I have two young crafty girls.  They have depleted most of my craft box, creating numerous things out of glitter, paper, and popsicle sticks.  They just love creating things.   Having a large family doesn’t leave me much time to make room for structured crafts.  You know those ones that require Mom, to be right next to them the entire time, to guide and direct them through their crafts?  I need ones that I can explain to the girls how to do it, and then walk away, periodically checking back to see if they need any help.  These following ornaments crafts are perfect, self directed ones.

This idea we got from our neighbor, she supplied all of the ingredients and my daughters loved making them.

Glitter bulbs

What we did first was to take our clear glass ornament bulbs and pour in some of this Pledge Floor care.  We swished it around inside the bulb and then dumped out the extra liquid.  My daughter then poured glitter inside of the bulb.  She turned the bulb over and over to spread out the glitter.  Then we put the caps back on and they dried.   She even used two different colored glitters.  They look so pretty. 
We had some extra glass bulbs and decided to fill them with foil tinsel.  We just took the caps off and shoved strands of tinsel inside the bulb. So quick and cute ornaments.  

Applesauce cinnamon ornaments

These were another, self directed ornament.  I mixed up the dough and then let the girls make themselves.  These smell wonderful among the pinery branches.  

Glue ornaments

These were probably the most creative of all the ornaments we made so far. Again, very easy and self directed.  I layed a piece of waxed paper on top of a cookie sheet.  I gave the girls a bottle of glue and said make some shapes.  They made snowmen……………………… Be sure to fill in all of the body, you want mostly a solid figure.  They are easier to pull off the paper then unfilled ones. We also did some snowflakes too.  My daughters are glitter happy.  So we sprinkled glitter onto the glue. Make sure you make as solid lines as you can.  If you make too many thin lines, when you goto pull them off they break easily. Here were some other snowflakes.  What you could do for a younger child, is draw out the shape onto the wax paper for them to trace with glue.  Then you let these sit.  I had mine setting for about 2-3 days in a warm room.  You can start peeling them off the paper, and if you notice that the glue is still wet, just wait.  Let them dry completely and then pull them off.
They make cute ornaments.  I had my daughter poke holes with Dads drill.  I know, not for everyone, but you forget Dad has a shop that the girls LOVE to work in.  But for the “normal” person, just paper hole punch a hole,or  use a pin to “dig out ” a hole.  Here you can see the beautiful guitar and music note that they made for their siblings:)

 

Very easy, self directed and inexpensive.

Christmastime for a toddler, is not about the gifts.  I have had 10 children and each and everyone of them, grew tired of opening presents on Christmas morning.  They had more fun playing with the paper and the boxes.  Our first children, we would buy all the neatest toys and thought they would get great enjoyment out of them. I was wrong, by mid year I was already putting them in the “for sale” pile.  No more.  Our toddler this year is 1.  He doesn’t really like playing with toys just yet.  But he loves pictures and picture books.  I decided to make him a personalized one.

 

That is our toddler on the card, Stephen.  Our only blonde hair/greenish eyed baby.  His favorite thing to do, is grab his picture book, that I got from the Dollar Store and show me the “nana” and “apple” photos.

What I did, was I got photos of all of his favorite things and people.  I did some clip art searches on line and used some photos I took.  I printed them off onto paper and then had them laminated.  I took mine to Staples cost about $1 per page.  You can probably do one of those homemade laminate things, they sell at the store.  I then cut them apart into the same sized cards,  and punched holes in the corners 

I used one of those circle clips.  I am not sure what they are called.  They open into a C and then clamp shut. 

This is perfect because we can sit, in church, at home, or in the car and go through all of his favorite things.  This was extremely helpful when I had a squirming toddlers for church services.  I will admit, I have made these numerous times over the last 8 years for various children.  I only had one time that I left this item in a bedroom unattended with three curious preschool/toddlers.  They had opened it and removed all of the cards.  I normally would keep this in my diaper bag or on the bookshelf, but that day I was lapsed.  It was a good reminder for me to keep my things picked up:)

Stephen is also receiving a nice assortment of balls.  I bought a big bag of them at the Goodwill.  They had a 10 pack of light up balls, squishy balls, footballs, all small toddler type balls.  I also got some board books from Goodwill.  I like to buy them there, as I  KNOW that they will eventually get ripped:)  Then I won’t feel so bad that they cost $.25!!

Daddy is also hard at work on a wooden Noahs Ark pull toy boat.  I will get pics when he is finished with it.

This is the last item for Stephen.  Daddy made it, in our wood business.  

When I was a child, we had this vintage stool and it had this saying on it.  I had my husband  replicate that stool for our son.  I love it!  We put it up for sale, on ebay last week, and we have sold 10 already.  

It is a great solid hardwood, sturdy stool.  Stephen, right now takes any type of container he can get his hands on, laundry baskets, block boxes, etc and will turn them upside down so he can climb.  I am thinking he is going to like his stool.

If you are interested in one of these personalized stools, we have them up for sale on Ebay.  If that link does not work, as someone might buy that listing, you can do a search for “step up to be tall stools” and you will find it.