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- Sons: Ages 23 & 17
- Daughters: Ages 21 & 5
- Step-daughters: Ages 24 & 22
- Work at home
- Homemade gifts
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Going shopping is a lot of fun, however we are always on a very tight budget. I love making gifts to give to those we care about. Every year I make a few batches of homemade strawberry and peach jam. I give those to our family members and close friends, it's a gift they always seem to look forward to.
I also like to find fun things that I can do with our youngest so that she will learn the joy of making and giving gifts too.
This year we are making "Sand Paintings". You mix elmers glue and tempra or acrylic paint, then you add some sand. The more sand you add the heavier the texture will be. I make it so it is pretty thick. Rylie can then use popsicle sticks or spoons, whatever, to add the "paint" to her canvas. You can use flat pieced of wood with a hanger on the back for you canvas, and you can make them as big or small as you like.
We did these for Daddy and Grandma's birthday gifts this year. Rylie is four and she had a blast. We even let them dry over night and worked on them again the next day.
Make sure to put down an old plastic table cloth or some sort of drop cloth as this can get a bit messy. For me the mess was well worth the fun Rylie had and the joy the receivers got from receiving an original work of art. :) I've included an attached picture of one of Rylies Sand Paintings.
We also make our own scented ornaments and give them as gifts or use them as gift wrapping decorations. The recipe is below...
Spiced Ornaments
1 C ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
Fine decorativeglitter (optional)
Unsweetened applesauce
White craft glue
Drinking straw
Butchers string, jute twine or ribbon
Glue gun (optional)
Magnetic strips (optional)
Combine spices and glitter in medium bowl. Stir, adding applesauce 1 tbsp at a time, as needed to make soft dough. Makes about 1 2/3 cups dough. Divide dough into smaller portions. roll out each portion between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut with cookie cutters into desired shapes. Use a drinking straw to puch a hole, or holes, to thread string for hanging. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake in 200 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes until dry. (There is no need to turn at half-time) Thread with string or glue magnets onto back.
~Also thread on a long string with dried apple and orange slices to make a wonderfully scented garland.
This is a great way to spend time with the kids and teach them that giving a gift isn't all about how much money you spend. I hope this info is useful to someone.
Jill Marie
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- johnnynjess - December 03, 2008
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My kids have made these ornaments at school. Ive had mine for a few years and they still smell great. I have been wanting to get the receipe,but now I dont have to go looking! Thanks for the great tips! Happy Crafting! &Happy Holidays! Jess
ps. oops, I posted a bread dough craft tip in the wrong place. I guess it belongs here.
sorry, hope it can be found. and used by someone as well...
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one life~~ live it well!!!
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- Giggles_all_day - December 03, 2008
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Thank you for the great ideas and the recipe. I was looking at dried fruit garland at the store yesterday but passed since it was so expensive. Now I can make my own :)
Your daughters art work is awesome, I like that she used a lot of bright colors!
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- Sons: Ages 19, 16 & 5
- Daughter: Age 2
- Stay at home
- ferrari-johnson - December 03, 2008
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The painting is beautiful. Made those ornaments with my teenagers in cubscouts and they still smell delicious. They were heart shaped and the boys chuckle because I still have them. I have them in my drawers and smell better than any fabric softener.
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"The sun is shining somewhere...SMILE and find it in you!"
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- Sons: Ages 23 & 17
- Daughters: Ages 21 & 5
- Step-daughters: Ages 24 & 22
- Work at home
- JillAnneMarie - December 03, 2008
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The painting is beautiful. Made those ornaments with my teenagers in cubscouts and they still smell delicious. They were heart shaped and the boys chuckle because I still have them. I have them in my drawers and smell better than any fabric softener.
- By ferrari-johnson
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Thanks, Rylie really had a blast making the paintings. I love keeping things the kids made when they were little. Some of them are very grown up now and it's fun to go back and look at what they made when they were Rylie's age.
By the way, congratulations on winning the giveaway contest today! Way to go!
Jill Marie
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- Sons: Ages 23 & 17
- Daughters: Ages 21 & 5
- Step-daughters: Ages 24 & 22
- Work at home
- JillAnneMarie - December 03, 2008
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Thank you for the great ideas and the recipe. I was looking at dried fruit garland at the store yesterday but passed since it was so expensive. Now I can make my own :) Your daughters art work is awesome, I like that she used a lot of bright colors!
- By Giggles_all_day
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Thanks! I hope Grandma likes the very bright and vibrant colors too. I'm wondering where she is going to put this, lol. I'm guessing it will go in her office where she can show it off to all her co-workers.
You can dry some sliced apples or oranges to put on twine with the cinnamon cut-outs to make a really pretty garland. You could even add some cranberries for added color.
So much more fun to make these things at home.
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- Sons: Ages 23 & 17
- Daughters: Ages 21 & 5
- Step-daughters: Ages 24 & 22
- Work at home
- JillAnneMarie - December 03, 2008
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My kids have made these ornaments at school. Ive had mine for a few years and they still smell great. I have been wanting to get the receipe,but now I dont have to go looking! Thanks for the great tips! Happy Crafting! &Happy Holidays! Jess ps. oops, I posted a bread dough craft tip in the wrong place. I guess it belongs here. sorry, hope it can be found. and used by someone as well...
- By johnnynjess
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I'm glad that you found something useful in the post. I know I made the bread dough craft before with the kids about 15 years ago. I think I still have them some where, I'll have to dig them up.
Happy Holidays and crafting to you too!
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- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 16 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - December 05, 2008
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Thanks so much for those recipes and wonderful ideas! That painting is beautiful! The recipe for spiced ornaments is exactly what I've been looking for! I have a music note cookie cutter and want to make ornaments for my fellow choir members at church, and this is the type of dough recipe I've been looking for. Thank you! :)
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Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
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