Handmade birthday presents for kids

I am putting together a booklet for my craft group on handmade birthday presents for children. These are generally projects adults will make for kids, but may include some ideas for kids to make for their friends and siblings.

In the past, I have made various presents, and have decided to collate some simple projects that anyone can do. I am not claiming any of these as my original ideas, and credits will be attributed. What are your craft ideas for kids' presents? I have a couple more in my head, not yet made, which I hope will make it into this booklet. I may have bitten off more than I can chew....

apron

pinny

pillowcase dress

knitted back pack

pram quilt

Air guitar by redmag!

Poncho

Dress-ups stand

Crayon melts

Apron

bibs

bunting

hair accessories

craft rolls

library bags

skirts

cushions

tops

booties

knitted food

Felt food

Mugs painted by kids


And examples of beautiful gifts by this amazing crafter, who's permission is not yet sought - E we need to talk!

Journals
Skirts
Car tidy
Puppets
Fabric Boxes
Lacing cards
Texta rolls
Car neck cushions
Doll's clothes
Board games
Books we have written and illustrated

What else have I forgotten??!

Kym's Savoury Muffins

An Amazing Woman I Know is a mother to three under 3 (one set of twins), volunteers for the local SES, and does many other things, including baking. She is famous for these, which I highly recommend:

Kym’s Savoury Muffins

1 ½ cups Self Raising Flour

1 cup grated cheese (well packed)

1 cup chopped cooked bacon

1 onion finely diced and fried

200g tomato paste

4 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp powdered chicken stock

2 tsp crushed garlic (or to taste)

¼ cup oil

½ cup milk

1 egg

The ingredients above are all approximate measures only. Vary the amounts to your own taste. The tomato paste is about 1/3 of a large jar – there is no need to weigh it. I often put in more cheese and bacon than above.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

• Combine the flour, cheese, bacon, onion, sugar, chicken stock and garlic in a large bowl and mix together.
• Combine the tomato paste, oil, milk and egg in another bowl and beat together with a fork.
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
• The mixture should be the thickness of a usual muffin mix – not as runny as a cake mix, but still moist.
• Spoon into a muffin tin, mini muffin tin, mini quiche tin or in doubled patty pans.
• Cook in preheated oven until top springs back when lightly pressed. This will take approx the times below, depending on the size of the tin used.

Tin	Approx. Time
Mini Muffin	11 mins
Mini Quiche	15 mins
Patty Pans	18 mins
Muffin	20 mins

• Cool slightly before removing from tin. (they will be quite soft when warm due to the melted cheese, but will harden when cooled)
• Eat warm or cold.

Kym has used many variations including:

• ham and spring onion to avoid frying bacon and onion
• crab and sun dried tomato (leave out tomato paste)
• Chilli and Corn (leave out tomato paste and use creamed corn and corn kernels)
• Green and red capsicum (with powdered vegetable stock)
• Curry paste and coriander (cilantro).

j

Sad day!

For anyone that has been reading from the beginning, I was spurred on to start this blog by an amazing woman I met through a Women's Group here in Canberra.

She is talented in so many creative spheres, and was the person I needed to meet, who just said: 'Give it a go'. She believed in me well before I did, and she showed me how to achieve so much.

The generous girl has a sewing room/studio to die for, a stash that would make you weep tears of joy, and the skills to do it all. She and another 2 friends and I have done markets together we have been so prolific!

After 8 years at home with kids, she starts back in the workforce on Monday, and I Will Miss Her So Much!

Good Luck Dear Jen thank you for everything you have done for the group, for me, and for being so open and honest in blogland, it has been amazing - keep blogging - we all love you!!!!


Check out her 3 years of amazing posts by clicking any of the above links! (Photo 'borrowed' from her blog - I'll edit it out later!)


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