Gift crafting is in full force here now. First, for my nearly two-year-old niece, Emerson, a package of homemade playdough.
This will be accompanied by lots of cookie cutters and a rolling pin and hair maker. Here is the playdough recipe, in case you'd like to make some. It lasts for a long long time and is really fun to play with and totally non-toxic.
Playdough
Ingredients:
3 cups flour, sifted
1 1/2 cup salt
6 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons oil
food coloring (I use the gel kind)
Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large pot until no lumps remain. Whisk in the wet ingredients (except for the food coloring) and stir until no lumps remain. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes until a dough forms. Separate into several portions and add food coloring, kneading until uniform in color. Store in airtight containers.
For my sister-in-law Jen, a sewing kit. She mentioned to me recently that she has no sewing materials except for a tiny hotel sewing kit. This cannot be allowed! I made her a custard cup pincushion and a set of shrinky dink pins
I also made her a wool felt needle book. I am putting in a few other goodies – some vintage buttons and fabric scraps and trims. I hope this will inspire some creative projects for her.
And finally for today, two princess crowns for my three-year-old twin nieces, Jordan and Ellis. These are made of wool felt and plastic gems. They fasten with Velcro. I made little name tags from white shrinky dinks that I affixed to each one.
Lots more to come. Happy crafting!
*****
Like this post? Sign up for my newsletter for more fun projects!
And check out my Etsy shop for lots of easy-to-sew softie patterns!
sally says
Wonderful handmade gifts! You’ve inspired me!!!
carla says
The crowns for Jordan and Ellis are TOO cute.
julia says
awesome gifts! and totally different from all the other ones i’m seeing out in blogland these- i love it!
Mama Urchin says
For the shrinkydink pins, what size hole do you punch before shrinking?
Carrie says
Great projects. I am going to have to make that play dough for my daughter. What did you use for the filling in the pincushion?
Thanks!
rachel says
Those crowns are so great! i saw princess crowns at a nearby store the other day, and they were the totally mass produced kind and $20 each! Its like, this is definitely something to make homemade, and yours are so much cooler. And I can also affirm that that playdo is really cool to play with, it has a consistency that surpasses normal playdo.
hannah says
I love your handmade gifts so far! I have been longing to make crowns for so long, I just need to find a good supplier of wool felt, its all so synthetic and thin round here
Neta says
Wow they are lucky!
looks like wonderful gifts.
Jodie says
Gorgeous gorgeous gifts
sulu-design says
Loving your suggestions – thanks for sharing your good ideas!
Abby says
ohhhh I luv these crowns…. they are perfect for the boys to wear to carols this weekend…. thanx for the inspiration
luv Abby
teacup says
Just came across your blog! Wonderful work, esp the crown. You’ve inspired me! Thanks.
lisa says
I just had an awful experience making this play dough! I feel like the instructions are a bit vague when it comes to the cooking portion… it burnt to the bottom of my pot after a minute!
caro says
I’m late to this post, but I thought the play dough directions were fine, and mine cooked up nicely. Remember to keep whisking while it’s cooking.
kristen says
Is there a tutorial link for the crowns? my daughter would LOVE one!
abbyjane says
No, I'm afraid not. I just made up the pattern. Sorry!