Personalized Gifts for Grads and Moms
Personalized Gifts for Grads and Moms
Award Keepers
Twenty years ago, Lincoln mom Diane Semrad was tired of her children’s gymnastics and 4-H medals and ribbons being shoved into the backs of drawers and in plastic bags.
“We had spent way too much money and hard work for those awards to just fling them around,” she said. “I wanted them to see how their hard work was paying off.”
So Diane developed the Award Keepers system to organize the chaos. Over a span of five years, she worked with two companies to create a high-quality scrapbook with specially-sized pockets to hold ribbons, certificates, medals and pictures to showcase athletic, academic and artistic endeavors. It is archival quality and easily adaptable to each customer’s needs.
She stored and displayed awards for her two children in the Awards Keeper system and then shared the books at her children’s high school graduation parties.
Diane has sold her Award Keeper system to customers in all 50 states and six foreign countries.
The Award Keeper starter pack includes the album with a 4 X 6 photo exterior frame plus interior pages to hold 40 awards and four team photos or certificates plus a gold journaling pen. The entire book on average can hold 100-120 medals/ribbons depending on the size and weight of the awards. It is available from the Buy Nebraska store in Kearney and on Buy Nebraska https://buynebraska.com/products/award-keeper-ribbon-and-medal-organization-album at a retail price of $52.50. Extra pages and refill packs can also be ordered.
For more information about Award Keepers, please visit its GROW Nebraska member page here.
RCK Creations
What mom wouldn’t want to drink her morning coffee out of a mug or tumbler that says “World’s Greatest Mom” with her name on it? Or, how about an actual photo of mom or the kids laser engraved on a coaster, mug or leather-bound notebook?
RCK Creations and More in Alda has been creating personalized gifts since 2009 and can engrave on anything from photo frames to cookie jars, wine glasses, mugs, ceramic flower pots, wooden signs and cork coasters.
One of the RCK’s most popular products is the “Mommy’s Sippy Cup” mug. That success has also sparked spinoff products like “Grandma’s Sippy Cup” and “Papa’s Sippy Cup.” The “Mama Bear” tumbler is also popular.
A new product that might appeal to moms or graduates this time of year is a Swiss-army knife type product that includes a can/bottle opener, a small knife and a corkscrew opener. Names, initials or sayings can be etched onto the handle.
Roger Kirkpatrick and his wife, Connie, started RCK Creations in 2009 and expanded to their new building in Alda in 2015. Roger does the etching, while Connie keeps busy with her alteration business, specializing in prom, wedding and other special occasion dresses.
Roger said customers should allow one to two weeks for personalized Mother’s Day or graduation gifts.
RCK products are available in Kearney’s BUY Nebraska store and on their Amazon and BUY Nebraska site.
For contact information to order a personalized product, visit RCK’s GROW Nebraska member page.
Design Haven Graphics
Give moms, graduates and brides a practical gift for every-day use with an etched-glass product from Design Haven Graphics in Howells.
Mom would never lose a dish again after the church potluck when her dessert or salad is served from a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with her named etched onto it. Smaller 8-by-8 glass dishes with lids make perfect gifts for graduates.
Owner Shawn Hegemann etches names, Bible verses, initials and any custom design onto practical every day products like glass pans and cookie jars. She also makes signs and other designs.
Shawn started the business in 2011 when she needed a way to mark her dishes with something other than masking tape. After she etched a few dishes for herself, her husband and friend encouraged her to start a business making the dishes for others.
“It was something I could do at home in the kitchen during the kids’ naptime,” Shawn said.
Design Haven’s personalized 9-by-13-inch glass Pyrex baking dish with a lid retails on GROW’s Buy Nebraska site for $39.95. See some of Design Haven’s products here.
Shawn encourages customers to order personalized gifts at least two to three weeks ahead of time to allow for on-time delivery.
To order a customized gift from Design Haven, visit Shawn’s GROW Nebraska member web page.
Story by Kristine Jacobson, KRJPR http://www.krjpr.com/
