About the Artist

Hi, I'm Alyx, owner of Ornament Designs. I'm an American ex-pat living in Yokohama, Japan. I teach Kimekomi ornament making and sell digital tutorials in my Etsy shop. 

Kimekomi was developed in 18th-century Japan as a doll-making technique. The word kimekomi means "to tuck into a groove." A pattern is drawn and cut onto a surface, such as smooth foam, wood composite material, or resin. Fabric is then placed over the cut pattern and tucked into the grooves.

My passion for handmade Christmas ornaments started at a young age. One of my earliest memories is of my parents making sequined and beaded ornaments from kits that were popular in the late '70s/ early '80s. I always admired those beautiful ornaments when decorating our family Christmas tree every year. As a teenager, I started making them with my mother's encouragement. At that time, beaded and sequined ornament kits were hard to find, so I designed them myself. Here are some pictures of those early ornaments. My mother still hangs them on her tree every year.

After graduating from Texas State University, I moved to Japan to teach English and discovered Kimekomi (tucked fabric technique). I eventually adopted and adapted the technique to make Christmas ornaments. 

Ornament Designs started in 2009 when I posted my first time-lapse video on YouTube. That was the beginning of what has now become a YouTube channel with over 17,000 subscribers, this website, and a successful Etsy shop. You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram.

Unless otherwise stated, all of the ornaments on this site are of my own design.

Quick Facts About Me:

• I'm from the USA and have lived in Pennsylvania. Illinois, Texas, and California.
• I'm a wife and mother of two.
• I've lived in various parts of Japan for over ten years. I am currently located in Yokohama.
• My favorite quote:
  "We're all stories, in the end; just make it a good one, eh?" -The Doctor, Doctor Who

Check out this interview I did with Alura.io.