homemade kids Christmas gifts

16011996

fabric pens can be quite expensive if from a craft shop, although i have picked them up in book outlet stores, the works i think it was, and they weren't too expensive there, think they were £4 or £5 for a pack with a few different colours in.

Pooky

If you look on the freebie boards for the link for the free Avary lables....if you search around you can get some free t-shirt transfer printer stuff.....I've ended up with 2 loads of it, you could do t-shirts with that then.

I've made up some "grow your own" kits in the past....a flower pot, little bag of compost, some seeds.....you can paint the pot or put some paints in for them to do it themselves.....always go down well.

Cheapskate

How about home-made edible gifts? If no food allergies, etc., & if parents no objections (if they're not your kids), try simple stuff that you can't go wrong with.
Make a load of gingerbread & cut out however you like. You could decorate with plain water icing - dries hard - & you can buy cellophane in florists, quite cheap for a lot. Wrap biccies in cellophane & use ribbon to tie. Any simple baking would do - buns, other biscuits - & you could save old boxes from teabags or anything non-fragranced to use as outer packaging.
Does this help? I can give recipes if you'd like?

culpepper

fabric paints would probably be cheaper than pens.
I did my DS a wallace and Grommit T shirt when he was little.I drew it on with a black fabric pen (bought by itself from the art shop) then coloured it in with the paints which were bought as a childs fabric paint kit and cost about £1(put a plastic bag inside the shirt so it doesnt soak through to the back).
I made a teddy puppet for my 3yr old cousin years ago and she loved it.It was just 2 teddy outlines cut out of fur fabric(an old furry coat lining) and the face embroidered on.
Soft balls made of felt and stuffed with tights or kapok are good for littlies too.
You could make dressing up clothes.I made a soldier uniform for DS.It was a pair of trousers made from remnants and with a red strip sewn on,a red shirt (charity shop) with the buttons painted gold and a crown embroidered on the collar(turned up and shortened).He had a belt painted white and a busby made from fur fabric and cardboard with gold braid for a chin strap.
DD had a clown suit which was mainly a pair of old velvet curtains(they had faded)cut into a baggy suit shape,a ruff from window netting and pom poms down the front.With a conical hat with pom poms and a red nose(half a ping pong ball painted red and threaded with elastic).I think we've still got them somewhere so I expect any grandkids will get to play with them too in years to come.
You can make art kits in the same way as the sewing kits,or activity kits with colouring in(printed out),balloonies(make the faces on the pc with sticker paper),stickers,print out mazes,word searches and crossword puzzles.

Sarahsaver

Dylon makes something called 'image maker' and it is a glue like substance that can be used to transfer a printed image or photocopy onto fabric. One tube costs 3 to 4 quid and will do loads of transfers.

16011996

Sarahsaver wrote:

Dylon makes something called 'image maker' and it is a glue like substance that can be used to transfer a printed image or photocopy onto fabric. One tube costs 3 to 4 quid and will do loads of transfers.

i've been looking for this, anyone know where i can get some from please?

thanks

160.

Aril

When my son was 3 I made him an Elmer picture [he was and still is totally elephant mad] I traced off the shape and enlarged it on a photocopier. I then cut it out and mounted it onto cardboard and cut out all the felt squares. Finally I trimmed the edges and glued it onto a fabric covered board. I subsequently made him a Wilbur one in the same way. He loved them and it covered over where the little dear had picked off his wallpaper!!
Regards
Aril

bargainqueen_2

Also, for the eldest, the "hippie" look is always in, so getting some cheap dye and a plain white t-shirt, you can section of bits of the shirt with string, tape etc. and make a batic t-shirt. I love those and the always go down well.

1sttimer_2

What about a hobby horse. All you need is an old sock stuffed with old tights or something soft. Sew buttons on for eyes and wool for a mane, cut a mouth out of felt and fasten it to the end of a broom handle - cut to the size for the child. Add some braiding and bells for reins. My 2 girls loved these (15 years ago) and still have them!

culpepper

A dolls house made from 4 equal sized boxes and a cardboard roof.Paint the outside and inside and make furniture from balsa wood,small boxes etc.
You could make a castle or fort with cardboard boxes too.
Ikea do a cardboard dolls house made of small boxes so that could help inspirationally.
Rag dolls if you are good at sewing.DD still has one she got from an aunty when she was 3.