Need Christmas Craft Ideas

Make Soap! It is so easy and inexpensive. you can tint it Christmas colors, add scents even. All the supplies are at a craft store. It is so simple! just melt in microwave and pour into molds. I went to Party City and bought little plastic holiday party favors, which you can put inside the bars. Laminate a personal note to include on the back, and voila, a handmade Christmas present, that your child can do almost all by himself and get lots of oooooooooohs and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahs! It is addictive. You will be making soap for every occasion! Have fun.

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One year we did pot holders with my son's hand print on them and name and date, all done in fabric paint. He's fourteen now and the grandma's still have them hanging in the kitchen, when my youngest was born they requested one from her also.

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wow,
you already have so many ideas- here is one to add to your list.....
I save my decorative jelly jars- or other jars that have a wide mouth- fill them with poporrui , place lace over the top and use pretty ribbon to tie around the jar top- the aroma comes thru the lace and makes the rooms or drawers smell nice.
good luck with your gift making

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This may or may not be something you're interested in, but I'll send it anyway. My kiddos got a regular, plain wood picture frame and glued buttons all around the edges- a variety of colors and sizes. They used craft glue so it wasn't too runny.

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I second the soap. I didn't want to just do cheesy gifts because this was all we were giving to all the family members. We melted glycerine soap in the microwave and then I took it out and had the children (3,4,5) add drops of coloring and fragrance in the soaps. We did two different colors (one red with cinnamon and oats and one green with tea tree oil and soap glitter.) The children took turns stirring. I used the glycerine with olive oil because it helps suspend the glitter or oats or whatever in the soap. the red ones I grated glycerine on top as it started to solidify on top and sprinkled the glitter. they were 'cup cakes.'

I bought clear treat bags to wrap up the soaps.

Oh, I used the silicone cupcake pans because you can quickly easily get the soaps out. We also made candles but those took much longer and I really had to do most of it myself. Still a great idea, but you might want to stick with soaps if you want to keep it simple.

BTW, everyone LOVED the candles and soaps!!

S., mom to 5

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The "recipes in a jar" are nice. I am sure there are some on the website. If you are not familiar with them it amounts to getting the dry ingredients listed on the recipe and layering them in a quart jar. They have cookies, brownies, nine bean soup recipes etc. Then you attach the recipe to the jar and they add the wet ingredients which is usually oil, eggs, and water. You can decorate the jar too to reuse for something else.Also, we like to make the fleece blankets where you cut the size usually 2 yards of fleece for front and back(4yds total) and then you tie all of the ends. We use a solid for the back and a print for the front. Then you just cut about an inch inward on all sides of the fabric making 2 inch strips and tie the ends together. On each corner though you need to cut a square out so that it ties together properly. This is hard to explain, but a fabric store usually has these on display or they could explain it better to you. Also, we like to make coupon books. You can have coupons for going to the movies, game night, cook dinner, etc . We also like to do kitchen towels that we decorate with permanent fabric markers.We buy the cheaper white towels at Walmart or Big Lots. Grandma uses hers all the time and is so proud of it. I hope these ideas help.

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You might check out the craft ideas at crayola.com. Here are some of the ones they sent me in an email:

Striking Pendant & Earrings
School Days Picture Frame
Stunning "Cloisonné" Gift Pendants
Marbleized Clay Dishes
Keys & Coins Keeper
Volunteer Coupon Packets
Spiral Vase
Designed for Dad's Door

For more craft ideas, here's a link to their site: http://www.crayola.com/holidays/winterholidays/.

Have fun!

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Get some of those clear glass ornaments and some acrylic paints (assortment of colors in small bottles). After you remove the cap off of the ornament for him, let him "paint" the inside. A few drops at a time is all it takes. The paint will flow down (or around if you twist & turn the ornament). this step is repeated with whatever color he chooses until he's happy with how the ornament looks. Doesn't matter how many you make, no 2 will EVER be alike and they look really neat on the tree!

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One year we did fridge magnets that had a spot for a picture. I bought sticky letters and her wrote I love my Gram and Papa and then we put in a picture or you could just have him draw a picture. They both loved it! They both still have it on their fridges and it has been a whole year! It was a good gift!

How about a calendar where he makes the pictures. I did this when I taught Kindergarten. It took time but the parents loved it and used it. I'm sure you can get a calendar from online.

Apron, bag, sweat shirt, t-shirt with the little guys hand prints. Then add the words "Grandma's helping hands".

Take him to a paint your own pottery store.

Have fun!

Look at DLTK, they have some easy cute things

I would suggest that you get three or four different colored paints, washable and non toxic of course, and spread them next to one another on some wax paper or butcher paper or paper plate and let him put his full hand , flat palmed , over the paint and then press his hand on a piece of poster board or whatever you have that looks nice and then let his hand print dry, date it and frame it and give it as a forever gift. have fun, be blessed, and Merry Christmas L. S.

go to Orientaltrading.com. You can either order something from them or get the idea and go to Hobby Lobby and buy the stuff yourself. They only take 3 days to deliver them and thats not paying for extra fast delivery.

When my daughter was that age, I bought some pre-made snowman ornaments at Michele's and let her paint them they way she wanted to. Her grandparents still place the glitter colored ornaments on the tree! And as she got older, her ability to paint improved as well.

Good luck and enjoy your son. Kids grow up so quickly!

L.

Last year I had my daughter draw and color a Christmas picture. She chose to draw a simple Chritmas tree with ornaments and her family (stick figures of course). I had her sign it at the bottom just like a real artist. I scanned it to my computer and used some software I had to make it into our Chritmas card for that year.

Clear glass Christmas ball, craft paint.
Take the silver ends off the ball. Pour paint the colors that you like into the ball and tip to spread the paint. When done up end and sit to drain and dry. Put back together and give.
Have fun.

A solid wood picture frame that he paints himself. It could even contain a picture of him painting it. When my grandson was five, he did an abstract painting which his mother framed and gave to me. I purchased a kit and mixed plaster of paris and made hand prints. The one I got came from Walgreens and is in a tin with a tight fitting top. I would imagine most craft stores carry them. His five year old hand print would be a real treasure.

A.:

I haven't read all of the responses you received, but I will give you my suggesstion. At Michael's I saw these gingerbread cut outs that are made of some type of thin wood....maybe 6 to 8 inches tall. I actually bought some for my kids. Anyway, your son could decorate a gingerbread man for each of his grandparents and whoever else..... Even make it like a picture frame (with your help) by putting his picture in the middle with a frame around it, or using his picture for the face.....

Good luck!

Short, sweet and to the point....WWW.familyfun.com!
Merry Chrsitmas

A couple of ideas that may be nice~
~A porcelain mug painted with the porcelain paints
~A "painting" made by your son. We did this and I loved it. We bought the canvas boards (pretty inexpensive)and craft acrylic paints, and went to painting. My children are getting older, but we still have some of these around our house that i treasure (my daughter also keeps some of her own art on her walls!).
~Painted terra cotta plant pots (love these too!) He can fill it with homemade cookies (wrapped of course), a plant or whatever.
~clay sculptures that are bake dried then painted.
Just a few quick thoughts. Have fun!

Hi A., I don't know if you are into scrapbooking at all but even if you aren't there are some super cute things you could make like a Grammas brag book of pictures of him -she could take it where ever she goes, a mini album, a photo cube, or a calendar (either desktop or large hanging). The calendar you could put a picture of him from each month on it. The small desktop type one you would make as a perpetual calendar where they could use it over and over again.
I teach scrapbooking and would love to help you if you need ideas or supplies. I am making an acrylic album with my 5 yo daughter for her nana & papaw this year.
Blessings, E. Chu
www.connectedhearts.myctmh.com