I am the pet. And it is easier to let him have his opinion. Other cat people know what I mean," she said.

A newsletter by any other name ...
WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT BETTER!
It's YOUR chance to name our club's online newsletter!
That's right, the SSC Officers want YOUR HELP in
coming up with a better name for our newsletter than the
"Squashville Social Club Newsletter."
So use your imaginations and submit your entry!

YOU COULD WIN!!

The member whose suggested name is chosen as the new name of the SSC Newsletter will win a fabulous prize from one of our generous contest sponsors!
Sparkling Rose Collectibles (www.sparklingrose.com)
has generously donated the new Christmas piece,
"Christmas Time Is Family Time."
For those who haven't seen it yet, it is truly one of the most breathtaking Charming Tails designs to date!

TO ENTER, just submit your entries (yes - more than one is allowed!) to Erin no later than midnight, November 23, 2002.  SSC Officers will review all nominations and select a winner. The winning entry will be notified and the new name will be announced to the club in the December issue.

Last Month's Winner:  Donna Moquin from Florida (also known as "deejae") was randomly drawn as the winner of the Word Scramble.  Donna won a "Ten Years of Making Friends" figurine, graciously donated by Collecto-Mania www.collecto-mania.com.  Way to go, Donna! And many thanks to the fine folks at Collecto-Mania.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Charity Voting Time
(Revised - 11/4/02)
Thank you to all members who submitted nominations for our annual charity donation. As you may be aware, the club donates proceeds from button sales and other fundraisers held throughout the year to a charity chosen by the members.
The list of Charity Nominations was revised on 11/4/02 by motion of the Officers to add the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association.  IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED YOUR VOTE - you may submit a new vote to the address below and your prior ballot will be discarded.  The deadline for voting has not been changed.

This Year's Nominees Are:

Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association ...
"Our aims are comparatively simple - to help EC patients, their families and their caregivers deal more effectively with this disease and its consequences.  We want to help each other obtain and organize available information so that access and understanding are not limited to a few.  Raising funds for research, better means of outreach and improved access to and delivery of services beyond just a few centers are some of our goals."  This is a young on-line non-profit organization, having been formed in July 2002.

The McCarty Cancer Foundation ...
The McCarty Cancer Foundation was created by NHL star, Darren McCarty of the Detroit Red Wings. Darren McCarty lost his father to multiple myeloma, and created the McCarty Cancer Foundation with the goal of raising money for researching a cure for this rare form of bone cancer and for the benefit of support groups.

North Shore Animal League
For more than 55 years, North Shore Animal League of America has worked to make the world a safer, friendlier, healthier place for animals in need. Since 1944, the League has placed more than 800,000 lost or abandoned pets in loving homes. They have performed countless routine and extraordinary medical procedures. And taught tens of thousands of caring people to be good friends, companions and caretakers to the pets they've adopted through the League.  North Shore Animal League of America is the largest pet adoption agency in the world.

The Ronald McDonald House ...
The Ronald McDonald House offers housing accommodations to families with children being treated for illnesses. Often, the cost of hotels is more than families can afford during such a difficult time.

The ALS Association ...
The ALS Association (ALSA) is the only national not-for-profit voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (often called Lou Gehrig's disease). The mission of The ALS Association is to find a cure for and improve living with ALS.

Juvenile Diabetes Research ...
Type 1 Diabetes is called Juvenile Diabetes as the onset of it begins in childhood. Children diagnosed with juvenile diabetes are insulin dependent. Insulin is the hormone that enables our body to convert the food we eat into energy which is necessary to function normally. Current research indicates that juvenile diabetes is an auto-immune disorder, similar to other disorders such as; rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.

Breast Cancer Research ...
An estimated 203,500 new invasive cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the United States during 2002. After increasing about 4.5% per year in the 1980s, breast cancer incidence rates among white women continued to increase more slowly through 1998.

The Lupus Society ...
Based on the results of several nationwide telephone surveys, the Lupus Foundation of America estimates that approximately 1,400,000 Americans have a form of the disease. Despite the fact that lupus can affect men and women of all ages, lupus occurs 10 to 15 times more frequently among adult females than adult males.

Hospice agency ...
Hospice agencies are often non-profit health provider agencies that offer in-home care for people with terminal diseases. The agencies not only offer nursing and related medical care, they often provide grief counseling for family members and other vital services for families facing the loss of a loved one. Many communities throughout the nation have such agencies.

The Arthritis Foundation ...
A new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shocked the arthritis community by revealing that 70 million, or one in three, adults in the United States suffer from arthritis and/or chronic joint symptoms. The previous estimate, made in 1997, listed 43 million Americans with arthritis.

The list of Charity Nominations was revised on 11/4/02 by motion of the Officers to add the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association.  IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED YOUR VOTE - you may submit a new vote to the address below and your prior ballot will be discarded.  The deadline for voting has not been changed.

PLEASE VOTE for the charity you think the SSC should donate to this year.
Send your vote to SSC_Charity2002@yahoo.com
by midnight, November 23, 2002. Votes will be counted and the 2002 SSC Charity Donation will be announced in a future newsletter. Make your voice heard! Vote today!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

More news from Dean ......

Last month, we issued a "Special Edition" to preview some of Dean's new designs for David Grossman Creations.  Dean has let us know that he wanted, "to give you folks the first look since you have been so good to me over the past years."
Dean also wanted to let us know that the plan for the "Holly Twig Lane" line is for all the ornaments to retail for around $10.00.  YES - just $10.00  The figurines will range from $12.00 and up. The line will be offered as a "holiday trim" line, and not as a "collectible" - Dean doesn't want anyone to feel that they have to get every piece at once.

As to the "Wee Whispers" line -- this, too, will be marketed as a "gift line" and not a line of collectibles.  The sayings for each piece are designed to make them great gifts - and the prices will reflect that.  The average price will be around $12.00.  There will be a few pieces with more detail - they'll probably fall into the $18.00 range.  And something special for the "Wee Whispers" line -- there will be NO MORE than 25 figurines in any given year - as so many collectors have expressed their concerns over the number of new pieces coming out each year.  This way - if you find you REALLY need to collect them all, it will be more affordable and won't take up an entire curio cabinet!

See - Dean really does listen to the collectors and their concerns! Of course - Dean will still be doing Charming Tails along with these new projects and he hopes that will never change.  Dean adds, "I love our Squashville Friends way too much to leave town.  Ha, Ha!"

Congratulations Dean on your newest venture - and keeping your fans in mind!