Handmade gifts - any ideas?

[Gussy]

Hiya, I'd really like to make some Christmas gifts for the family this year with my toddler's help, but I haven't done it before so not sure where to start other than some cupcakes or other baking? Has anyone got any creative/clever ideas (that won't break the bank) for presents that we could make? The in-laws/grandparents would adore something made by the kids, ps we've already given them a framed hand print picture last year, so something else. Thanks

[womanofdulwich]

cup cakes dont last long- they go dry. sweets are much better.coconut ice is easy and the chocolate and pistacchio fudge from nigella express is brilliant as you can freeze it. i am sure there are othe fudges and sweets. i think the hugh fearnley whittingstall book for family cooking does peppermints which are fun to cut out with toddlers- may be peppermint creams?

[candj]

Maybe something from All Fired Up? I saw a load of little toddlers painting mugs for their granddad a few weeks back. Or if your toddler can draw something and you have it nicely framed?

[The Nappy Lady]

Paint & decorate containers such as old skimmed milk tubes / dairylee boxes etc to become penholders or loose change holders etc ?? My eldest did one recently & it came out amazingly well.

Also home made Christmas Tree decks - google salt dough on line, you make the shapes (use cookie cutters to make stars, Xmas trees etc then let children pain with acrylic paint, glitter paint etc, leave to dry then varnish - did these last year, lots of fun.

Can make decorations from things like toilet roll inners etc too - paint, cover in glitter, cut up, make spirals or whatever...

[Gubodge]

We've done:

- pen holders from old loo roll tubes,

- bookmarks (I cut a rectangle of card, they paint or stick stickers on and thread beads onto a pipe cleaner to make a loop on the top.),

- plain hankies decorated with fabric pens,

- bunches of flowers (pipe cleaner stalks and either circles of tissue as petals, or egg box sections stuffed with crumpled tissue) in a loo roll tube 'vase'

- lip balm (vaseline mixed with a tiny bit of lipstick and a drop of vanilla essence.)

- mini soaps

- biscuits

- crystalised ginger dipped in plain chocolate.

I have no idea at all what they are going to do this Christmas though. Possibly sweets.

[Fuschia]

bath melts in moulds with dried flowers

bath bombs

[alieh]

I second Molly's suggestion re: salt dough decorations. I made these with my 2 year old and they came out really well! He liked it because it was just like playdough. We baked them and left them for a few days and then painted them with regular craft paint, which was messy but good fun. I'm going to varnish them and put on some nice ribbon to hang.

[kateland]

Bath salts are really easy and look lovely too & the little ones can get involved.... Using confectionary bags you can layer salts in different colours and put in layers of botanicals too...lavender, rose buds, calendula petals etc.

Ingredients:

Dead sea salt or just regular sea salt

Fragrance(skin safe) or essential oil (making sure any essential oil you choose is safe also)

Colour(skin safe) - optional

Botanicals, such as Lavender buds, rose buds, calendula petals, safflower etc...

Packaging:

Confectionary bag or jam jar - Kilner jars look really really lovely

Step 1:

Put salts in a bowl & add a few drops of fragrance (Stay with 1% fragrance)

Step 2:

Add any colour to salts- a little goes a loooong way. Remember you can stick with just the one colour and add more to each layer

Step 3:

Put salts in chosen packaging-remembering you can layer with botanicals

Finish with some christmassy ribbon and a handmade by your little ones label!

TA DAAAA

Have fun making..Kate.x

[Gussy]

Wonderful, thank you everyone for your great suggestions. I'm off to buy some supplies later - I think I'll be more excited making these things than the kids :)

[kateland]

If you need any bath/beauty related ingredients (salts, cocoa butter, bath bomb ingredients) let me know! :)