About Us

Hi!  My name is Kim Ries and I unofficially started my company, Heartfelt Traditions about 5 years ago.  It all started with a desperate search for a Pokemon ornament.  You see, every year I purchase a Christmas ornament for my children and for us as a family that reflects something from that years events.  That way every year as we put ornaments on the tree we can remember all of the good memories we have had as a family and as individuals.  Anyhow, that year, my son, Caleb, was only into Pokemon.  I had searched high and low and could not find anything acceptable.  I was in such distress about it that my boss, suggested that she could make the ornament out of ceramics and put his name on it with a picture of his favorite Pokemon.  I so loved the idea, that I got her to do my other son, Johnny and the other 3 cousins an ornament as well.  Well, about 3 or 4 days before Christmas, she brought the ornaments in to work.  I was so excited as I carefully opened the ornament.  Oh, it was more than I ever expected.  It was spectacular!  All of the ornaments were, however, 1 was missing!  What was I to do?  I couldn't hand them out at Christmas now, not with 1 missing!  I was so distressed!  My boss said that I needed stress relief and that I should attend the ceramics class with her on Thursday nights at the First Baptist Church downtown.  Well, as you know, it is not exactly easy to say no to your boss when she is suggesting stress relief, so I went.  I actually loved the getting away from everything for the few hours and creating something beautiful, however, I wasn't loving the items that were available to paint, so, I created my own!  They turned out so cute that everyone wanted one and I started selling them, and well, now you know the rest of the story...Heartfelt Traditions was born!  All from a simple little Pokemon ornament!  Life is defintely unexpected and fantastic!  Starting my own pottery business has allowed me to enjoy my family from a new perspective and now my boys are helping me with the business.  Johnny is going to college and helping in the summer and on the weekends and Caleb helps during the summer break!  I named my company Heartfelt Traditions because I wanted to create items that could be purchased and kept and every time they were used all of the good memories from the times prior could be remembered.  I truly believe life passes by so quick and very few people take the time to enjoy it.  I was hoping that my pottery and ornaments might make everyone take the time to remember that life is filled with Heartfelt Memories that are to be treasured every day!