Are You Ready for Some More Shugah?

Artisan Faire & More!

Saturday, February 8, 2014, 1 - 5pm

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

It's that time again to bring you mouthwatering morsels from some of your favorite jewelry designers, textile, ceramic and mixed media artists! Our 2014 Eye Candy Artisan Faire will be chock full of glorious goodies to feed the eyes, soul and body. Here's just a taste of what will be available - each of our artists will be bringing a trunk full of new treats just for you!

Craving Jewelry

Michelene Berkey
Nature-lovers rejoice! Michelene is traveling back to California all the way from Colorado with her latest "twiggy" treasures just for YOU! (Don't worry, she won't forget to bring her pearls and semi-precious stones!) Sample her newest tidbits that use bees, hearts, flowers, dragonflies and even twigs in her designs. Silver and gold complement her concoctions of pendants, rings, bangles and more.

Elliott Chandler
For the tailored palate, try the exquisitely designed earrings, necklaces and bracelets that are the hallmark of Elliott Chandler. Based in San Francisco, the team creates treats that are timeless and elegant using gemstones and CZs, gold and silver. All jewelry is handcrafted in Italy and the results are oh-so-scrumptious! Sample rose gold with purple & lavender crystals, or delicately enameled drop pendants finished with a flourish of silver.

Joanna Craft
Favored ingredients of mixed metals are shaken (not stirred!) together by Joanna to produce tasty results. Her contemporary designs range from the geometric to the free-form and are just the right portions of silver, copper and brass. Lately, she's been using raw ingredients like unpolished stones as garnish. Create your own custom recipie from Joanna's extensive list of fixings. An old-school crowd pleaser are her special decorative paper in resin pendants and earrings with an eastern aesthetic.

Amy Kekst
Gemstones, crystals, one-of-a-kind vintage elements and chains feature in Amy's titillating tidbits. Her eclectic selection of necklaces, earrings and bracelets change with the seasons - most recently she's served up mixed metal chains and nuggets paired with sparkley stones, and beads. Her selections for this year's show are sure to provide you with a buffet of choices! 

Barbara Lanci
Feast your eyes on Barbara's scrumptious treasures! Her tempting earrings, bold "elevation" cuffs and intricate necklaces are crafted entirely by hand from fine silver, argentium and unique stones. Trained under master jewelers, Barbara continues to challenge herself to come up with new dishes tastier than the last. She'll also create a personalized statement piece just for you!

Soraya Montelongo
Local gal Soraya has an appetite for gemstones, beads and crystals! She labors over her delicious hand-beaded creations, and oh, my! What a luscious array of colors! A mostly self-taught artisan, Soraya's necklaces and bracelets follow intricate designs, some even based on Faberge eggs. Come see her latest concoctions and find just the right one for yourself or a friend!

Ayala Bar
If you're craving something decadently colorful, Ayala is sure to have a treat or two to satisfy! We're still riding high on the treasures she designed last season, and we are in love with Ayala's latest offerings. Her drool-worthy collections bring to mind sun-sparkling Spanish villas this season, with names like Sayulita and Mesa Verde. While Ayala won't be joining us, she will be sending a trunk-full of goodies in yummy fabrics, beads and charms for your enjoyment.

Konplott
Miranda Konstantinidou of Konplott uses crystals, pearls, glass and metal to create jewelry that pops with color and sparkle. This talented designer whips up her creations in Germany and her delectable delicacies can be found all over the world. Miranda's recent influences include the colors and textures of India and the Art Deco period. Her ever-evolving line of Konplott jewels is sure to satisfy your more exotic moments. We'll also miss seeing Miranda at the show, but rest assured she's sending plenty of fun fare to try.



Fiberlicious

Susan Horton
Cotton, silk, wool and tencel are key ingredients in Susan's fine woven scarves and shawls. If you're craving soothing colors and soft fibers, you'll flip over Susan's creations. You only need to watch her at her loom for a few minutes to realize that "perfection" is her middle name. Her enticing treats are perfect for all seasons and are always in style. If we're lucky she will bring her latest creations of clutches and handbags that are 100% woven & 1000% awesome!

Valerie McLean
Added to our mix this year is felt artist Valerie, who hails from Santa Barbara. Her felted wool stylings are full of color, form and whimsey. This textile artist fell in love with felting after visiting New Zealand and encountering other artists willing to share their expertise and creativity to help give her a boost on her way. Valerie's felt scarves, hats and vessels utilize yummy colors both bright and muted and textures ranging from smooth and silky to heavily woven.

Passion for Clay

Maria Counts
Let the whimsical and sophisticated ceramics from San Diego artist Maria tempt your senses! Candy-colored glazes highlight her stunning designs. Maria's clocks, vessels, embossed kimonos, teapots and fun cast of characters enhance any setting, from dining tables to bookshelves to home offices. New creations include indoor/outdoor garden "totem" sculptures. Maria is always experimenting to whip up something new for you to savor!

Lisa Mertins
Working in as many mediums as she possibly can, Lisa does it all! From intriguing ceramics and fine art,  to jewelry and children's book illustrations, this talented lady is always up to something new. Lisa's creativity satisfies the whimsical palate with her stamped, fine-walled porcelain creations and asymmetrical shapes. Always cooking up something new, we can't wait to see what she brings us this year. 

Mixed Media Mania

Suzanne Currie
Pure, glossy color in free-form organic shapes? Can you say "yummy?" Suzanne mixes up paint and paper to create her brightly-hued mixed media on board medleys. Offering small, one-of-a-kind contemporary images and larger, bolder statement pieces, Suzanne stirs her creations into a frenzy of color and finishes them off with a layer of epoxy resin to give them a sugar-coated gleam. Her newest experiments include artsy bangle bracelets and furniture featuring her unique designs.


A small sampling from each artist is available online, but don't worry - everything will be new on Feb. 8th! Each artist is bringing a larder of new goodies! 

Don't forget - not only will we be serving up a feast for the eyes, we'll also be serving up a sweet feast for your tummies. So grab your girls or favorite guy and come spend the afternoon with us!

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Save the Date for Some Shugah!

Mark your calendars now!

 Stay tuned, more details to follow!

Thank You For Making it Our Biggest Show Yet!

Wow, our 22nd Annual Children's Book Illustration Art Show & Book Signing was a fun-filled wonderful day! Chemers Gallery was packed to the brim with art & book lovers eager to meet our talented illustrators & authors and view the original children's book illustrations on display. HUGE thanks to everyone who joined us, especially artists Michael Hague, Brett Helquist, Molly Idle, Stacy Innerst and John Parra, authors Paul Brewer, Kathleen Hague, Kathleen Krull and Roseanne Greenfield Thong, and our extraordinary volunteers from Chapman University! We'd also like to thank the Orange County Children's Book Festival for arranging for the illustrator talks and demos to be filmed, as well as Theresa Battel and Ann Heusted for donating super-yummy cheeses and cookies for the day!

If you missed the big day, take a look at some of the pictures provided by Max Kosydar and Guillermo LeFranc - thanks, guys! (You can see the whole photo album on our Facebook album.)

What an amazing crowd!

Cathy and John Parra with Cathy's brand-new piece of art from Waiting for the Biblioburro

Brett Helquist signs one of the Series of Unfortunate Events

Molly Idle has a very serious discussion with our friends Lauren and Leilani

Husband and wife illustrator/author team http://www.chemersgallery.com/ & Kathleen Hague, hard at work

Darla brings her Beatles books to be signed by authors Paul Brewer and Kathleen Krull and illustrator Stacy Innerst

Just a couple of our fabulous Chapman University volunteers

Vanessa reads to the children during Story Time

Karen gets everyone's attention to announce the illustrator talks & demos in the tent

Stacy Innerst signing away

Barbara introduces herself to Molly Idle

Karen with John Parra and civil rights leader Sylvia Mendez

Our volunteers were the best!

These kids were oh-so-excited about their books!

Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer have a mountain of Beatles books to sign

From left to right: Molly Idle, Kathleen Hague, Roseanne Greenfield Thong, John Parra, Michael Hague, Stacy Innerst, Brett Helquist, Paul Brewer, Kathleen Krull

The whole gang is here!

We still have signed books and lots of other goodies for under $100 for those last-minute holiday gifts, so come on in!

Chemers Gallery Holiday Hours
Sun 12/22 12pm - 4pm 
Mon 12/23 10am - 7pm
Tue 12/24 10am - 2pm ish
Wed 12/25 Merry Christmas!
Thurs 12/26 10am - 6pm
Fri 12/27 10am - 6pm
Sat 12/28 10am-5pm
Sun 12/29 - Thurs 1/2/2014 Closed for R&R and Inventory
Back to normal hours Friday January 3rd

Happy Holidays!

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Karen's Cravings

It has been so hectic this year with injured staff, winning awards and all the excitement surrounding this year’s Children’s Book Illustration Show, I’ve hardly had a chance to think. Soooo, here is my “tug at your heart strings” “ gut reaction” to our fantastic illustrations.

Zebras and Angels, acrylic on board by John Parra

From the first moment I saw John Parra’s original illustrations at the ALA show last year, he had me hooked. The way he paints his illustration board to look like old folk art from Latin America exhibits such talent. I love this dreamy picture from My Name is Gabriela where fantastical zebra dance with angels. I am also a sucker for true stories about amazing women like Gabriela Mistral. 

Guitar Case Roller Coaster, acrylic by Stacy Innerst

 

Stacy, Stacy, Stacy Innerst… I don’t think anyone could have illustrated The Beatles Were Fab (and they were funny) any better than you!  From your iconic Abbey Road walk to the individual images of the Fab Four, the imagery is spot on. My favorite is this whimsical rollercoaster ride on a guitar case. Although I was a miserable guitarist, it reminds me of my guitar playing days as a teen & college student with all the ups and downs of growing up. 

In Front of Studio, Prismacolor by Molly Idle

Stepping into the unknown, trying something new is what I imagine when I look at this illustration from Zombelina by Molly Idle. Take a deep breath and just walk through the door… Can you imagine this is 100% colored pencil! I think I would have finished the little bat above the door and decided I couldn’t color any more. Molly gets such smoothness and intensity with her steady, untiring hands. 

Tapping on Shoulder, oil & acrylic by Brett Helquist

Holding Knife & Fork, oil & acrylic by Brett Helquist

 My sick sense of humor shows through with my Brett Helquist picks. I just couldn't pick one & I forced myself to just pick two...and I haven't even read the Scary Stories books from which these illustrations are found. I can't possibly tell you why I love them so much except that they are so well done and the shading of grey is so expressive. I so look forward to meeting the twisted brain that created these characters!

Winter Fairy, watercolor by Michael Hague

We have been wanting to exhibit Michael Hague’s work for so many years and now that the work is here, we couldn’t be more in awe of his talent. This winter fairy from Good Night, Fairies is breathtaking, in person. At once ethereal and almost so real you can feel the snow, the velvety softness of this classical illustration reminds me of illustrations of yesteryear. BTW, this book was written by Michael’s wife, Kathleen Hague.

We are thrilled to have a number of authors attending this year’s show, as well. Not only have Brett Helquist and Molly Idle written some of their books, we also have authors Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer who wrote the Beatles book (they will be signing some of their other new books too), Kathleen Hague (noted above) and a special appearance by Roseanne Greenfield Thong who wrote John Parra’s Round is a Tortilla.

As always, we feel so fortunate to partner with ChapmanUniversity to make this event special. The work they do with their students and our community is stellar. Thank you for working with us. Special thanks to the OrangeCounty Children’s Book Festival who will be videotaping illustrator talks/demos. To our myriad of volunteers who help prior to our show and who will help during our show, we couldn’t do it without you!

Until Saturday… Dec 7^th… it’s back to work!

Jennifer's Book Picks

I can hardly believe that our children's book illustration show is almost here! It feels like our last one was just last month instead of last year. Every year, the artwork and book selections get better and better, and this year is no exception. Our 5 talented illustrators will be joined by 3 amazing authors to make 1 exciting event on December 7th. If you haven't picked your books yet, time is running out! You have until November 30th to make your selections. If you need a little help from your friends, here are my personal faves for the year.

Peter Pan: 100th Anniversary Edition

Written by J.M. Barrie

Illustrated by Michael Hague

Wendy Sewing, watercolor, pen & ink

Michael Hague's books are oh-so-classic and I love love love his rendition of J.M. Barrie's tale of Peter Pan. The 100th Anniversary Edition is filled with beautiful artwork right from the title page depicting Peter as a wild-haired boy who is king of his land. Complete with vividly detailed imagery of the Lost Boys, Captain Hook, the Darlings and, of course, Tinkerbell, Barrie's words truly are brought to life once again.

Michael Hague's Read-to-Me Book of Fairy Tales

If Peter Pan is a little too advanced for your reader, why not try Michael's newest book? 14 of the most beloved children's classics were carefully selected and illustrated to form Michael Hague's Read-to-Me Book of Fairy Tales. Lush illustrations accompany the text of "The Little Mermaid," "Sleeping Beauty" and many more well-known stories.

As an added treat, author Kathleen Hague will be joining Michael to sign their book Good Night, Fairies. Quantities of this special book are limited, so make your selections early!

A Christmas Carol 

Written by Charles Dickens

Illustrated by Brett Helquist

Pointing, oil & acrylic

Usually Charles Dickens intimidates me, but not when he's accompanied by Brett Helquist's stunning oil & acrylic illustrations. (Appearing in picture book form sure helps, too!) The familiar story of Ebeneezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come are vividly portrayed by Brett's bold colors. This book reminds me of the film version starring George C. Scott, a staple of my childhood holiday traditions! 

From A Series of Unfortunate Events

For older readers, there are a number of wonderful chapter books ranging from The Three Musketeers to the ever-popular A Series of Unfortunate Events. For the first time ever, Brett has decided to sell a very select grouping of original graphite illustrations from the series that launched his children's book illustration career! Also on hand are the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, something I remember reading when I was younger. These books gave me hours of enjoyment and packed a great creep-factor.

Flora and the Flamingo

Illustrated by Molly Idle

Dancing Together, Prismacolor

The more I look at Flora & the Flamingo, the more I find to love. Deceptively simple, each reading reveals a new interpretation. Unique to this year's selection, this is a book without any words. Throughout the story the characters learn to accept one another and dance together. This is also an interactive book with fold-down flaps, which reminds me of animated films (By the way, Molly is a former animator for DreamWorks!) I hear a orchestra in my head every time I flip through the pages.

Tea Rex, written & illustrated by Molly Idle

Molly's been a busy lady this year. Not only has she produced Flora & the Flamingo, she's also written and illustrated Tea Rex and illustrated Zombelina! Girly at first glance, each book has a little unexpected twist. Tea Rex reads like an ettiquette guide to hosting a tea party, and the guest of honor happens to be a T-Rex! For the girl who loves monsters, Zombelina is about a dancing zombie with a case of stage fright.

The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny)

Written by Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer

Illustrated by Stacy Innerst

Guitar Case Roller Coaster, acrylic on board

The Beatles. What more can you say? How great is it that there's a children's book about such an iconic band? The Beatles Were Fab focuses on how lighthearted and downright funny John, Paul, George and Ringo were, entertaining everyone from the Queen Mum to us Yanks on the Ed Sullivan Show. Stacy Innerst's lively illustrations portray the Fab Four on their journey "to the toppermost of the poppermost." Lifelong fans will adore taking a trip down "Penny Lane""Eight Days a Week!" Authors Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer will be signing alongside Stacy, and the trio will even give a talk about their collaborative efforts "Across the Universe." (Click here for complete talk & demo schedule!)

One Man Band, from M is for Music

Also in a musical vein is M is for Music, an alphabet book for the musically inclined. I love anything to do with creativity and music, so this book is right up my alley! What I love even more than the text are Stacy's quirky illustrations, some of which were on view at the Chicago Art Institute. Look closely and you'll see that not only has he used paint on illustration board, he's also used pieces of tin to give dimension to his offbeat characters!

P is for Pinata

Written by Tony Johnston

Illustrated by John Parra

Woman Weaving, acrylic on board

There's just something about P is for Pinata that I love. John Parra's folk art illustrations show off key aspects of his Latin American roots that are written in simple verse as well as factual prose. I keep coming back to the image of the woman weaving - that little bee gets me every time! However, my favorite letter is L for Lava and some of Mexico's famous volcanoes. When I was in elementary school I read a story about one of these volcanoes that a local farmer "plowed up" that soon grew to swallow his fields. From then on I was convinced I had a volcano growing under my bed and it kept me up at night. Kind of a strange reason to love the letter L, but then again, that's me.

Round is a Tortilla, illustrated by John Parra

Another great read is Round is a Tortilla. Not only does it teach shapes, it also teaches Spanish words throughout the simple text. Perfect for younger readers, there is a Spanish/English glossary in the back to explain some of the unfamiliar terminology. We just found out that author Rosanne Thong will be joining us the day of the show, too! (She also wrote the popular story Wish, illustrated by Elisa Kleven.)

Don't forget, Saturday November 30th is your last day to pre-order your books! If you need any book recommendations, just ask! For the complete book list, click here.

See you December 7th for the big event!

Announcing our 2013 Children's Book Illustration Art Show & Book Signing!

*Updated 11-7-13

Get ready, because it's time for our...

Featuring the talents of

  Michael Hague | Brett Helquist

  Molly Idle | Stacy Innerst | John Parra

Special guest appearances by authors Kathleen Hague, Kathlen Krull & Paul Brewer

 Every year we say it can't get any better, but somehow this show reaches beyond our expectations! Taking an overview of this year's selection, we would have to say that this is the most diverse show yet, in both style and media.

We have more than 200 original illustrations available for purchase from these award-winning artists. Plus, over 50 books  are available for pre-sale from now until the close of business (5pm) November 30th or until each illustrator has sold 200 books, whichever comes first. Come in early to pick your books so you don't miss out! You'll still be able to purchase books the day of the show, but we can't guarantee the availability of titles. Follow this link for the 2013 Book List.

If you can't make it to Chemers Gallery the day of the reception and signing, don't worry! We will take care of getting your pre-ordered books signed and dedicated for you. They will be ready for you to pick up at your convenience any time in the afternoon of December 7th and onward. Even if you live out of the area, you may purchase art and books and we will ship them to you! All artwork is available to view on our website.  We are happy to answer any questions via phone or email.

Meet and mingle with our illustrators and authors the day of the show, and enjoy their original artwork, books, talks and demonstrations throughout the afternoon. Talk & demonstration schedule listed below, or, follow this link!

Clients who purchase illustrations will be invited to a private evening with the illustrators.

And now, without further adieu, let us introduce our illustrious illustrators...

Michael Hague
Bringing the realm of fairies and beloved children's classics to life, Michael's watercolor illustrations are filled with intricate detail. He was influenced at an early age by the fairytale books of his mother's childhood in England as well as the comics that were considered contraband in his house. Michael's beautiful illustrations capture a magical "other world." Favoring watercolor, he also uses pen & ink and colored pencil. Michael studied at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. His most well-known books include Peter Pan and The Velveteen Rabbit. Michael often collaborates with his wife, author Kathleen Hague, who will also be in attendance and signing books! 

Brett Helquist
Joining us from New York, Brett's graphic illustrations portray stories full of action and adventure. Influenced by the comics of his childhood, he studied at Brigham Young University and went on to pursue a career as an illustrator and now has more than 40 books to his credit. His first children's book was The Bad Beginning, the first of the ever popular Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events. Brett uses bold colors, sharp details and warm humor in his oil and acrylic illustrations. 

Molly Idle
Clever illustrations that are just oh-so-cute are what sets Molly apart from the crowd. The subtle hues and rich vibrant colors so central to her drawings are achieved completely with colored pencil. (She can go through nearly 200 pencils per book!) Molly trained at Arizona State University and was a member of the DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios team in a previous life. The influence of her time spent there is evident in some of her adorable illustrations. Recent books include Zombelina, a young zombie who gets a bad case of stage fright, and Flora and the Flamingo, a story without words.

Stacy Innerst
Innovation is key to Stacy's quirky, off-beat oil and acrylic illustrations. Painting on everything from paper to old Levi's, his artwork is full of thoughtful detail that seamlessly pairs with the text of his books. Stacy studied art and history at the University of New Mexico, where he discovered a love for folk and outsider art. The work from his first children's book, M is for Music, was displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago. Stacy's picture books have won numerous awards and honors, and recognitions from the Society of Illustrators, the Smithsonian and the Junior Library Guild. He has most recently teamed up with our guest authors Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer to create The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny) - sure to be a best seller.

John Parra
With the nostalgic feel of Hispanic folk art from yesteryear, John's lively illustrations are filled with wonderful textures and colors that just beg to be noticed. Originally from California, he takes pride in his Hispanic heritage and looks to it again and again for inspiration. John is both a Pura Belpre Honoree and the recipient of the Christopher award for works that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit." His illustrations are created using acrylic paint on board and have details that keep your eyes moving here, there and everywhere! Many books are bi-lingual, like Gracias / Thanks and My Name is Gabriela.

This year, the southwest has really stepped up to represent! All of our talented illustrators and authors have either grown up, studied at college, or currently live in California, Arizona or New Mexico. Yeah!

Come for the Art & Books and Stay All Day!
Schedule of Talks & Demonstrations by the Illustrators & Authors

1:45 Penny S. Bryan, Ph.D.: "Impact of Visual Illustration on Narrative"
2:00 Stacy Innerst, Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer: "The Beatles Were Fab: A Collaboration"
2:30 John Parra: "Folk Art Painting Demonstration"
2:55 Michael Hague: "Off the Cuff with Q & A"
3:20 Molly Idle: "From Motion Pictures to Picture Books"
3:45 Brett Helquist: "Creative Process"

Plus, children's storytime at 2:00 and 3:00!

Every year, the Children's Book Illustration Show benefits a local children's charity. This year, Chemers Gallery has again chosen to work with...

Chapman University's College of Educational Studies (CES) Literacy Programs provide world class tutoring for K-12 grade students regardless of financial resources; custom libraries of books for students to take home; after school programs in the community and a pathway to bring first generation students to the university. 

To help underwrite this program or donate signed children's books and/or illustrations to CES please contact Margie McCoy at mmccoy@chapman.edu or call 714-997-6692

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Come for the Art & Books and Stay All Day!

EB Lewis during our 21st Annual Children's Book Illustration Show in 2012 - photo by Max Kosydar

Don't forget to mark your calenders! The 22nd Annual Children's Book Illustration Art Show & Book Signing is fast approaching, and we don't want you to miss out! It all happens Saturday, December 7, 1 - 5pm.

While you're picking up your signed books, meeting the artists & authors and viewing the original illustrations adorning our walls, why not pop out our back door and spend some time listening to your favorites speak?

Schedule of
Talks & Demonstrations by the Illustrators & Authors

1:45 Penny S. Bryan, Ph.D.: "Impact of Visual Illustration on Narrative"
2:00 Stacy Innerst, Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer: "The Beatles Were Fab; A Collaboration"
2:30 John Parra: "Folk Art Painting Demonstration"
2:55 Michael Hague: "Off the Cuff with Q & A"
3:20 Molly Idle: "From Motion Pictures to Picture Books"
3:45 Brett Helquist: "Creative Process"

Kid's Storytime: 2:00pm & 3:00pm

Penny S. Bryan, PhD of Chapman University College of Educational Studies will discuss just how important illustration is to the text of children's books. Listen to a special reading of The Beatles Were Fab by authors Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer, and be sure to stick around to listen to the two authors explain, with illustrator Stacy Innerst, the art of collaboration. Watch John Parra as he demonstrates his unique folk art painting style. Ask Michael Hague all about his work during his Q&A session. Discover how Molly Idle transitioned from animating for DreamWorks to illustrating children's books. Hear all about the creative process Brett Helquist puts into practice. 

Talks and presentations are free of charge and open to everyone.

And, preview illustrations before your favorite is snapped up. Preview on-line or in person at the gallery.

The anticipation is palpable as we get closer to the big day! We are so excited to see the framed illustrations as they're finished, to open the boxes and boxes of books as they're delivered and to see the entire show slowly coming together. We can't wait to share it all with you on December 7th!