Christmas presents: are you making some yourself?

The Little Lounge Coffee Corner - General Chat
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I have a tight Christmas budget but would still to have some variety under the tree this year!
Are you making your own gifts? Could you make some suggestions?

Oh, and if someone has an Etsy shop or else, please let me know. so I can have a look, I’d rather support family businesses than big corporations!

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Well, knowing that all the grandparents and aunties and uncles will be providing more, much more, than enough gifts, we’ll be doing a “lite” version ourselves. I’ve made cloth quilted letters for his name (visit Counting Coconut’s blog - she did numbers…I may still do this) out of scrap cloth I scavenged at my mom’s, I am also making a pile of bean bags from an old corduroy jacket of mine (from the 90s - hoarder that I am!). Neither particularly exciting, but they will be useful :slight_smile: And, I got my dad to make him a little stool so that he can get up to “Mommy’s Big Boy Potty” without me - I’m going to paint it with a tic-tac-toe mat on the top so that he can use it later as a game board if he likes. Oh, and I’ve filled up a super large container with gravel and we’re buying him some dumptrucks and diggers to go with it.

And, we’ll probably cave and buy him a few CDs and DVDs (educational of course lol). We won’t be the stars of gift giving this year, but maybe next year the finances will allow for a bit more variety. Besides…it’s not really about being the “star” anyway, right?

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Your LO is at about the age where imagination starts developing. One thing mine really liked were props to act out stories and Winnie the Pooh stories are their favorite to do this with. I got some vintage McDonald’s happy meal plush characters off ebay that stand about 3" high. They could also be home made but I think I would have spent more for materials. Anyway, I’m also planning on making props for the stories as well and happy to share my ideas if anyone is interested.

Here is a toy maker’s forum, I have seen lots of etsy artists posting there.

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I make cell phone holders and mp3 or ipod holders out of felt. I make felt dolls, food, and houses. I make hand puppets, and quilts. Also in our homeschool co-op all of the kids and parents gather up items that they no longer want and we have our own Present Workshop. The kids pick out a present for each family member and an adult wraps it for them. It is so fun for the kids. So gather your friends up and have a Present Workshop.

I will be glad to make some for anyone as long as you pay for shipping cost. nockaday recieved some of my felt food last christmas.

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Yes, and they were adorable!

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If anyone is interested in seeing my felt foods and so on visit http://rolom.yolasite.com choose Penny Felts. We do this as a ministry and not to make profit. I also have some recipes for herbal products as well like a lavender sachet and so on if you are interested PM me and I can send you the directions.

Sorry I fixed the typeo

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Hi mother of faith,

I clicked on your link but was directed to a different site. Is it http://rolom.yolsite.com?

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Hi MoF, I tried your link and got a web directory type site. Maybe it wasn’t the full link???

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I’ll be getting some felt items from mother of faith.
thank you so much for your offer. i can’t imagine how expensive it would have been if you’d charged for your time. what a great gift!

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oh so sorry it is http://rolom.yolasite.com Sorry for that! I have a lot more that isn’t on there so if there is something special you are wanting let me know. We do this as a ministry only

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I’m interested in the 100pcs set for my daycare. We can wait till after Christmas. I was wondering what the doll house looks like and how much would this be to ship to Canada?
Thanks so much Mother Of Faith! The food looks great!

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It will cost aorund 12.00, but I will try to include more pieces then that for you if you pay the shipping. Here are the links to the ones that are similar to mine. I don’t have a pic available because I forgot to take the pictures before I gave them away. http://lbbsdreams.blogspot.com/2009/02/felt-dollhouse-miniature.html and http://www.beanblossoms.net/dollhousefelt.html

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MoF, those are so adorable! I have been thinking of making something similar to go with my kids’ Winnie the Pooh playset.

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My daughter has asked for Plants from her Aunt Michelle. I think that is a wonderful homemade gift - a hand decorated pot with a small houseplant. Aunt Michelle has started to take small cuttings from her houseplants to plant into new pots for Christmas. Inexpensive and environmentally friendly :slight_smile:

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I am making most of her presents with my mothers help. Here is a list of some present she will get.

-I am making some felt animal cookies for my daughter.(Last Christmas I made some felt food for her here are the pictures
http://olivesandpickles.blogspot.com/2010/09/felt-food.html

-I am making some chinese wooden blocks.
-I will make tree wooden blocks as well.
-The last three signing time dvd to complete our collection.

Please if someone will like me to do some of these presents for their children let me know.

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I saw this http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChasingCheerios/~3/yvBJdHmZW5g/animal-puzzle-blocks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email idea today. Melissa and Doug make something similar. You put something on every side and it’s like having 6 puzzles in one.

Here’s another M&D- like toy for the little ones http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2010/11/peek-boo-house.html

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My family is big but I am certain most toys we get will be plastic and noisy :rolleyes: I have been picking up things that I want him to have all year and now I have loads!

Then I found PY’s lovely blog and started thinking that I should make him things, since I love crafting. So now I’ve started making beanbags. Handstitched and with letters applique- capital on one side and small on the other. Great fun, but I’ve got 38 more letters to do, and I’ve only stitched up two of them! :blink:

I think next year I will try and make it a completely homemade Christmas… mostly :rolleyes:

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My kids really enjoy watching the birds at the birdfeeder. I found this simple to make log bird feeder that you fill with suet. Here is another link on how to make suet.

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http://www.angelfire.com/planet/mcshelpsite/sewingstuff/freepatterns.html/#toys
This website has tons of ideas. Happy crafting!

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Dear friends
i am really getting frustrated missing out on so many interesting posts and probably it might sound dum but what is the best way to follow brillkids posts , and how you find the time ,only to go through daily digest will take for ever , than i too dream of making my own toys but i end up with tons of unfinished projects . i fell in love with montessori and all i have now is pile of three part cards waiting to be cut and laminated . my first is specialneed daughter i did doman with her and the physical intensive program , and we did lots of crafty things , we did a successful intellectual material made all by hand cutting gluing and writting , i had no computer . now with my two youngest it seems i have no time for anything they both open their eyes with me in the morning and by the time they are in bed mama is exhausted . they are very independant but at their age they like to do things with mama . little time is left to organize the house think of food to eat , lessons to teach the next day ,how can you find kid free time to do what you do ?? please tell me .
viv