What's New! #10
(Older News Items July 2001- December 2001)

Please Note: Some of the links may be out of date since these news items are now outdated. I'm keeping them here for new collectors.

 11/10/01

Fling Exclusive and Print:  This year Dean designed an exclusive figurine for the 2002 Flamingo Fling.  It will be the first piece EVER designed with a dog called "Friendship Guides The Way".  The Charming Tails website  has photos posted of the exclusive which can be seen by clicking on the following link  www.charmingtails.com .  Click on the Leaf & Acorn Club emblem on the left side and enter the members hideaway to get a sneak peek, it is adorable!

Starting January 1, 2002, you can order this exclusive figurine directly from the Flamingo Fling website at www.flamingofling.org .  However, the print may not be ordered online you must be present at the swap and sell to be able to purchase it or know someone that will be attending the show that will pick one up for you.  No retailers will have either of these items and the prototype will be auctioned off after the dinner event.  Don't miss out on this special figurine, the monies go to a great charity.  

Candletoppers:  Six new items are being distributed by Our America Gift Co.   The candletoppers are not considered part of the Charming Tails line, meaning not all Charming Tails retailers will sell them.  Kathy DiGiacomo has them and if you are looking for them you can contact her at Kathykoll@aol.com or call her at (201) 791-9650 (EST).  

Our America Gift Co has a website at www.candletoppers.com and you can search for a retailer near you by using their zip code locater.  This does not mean that all stores listed will carry these items.  Below is a list of the 6 candletoppers available:    

1.  Oh Mackenzie Tree
2.  Building A Snowbunny
3.  Everybody Sings
4.  By The Chimney With Care
5.  Home Sweet Home
6.  Giftware

Update On Exclusives:  For those of you who missed the information on some new exclusives coming out, here's an update.   Certain select stores will be getting 2 exclusives that were originally designated for QVC called Home Sweet Home figurine with print limited to 1,000 pieces and Sweet Little Angel figurine with Pin limited to 4,200 pieces.  These items have started arriving and are shipping.  Not all stores will be carrying both items.   Below is a list of stores that I am aware of:

1.  G & L Christmas Barn (888) 737-5600 Sweet Little Angel with pin is still
      available (Home Sweet Home is sold out).
2.  Carlton Cards Coventry Mall, Pottstown, Pa (610) 323-6332 or email
     Cotlet@aol.com  Home Sweet Home with Print and Sweet Little Angel with
     pin available.
3.  European Imports - www.europeanimports.com or (800) 227-8670 only
     selling Sweet Little Angel with Pin
4.  GoCollect.com - www.gocollect.com (click on the Limited Edition category
     than Charming Tails) only selling Sweet Little Angel with Pin
5.  Sparkling Rose  -   www.sparklingrose.com or (800) 633-3044 Home Sweet
     Home with Print and Sweet Little Angel with pin available.

Second Canadian Exclusive: There will be a second Canadian exclusive to be released in the Spring of 2002.  I have an extensive Canadian retailer list which can be found by clicking on the Store List on my site, than click on Canada for anyone looking for a Canadian retailer.  Will post more  information on the exclusive as it becomes available.   

Store Lists On Website:  Last month I had some serious thoughts of removing all stores from my website.  Because the store list is so large, I do not have the time to police the site to make sure all the links are current.  Unknown to me, several stores closed their doors as well as a collector dropped their website without notifying me to remove their links.  There is no problem with anyone dropping their websites. but it causes a major problem when another  person not having anything to do with Charming Tails picks up the same domain name and it turns out to be extremely undesirable material.  

What concerns me is that there are children too that love Charming Tails and I do not want them to fall upon something on my site that I myself would not want my own children to see.  I apologize to anyone who has clicked on a store list and it was not Charming Tails related.  Last month, fellow collector Coral Burow has offered to check out all the store links to make sure they are what they are supposed to be, to her I owe a big thank you.  I have already dropped about 5 undesirable links from the store list and 1 collectors site which is to say the least alarming.

A special thanks to Karen & George Bazinet who recently took a trip through several states and have sent me many pages with store updates which I am currently changing, deleting & adding on the site.  If any collector should stumble upon a link that does not belong to a store, please notify me immediately, or if you know of a store that has closed its doors.  For now, I will keep up the store list because I know lots of collectors rely on it.  However, if this doesn't solve the problem rather than remove all store names because I know it also helps the retailers I will have to take the steps of removing all links to stores that have websites.  

Good News:  On November 5th, my daughter Jamie was released from her orthopedic surgeon and has now returned to work with no limitations.    I'm now in the process of trying to play catch up since I have not being doing much on the site for the past 3 mths. while she was home.  Thank you to everyone for your well wishes for her speedy recovery. 

10/18/01

Open House Event:  Wednesday I received a postcard announcing the Open House Event this weekend October 20th & 21st.  The event piece is called "You're A Real Gem" and will retail for $19.00 and is only available at a participating Charming Tails retailer.    

Exclusives:  The Linda Anderson exclusive " Love Is The Best Gift" and the G & L exclusive "Sugar-N-Spice & Everthing Nice" is now being shipped and arriving at our door steps.  Be on the lookout for them if you ordered these pieces.    

Carlton Cards has received their color variation of 1,000 pcs of "A Love Like No Other" but their blown glass ornament "You're A Perfect Gift" has not come in yet.  For those collectors who ordered both pieces, the store said they will hold the figurine until the ornament arrives so we will not have to pay for double shipping.  

What's Happening:  The fall 2001 Squashville Gazette has been mailed to collectors.  F & F has announced they will be bringing back the retirement section for 2002.  The next signing event is December 1st at the Walt Disney Downtown Market Place.  Call 407-828-3759 for information on the signing event.  

The blown glass ornaments (7 in all) have now arrived at retailers and will be limited to a single production run of 3,000 pieces each.  All future glass ornaments will be a combination of glass & resin.   

The Flamingo Fling will be held on March 2, 2002.  The International Collectible Expostions for 2002 will be in Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 27-28th &   Rosemont on June 29-30th 

The 2002 Leaf & Acorn Club Kit will be available in December.  The new membership piece will be called "Visiting Friends Both Near and Far" and the club lapel pin is called "All Packed And Ready To Go".  Also included in the kit will be a 2002 catalog and a special gift inside.

Visiting Friends Both Near and Far
2002 Club Piece

All Packed And Ready To Go Pin
2002 Club Pin

10/01/01

In Deepest Sympathy:  It was with great saddness to log on today and find out we lost a good friend and fellow Charming Tails collector Linda Genest on September 28th.  Linda was a past vice president of the Squashville Social Club and had been instrumental in organizing the SSC's Secret Pals.  She was known by many thoughout the U.S. and has touched many people in different ways through her kindness.  

As I read many of the messages left on the board, I too can say that Linda was a great encouragement to me when I took over this site last year.  When I thought I couldn't do it Linda was there to let me know I could with numerous emails of encouragement and praise.   Our deepest sympathy to her family and  friends she will be greatly missed by all.      

9/27/01

Exclusives:  I found out that a few selective stores will be getting the QVC exclusives that were scheduled for the Oct. show that was cancelled.  I do not know who the retailers are yet but it was easy to figure out that G & L would be one of them.  You can call the store at 888-737-5600 EST to place your order.  As soon as I find out the other stores I'll post that information too.

#1  Home Sweet Home figurine with a matted signed print of Home Sweet
      Home.  There are only 1,000 pcs. made and the set sells for $42 
      (Note: this is the only way to acquire the print & Dave will only be getting
      250 of the sets)

#2  Sweet Little Angel Figurine & Lapel Pin -  Only 4,200 pcs. produced and
      Dave will only be getting about 750.  The angel has candy cane wings &
      halo with peppermint candy on base with snow.  The pin is a candy cane
      in the shape of a J with Mackenzie sitting inside of it.

Click on the link to go to Dave's site he will be posting pictures over the next few days of the exclusives as well as more new pieces for 2002 called Spring Garden.  

09/16/01

Linda Anderson Exclusive:  Scooter sent me a photo of her postcard she just received from Linda Anderson announcing their next Charming Tail exclusive called "Love Is the Best Gift."  It is limited to 3,000 pieces and you can place your order by calling 1-800-272-9236.  The Order number is #25-2057 and retails for $22.95 plus s/h. 

The caption on front reads "As we enter the official "gift-giving season", take a moment with Maxine and Mackenzie Mouse to remember what gift-giving is really about.  Mackenzie put a lot of thought into his gift to Maxine this year.  He wanted to give her something that would show how much he cared for her.  So he did what any smart little mouse would do--he gave her his heart!  You can see the love in Maxine's eyes as she opens her heartwarming gift, and all the people you love will feel the same way when they open theirs.  Love truly is the best gift!"

09/14/01

Tip:  Here's some information I'd like to share with those collectors who do not have a lot of knowledge about the secondary market or in understanding the reason why certain pieces are more valuable than others.  

Recently for the G & L signing event there were 2 pieces designated with a special backstamp that any collector not attending the event could call the store and purchase them.  These designated pieces were Secrets For Santa  & You're My Princess.  (Please do not call the store they were sold out the day of the show)  

There are many collectors out there that are not aware that these pieces are far more valuable than the same piece with Dean's actual signature.  This is why...

Only 300 pieces were done with this special back stamping making them very rare versus thousands of the same pieces that Dean will sign at collectible shows or signing events. Therefore, the pieces with the special back stamp are fewer and far between making them much more valuable than the same piece signed by Dean.  

Incase You Noticed:  Last week I received a new Linda Anderson catalog.  I know we have very observant collectors out there and incase you missed it on Page 4,  it shows a retired emblem above the Pumpkin and Squash Votive.  Today I found out the following information:  "this item was not retired but was oversold.  This means there are no more available until they are produced again next year."  

09/13/01

Retirement Announcement:  Below is a list of pieces retired for September 2001:

These pieces were retired during the August QVC show announced by Dean:

08/13/01

Notice:  Early this morning my daughter was involved in an auto accident while driving home from work.  She lost control of her car & hit a telephone pole while swerving to avoid a car driving in her lane.  For the next several wks I will not be able to spend much time on the site doing updates or answering any email questions.      

Those wonderful air bags that save lives also cause additional injuries.  She has multiple fractures of her hands, including both her wrists from the airbag deploying that will require surgery on both hands.  Since she can't even hold a cup, I have to be her extra pair of hands for the next several weeks taking up much of my spare time.  Please refer to the BearsNBuddies message board as I'm sure information will be posted there regarding the upcoming QVC show.  

08/02/01

Town Names July 8th AS Dean Griff Day:  In the left photo is Dean holding his award from the town of Windham Conn.  The town gave Dean a special honor by naming July 8th his very own.  

The right photo is Dean & Yvette Starr from F & F while on the G & L cruise.   Click on he link to read about the first ever cruise on the Conn. River with Dean.  


(thanks to Olga for the photo)


(thanks to Olga for the photo)

QVC:  Dean will be appearing on QVC on August 29th at 11 AM and August 30th at 1 AM EST.  Below is a photo of the postcard being sent out to club members.  The QVC exclusive is called "Daisy Bouquet and Butterfly Ornaments".  The card also mentions that other exclusives will be available.

New Exclusives:  The following stores are now taking orders on their store exclusives due out later this year:

GCC & PARKWEST RELEASES:  Below are photos of pieces that will be released later this year.

98/266 Dreamin' Of A White Christmas
GCC release

887/123 My Little Angel
Parkwest early release 

887/125 Visions Of Sugar Plums
Parkwest Early Realease

07/03/01

Rosemont Information:  Click on the link to read information from Scooter on the Rosemont ICE show seminar.

Retirement 2001:  Another piece has been retired for 2001.  Scooter reported that collectors were allowed to pick 1 of 3 pieces they would like to see retired while attending the Anaheim 2001 ICE show:  Hangin' Around, The Waterslide or A Day at the Lake.  At Rosemont, F & F handed out a retirement list and on the list they included 89/623 Hangin' Around as the piece selected to be retired by collectors.  They also noted that they smashed the mold during the Anaheim show.  

G & L Event:  The G & L signing event and cruise is this weekend. Hope to see everyone there leaving early tomorrow for the show but first stop is Cape Cod.  The following information was sent from Dave regarding his event: 

Well I am so excited about our Charming Tails Signing event and about the first
ever Charming Tails Cruise.

        If you can not attend our signing event you are able to call the store
        and we will be happy to get shipped out to you 2 piece that will be
        stamping with Dean's Signature "Secrets for Santa" & "Your My
        Princess".
        Remember that these pieces will be stamped with Dean signature.
        I hope to see you all their. Thanks Charming Dave

Cruise Tickets have been mailed out as of today all tickets should be brought with you the day of the cruise.
 

Happy Sailing Charming Dave

E-mail me!

 

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Revised: 02/20/06.