The one with a Christmas Tradition

Welcome back fellow DIY-ers!!

With less than 2 weeks to Christmas I am starting to look forward to the events coming up.
If I survive this finals week.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is exchanging ornaments.

My parents started getting {at least} one ornament for me every year since I was born and they kept a list of which ornament was received each year. 

I have carried the tradition on with The Boyfriend and continue to do it with my Mom.

My family also does an ornament exchange instead of exchanging presents. Everyone brings one ornament already wrapped up. We put them in a big pile in the middle of the room and we start picking one by one {youngest first}. The fun part is that you can "steal" someone else's ornament if you really like it, instead of picking a new one from the pile. We have been doing this for years and its really fun. So everyone leaves with a new ornament for their tree :)
And I am hosting the ornament exchange at our new house for the first time. 
I am so excited. Lots of pictures to come!!

So when this Teresa Collins December daily album showed up on a deal-a-day site for half off, I immediately knew I wanted to do an album about all of my ornaments.

I have a page for each years ornaments, and anything I remembered about them from way back. I sat down with my mom for my early years to see what she remembered. 

Its getting pretty thick!

The first page has a picture of the tree I decorate every year {that was my Grandma's}, and all my ornaments put out on my coffee table when I was getting ready to take all the pictures. There are multiple layers there. They don't all fit on my small tree. 

I have through 1999 done. I still have to add the years and add some embellishments to the rest of the pages. I hope to have this done before my family comes for Christmas so they can see how important our traditions are to me. 

It will definitely be one that I continue to do and will pass along to my children someday.

What is your favorite tradition?

The one about gift card holders

Welcome back fellow DIY-ers!!

Every year the law firm I work for holds an entrepreneur show. It is for anyone who sells items on the side to showcase them during a 2 hour lunch time. 

My mom and I have sold many items over the years, but our best selling item and therefore what we create every year are gift card holders. Gift cards can be on the impersonal side, but putting them in a handmade holder can really show someone you care!

Here are the designs we have made this year using all kinds of items we both have on hand in our craft stash. We try to get a nice variety every year. 

Who wouldn't love to get a starbucks gift card in a sparkly cup!

That tree is made with straws!

I love the vintage feel of that stocking

Beautiful poinsettia! 

Something's feeling a little frozen with that top left design... ;)

The Noel is cut and multi-layered for a beautiful effect. 

The angel shimmers! 

All designs shown are available for purchase. If you would like to order any, please email Liz at lizkennedydesigns@gmail.com

Gift Card holders are only $1.50 each, 3 for $4.00

Here are some that we designed last year but could also be ordered. 

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