ornaments | the mini album

While your tree is up and decorated, remember to snap a few pics of your most favorite, treasured and oldest ornaments that make up the story of your family's keepsakes.



Once you've done that, you'll want to print out these free journaling card downloads. Trim them and then record your stories before slipping them into a 4x6 photo album for a simple way to always have those quirky recollections as to why "this" ornament is even in your family's collection.


On my agenda for the day...snapping a few more photos to add to our album. I'll probably get a little teary thinking about the stories that go along with ornaments I'm photographing. When we unpacked our ornaments to add to the tree this year, I remembered why I am so thankful that we take the time to make homemade ornaments with the kids each year.

Luckily, I have little notes I've written that are included in the baggies that I use to keep our handmade ornaments together which makes my job easier as I record details and dates. Some of the notes are even written in Zach's handwriting. Yep, I shed a tear. Or two. Maybe more. So, this year it's a must that the girls write notes about our ornament making sessions so that years from now I can tear up again.  Here's our ornament making session with Zach and Ruth while they were in town before Thanksgiving. He kinda, sorta made sure we made ornaments. Makes me think that maybe he actually liked the time we spent doing that. We used this salt dough ornament recipe, if you'd like to make some with your kiddos.


NOTE  |  I wanted to share this free download with you again. I noticed that there was a ridiculously large amount of traffic coming to the blog from Pinterest. One Pin alone has been re-Pinned over 1200 times. Yes, I said 1200 re-pins from just one Pin. Here's the original post from 2010.

10 comments

  1. Sweet post.
    And amazing success story.
    ~j

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  2. I want to see the ornaments the kids made!! Isn't it a great feeling when your older kids want to carry on the traditions of their youth!?! Have a good week Monika!

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  3. Awww, I love this post! Thank you for the free download for journaling and for the idea of photographing our favorite ornaments. I need to remember this when I get my tree and decorations out.
    Such a sweet pic of your kids together making ornaments. I can't wait to see which ones they make. Thanks for the recipe too!
    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  4. Beautiful story, Monika, and wow! 1200 pins! Awesome!! How sweet that Zach wanted to carry on this tradition with his little sisters -- and I agree with the other ladies, we want to see what they made! I may shed a tear or two myself! :)

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  5. Love this little album and I just love that photo of Zach and the girls making ornaments together-how sweet!

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    Replies
    1. I'm totally using this photo in the December Daily even if it happened in November!

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  6. What a great tradition this is! I have also made a mini about our ornaments last year and will share it on my blog later on :)

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  7. Every Christmas I plan on doing this...and then it gets away from me! Will this year be the year??? And, holy cow! That's a ton of Pinterest hits! :)

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