Bye Bye Carnival Cottage

Dear Carnival Cottage Enthusiasts,

If you haven’t heard the news yet, we regret to inform you that our Carnival Cottage collection has come to a sudden end.

After almost 5 years, Magenta Inc. made the decision to eliminate our Carnival Cottage brand. In an effort to refine their licensing portfolio, we have been informed that they are shifting away from artist licenses to focus on their studio licenses with Disney, Peanuts, and others. Due to their restructuring initiatives, further design, development and production of the Carnival Cottage brand for off-price retail distribution has been discontinued, and their strategic decision to eliminate specialty lines, removes Carnival Cottage from their boutique portfolio as well.

The remaining inventory of Carnival Cottage Halloween pieces that we worked diligently to keep Special for Boutiques last year is now being sold into big box stores this season as part of Magenta’s liquidation of our collection. Unfortunately, we have little control over how Magenta handles their remaining stock. These leftover quantities are the end of the line, and while limited in quantity, this was not how we intended to close this chapter. On the contrary, we were anticipating to grow our collections with Magenta. We truly appreciate the Boutiques and all who supported us in carrying our first Carnival Cottage Specialty Halloween collection last year. It was not our vision to shift this collection to discounters so swiftly.

As we bid farewell to Carnival Cottage, we want to Thank ALL who inspired us to create this whimsical line. At its peak, the interest and enthusiasm from our fans, boutique retailers and the TJX Companies buying team was both exciting and inspiring, and it was a thrill to dream up this collection for ALL of YOU! We appreciate the opportunity to have worked and learned alongside Magenta’s creative team to make the magic happen, and it is heartbreaking to watch it die.

Hold dear the Carnival Cottage by Johanna Parker & Magenta Inc. collectibles that you may have or find along the way, as they are no longer being made today.

Although this novelty collection is closing its tent, we look forward to future opportunities where we can share the spirit of Carnival Cottage in other ways….

Sincerely,

Johanna Parker Design

New Carnival Cottage Halloween Sample Sneak Peek!

Happy Friday Friends! So, what ya think? Would you like to add some of these whimsical pieces to your Halloween decor & festivities? It’s Johanna Parker here, and Today we’re sharing our Sneak Peek at the Sample Phase of our Carnival Cottage design process. From sketch to development and now full form, it’s a treat to see those early scribbles and mock-ups come to life! Included is a new series of stand-alone ceramic designs that also add variety when paired with our figural items. You’ll see that the canisters, bowls, mugs and such can be rotated for a playful, pattern-only look too. The coordinating party, bakeware and garden items extend the collection and bring many more possibilities into the mix. Your feedback is key as we gauge interest for Halloween 2023. Please spread the word and let us know!! Be sure to share a like, a comment and thank you for your interest! :)

Thank you!

~ Johanna

It all Starts with a Sketch!

Hello Friends!

It’s been a long while since I’ve added a post to my blog. But, Jack, if he were here, would meow, purr, share a few nose-bumps and encourage me to share! With that, it’s no time like the present to return and share what I’ve been creating…..

You’re in for a Treat! I’m taking you behind the scenes for a peek at my creative process, designing new product concepts for Carnival Cottage! Be sure to share a like and leave a comment if you’d like to see more! Truly, it all starts with a sketch! More to come….

Happy Haunting,

~ Johanna

Enjoy a behind the scene peek as licensed designer Johanna Parker sketches character concepts for Carnival Cottage Halloween products.

A Glimpse at the Glens Art Walk...

I have been waiting for this moment to add a hearty blog post, chock-full of Halloween eye candy! As it turns out, the 3rd Annual Glens Art Walk is just the subject matter for this playful scene. Many many thanks to ALL of you that joined us! From both near and quite far, we enjoyed your company, and it was a pleasure to bring smiles to so many faces! Many weeks led up to the unfolding of this special event, and we were graced with such a lovely fall day. Shoppers enjoyed the warmth of the sun and autumn's palette of changing leaves as they walked from one home to the next. JP and I are so thankful to our hosts, Robert Hickler & Ann Lederer for allowing us to perform our annual Halloween invasion. :) We hope it was a happy haunting! We took lots of photos this time around, and I am thrilled to have a place on our new website where I can share them in the format of my choosing. You can click on each picture for a light box view. Enjoy and do share your feedback too!

Yep, that's me striking a Halloween pose :)

I stuffed old tins, vintage pottery and baskets with my new ornaments!

A grinning black cat candy stand to go with your sweets!

Cubbies were lined with Halloween mugs, candy stands, shelf sitters, candles & other delights...

Frightful or Fun? Heads of Frankenstein, toothy-grinned Draculas, spooky black cats, mummies and owls were all there to tempt collectors of my vintage Halloween style!

A Halloween assault on the eyes! EEEK!

The old white shelves that house my originals here came with our 1939 home. It served as a double door to hold canned goods in our basement. Whomever made this years ago would be stunned to think an artist showcases her one of a kind folk art in each nook, but that's how I roll! I love it :)

 

I think this has been the busiest fall on record for our biz! In between a medley of photography requests for Artist Features as well as  Q & A's, responding to the influx of inquiries from our new website, (some of which I still need to tend to!) a mounting list of licensing deadlines, and many other distractions, I was really biting my nails over completing this year's collection of Halloween folk art originals in time for the show. I had to forego a few pieces that just weren't going to meet my timeframe. And, there were quite a few long days in the mix. But, in the end, I was able to complete 22! With a goal for 30+ sculptures, the shelves may look a little bare, so, bear with me :) We did what we could without completely losing our minds. But, I did come close a few times... Despite my Halloween-mania, I think this year's collection of one of a kinds turned out quite swell :) Farewell my little dears and enjoy your new adventures!

JP shares a smile at his new and improved check-out station! We had a nice tucked away space to process orders, store trays of reserved pieces and a wrapping station in the back. 

My displays were overflowing with all the latest characters that debuted this fall! We had a medley of Halloween ornaments, shelf sitters, ceramic plates, mugs, candy bowls, salt & pepper shakers and the list goes on! That's why I called it the Halloween invasion... 

The other white cubby shelf is a recycled find. We cleaned it up and for several years, it housed our collection of music CDs back before iTunes was a thing. Now, it's become basement storage, but it works just perfect for this event. We do shuffle a lot of stuff around when doing a show. For example, tins on my dresser that hold earrings and such, get to take the day off and display ornaments instead. Vintage lamps are pulled from their plugs and glow in another home! We also grab stools and carts that function for us at home and use them as props for Halloween. Needless to say, our house gets a little stripped when we do the big move, but it's an excuse to dust and clean before it all gets put back! And, we're only carting these goods just a few blocks away. Love the ease of that!

An old suitcase reveals my embroidered punkin peep guest towels, a stack of illustrated plates and candy bowls!

Glass candy jars with candy corn pair sweetly with their shelf sitter buddies...

BOO! My meringue-topped ghosts in various shapes and forms have been a popular fave with this collection...

Beyond my spooky display, an open door lead the way to Ann's colorful painted silks...

Across the way, Robert and Ann gave us a portion of their front window to share some Halloween magic. You can see that Robert jumped into the Halloween spirit and made some metal spider webs and skulls.. It's contagious!

Another peek at my front nook....

Approaching visitors were greeted with Robert's contemporary wall art as well as our vintage wagon filled with harvest delights. My giant spiders brought some smiles too :) Later, Ann tucked in her silk laden dress form to complete the scene...

From spooky to sweet, Robert Hickler added a touch of Halloween to his metal cut-outs this year!

 

A place for bats and owls to take roost....

We had a steady flow of folks dropping in to see the various creations that we all had to offer. It was a perfect day for a walking tour!

Halloween collectors came in clusters to see the latest collection!

A variety of snowflakes, skulls & bats were scattered across Robert Hickler's table...

You can find a giant version of this sculpture by Robert Hickler in Fort Collins' Old Town Square, winning the People's Choice Award!

You can enjoy more of Robert Hickler's portfolio on his website. He has been very  busy in his shop making all sorts of magic, including large scale installations for various public places. The mantel guitar sculpture was quite the marvel, and Robert will do commissions at various scales. 

The hue happy colors of Robert's contemporary sculptures, marry nicely with his wife Ann Lederer's hand-painted silk scarves. Beautiful patterns and floral whimsies by Ann were displayed on racks in their back sunroom...

Ann Lederer points out her handmade cards while an attendee caresses her lavender-filled eye pillow, all made of painted silk. They smelled divine too...

Their back sunroom proved to be the perfect spot to highlight Ann's colorful work, capturing the light!

More captivating hand-painted silk scarves by Ann Lederer greeted guests upon entering her space...

More captivating hand-painted silk scarves by Ann Lederer greeted guests upon entering her space... Ann does not have a website, but you can reach her by EMAIL, and yes, she does all sorts of commissions, specializing in Prayer Shawls, Challah Covers, Huppahs as well as many other special occasion painted silks for all walks of life.

Year 3 at the Glens Art Walk was a charm! Thank you ALL that attended and came out to support our creative endeavors! We enjoyed seeing you! 

At the end of the day, JP played a little air guitar for all of us on one of Robert's sculptures! Teehee! We hope you enjoy the photos! Mark your calendar for 2018 - When the first Saturday of October rolls in, we will roll it out again :)

Happy Haunting,

~ Johanna