Can you help me buy my 4 dc presents for $100? - Page 3

[captain crunchy]

Hi, a lot of great and well thought out responses!!

I was just going to suggest as a *big* present for the three little ones to share would be a big dress up box. You could probably find a wooden or similar box second hand, or even a sturdy big cardboard box for cheap that you could decorate really cute --- then you could go to garage sales and thrift stores and get really out there, loud, crazy clothes and accessories for really cheap -- even for your little boy -- big men's hats, wild belts, crazy shirts from the 70's etc -- you get the idea. I bet they would love rummaging through that!!

Babe needs me, more later!

[LinzluvsGJ]

Originally Posted by mykdsmomy

ds2 - i'm going to make homemade play doh and some homemade lacing cards, coloring books and crayons of his own

That's a great idea! If you get one of those cute candy molds from the craft store, they can make some really neat "rainbow" crayons from any broken ones you have around the house. Kids think those are great and you consolidate all those annoying misc. too small to use pieces!

[MyLittleWonders]

Okay, for a crayon-melting novice, how would you do that? Melt the crayons individually first and pour in the molds, or put all the pieces in the molds and then melt on low in the oven?

[LinzluvsGJ]

You want to spray the pan w/ a non-stick spray.
If you are using a metal muffin pan, you can do the oven method just melting them all together and it will be swirly (you can put them in a metal muffin liner paper to reduce risk of anything sticking to the pan for cleanup). The oven would be somewhere between 200-300 degrees.
If you are doing it in a plastic candy mold, you would need to melt the wax like you would to make candles-- with a double boiler type method (place the wax in a heavy-duty plastic bag like they sell for candle and candy making and melting the wax by putting it in a hot pot of water on the stove). A tip with wax, never place it directly in a pan on the stove because it can heat too quickly and unevenly causing it to explode (very messy cleanup! LOL)

You can get creative and try using old film canisters for layered crayons, too.

[mykdsmomy]

For some reason I'm having a hard time coming up with things for ds6. You have given such awesome ideas but ds6 has some visual impairments. He loves his computer and has to sit very close to it and the TV. He loves to read and loves cars and trains (he has a train table and trains already). I just cant seem to get super creative with him......any thoughts?

ETA: My logic here is that dd11 and dd7 will be getting a big thing (dd11 inline skates probably and dd7 the bookcase dollhouse) ds2 will get the small homemade stuff but I'd like something kind of "big" for ds6.....does that make sense?

[Shenjall]

What about using some of ds2 $ and getting ds6 a comp game? I was just at future shop and they had alot for some decent prices. Or look in a buy/sell - maybe someone is unloading alot of games for cheap.

The only other thing is a wooden toy box painted up like a train for his trains/tracks. If you use a fabric paint (or something "puffy" like it) he could feel the texture of the train on it.

[mykdsmomy]

Originally Posted by Shenjall

What about using some of ds2 $ and getting ds6 a comp game? I was just at future shop and they had alot for some decent prices. Or look in a buy/sell - maybe someone is unloading alot of games for cheap.

The only other thing is a wooden toy box painted up like a train for his trains/tracks. If you use a fabric paint (or something "puffy" like it) he could feel the texture of the train on it.

There are so many educational websites that I hate buying computer games but you inspired me with the wooden toy box....I'm thinking of getting him a nice chair and decorating it up...painting it and putting his name on it for when he watches TV or is on the computer Oh oh....just thought of something else.....ds6 LOVES little treasures. He finds little things and likes to save them....maybe I can buy a little wooden box and paint and personalize it for him and he can keep it someplace secret so ds2 doesnt get at it oh thanks mamas......see, when I read your ideas, I get more ideas

[Shenjall]

That reminds me of this cool silver box with a lid I got for my ds when he was about 7. It was his "special" box where he kept whatever he wanted to. (which was usually stuff he found on the way home). It was private and his and he loved it!

All these great ideas is making me think that next year I'm starting early, and getting crafty!

[bandgeek]

Definitely hit thrift stores and dollar stores. I just found some great wooden truck and train building sets for $4 each at a dollar store. I got 3 and then made DS a bag with a drawstring to hold all of them. They are not like the nice ones you buy on-line, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Mostly there's just a bunch of junk, but if you look closely ou might find some real treasures. And money just goes sooo much further at thrift stores.

For your 11 year old, how about putting together a photo album? She's probably mature enough to take good care of the pictures. I know when I was that age I loved looking at family pictures and I got a kick out of having "grown-up things" and to me, a picture album was a grown-up thing. Maybe I was just a dork though. I didn't get my share of the family pictures until 2 years ago when I was 21. We've been trying to get pictures from my mom for years and she finally gave in. It was a very special present and didn't cost my mom anything but the container she put them in.

[Mommay]

I think $100 is plenty. I didn't read all the posts, so sorry if I'm overlapping. I just bought my ds a two walkie talkie set from National Geographic for $10 (not crunchy I know, but I think ds will love being able to communicate with me "long distance"), and the Harvest Time game online for about $20 (with shipping). Then I bought him a few cheap books and some stocking stuffers. I'm sure there are other great ideas.

[mykdsmomy]

I just bumping because there are so many great suggestions here ...

[pazerific]

just thought i'd chime in w/ another cute cheap-ish toy resource--ikea. they have wooden toys (even a wooden train set), a cute easel/chalk board combo, and the last time i was there they had this really cute animal & tent set (i think it was a tent, maybe it was a barn), all for less than $20 each!

[Denvergirlie]

I made orginami money "figures" for some of my "kids" I buy for.

Found designs online and got some crisp dollar bills from the bank. It's not much but I paired that with a few other small fun things.

For the girls I aslo made some flavored lip balm for them. Boys got some mini work gloves - dollar store - and a few other "handy" guy things.

[mamadege5]

back to the melted swirly crayons...just take your broken pieces, put in a paper cupcake liner in the muffin pans, melt on very low heat. I think my oven does 200, don't melt for long or you'll just get mud color

We did this a few times a year at PreK to use up the broken crayons.

Any ideas for teens? I have some older niece/nephews. Last yr I got scarves and watches from the dollar store, not a big hit.

[Shenjall]

If the older teens have ipods, you could always get an itunes g/c...

[mykdsmomy]

Originally Posted by mamadege5

Any ideas for teens? I have some older niece/nephews. Last yr I got scarves and watches from the dollar store, not a big hit.

What about homemade bath salts or bath bubbles for the girls? You can get some cheap bottles and decorate them ....
No sew fleece throws?
small photo albums...decorate the outside with their name and whatever else then find old family pictures to put in them (might go over better for the girls than the boys)
Starbucks or Jamba Juice gift cards?
Someone had mentioned making dvd's of people's favorite shows or movies?
give them coupon books for chauffering (if they dont have their drivers license)
I'll try to think of more