How well did your homemade toys go over?

[Miss Information]

My dds loved their play mats.

Dd1 was going on and on about how mommy made her an ocean playmat with an island and a beach and a whale and a dolphin and a starfish and how daddy got her the pirates to go with them (well, technically, I bought them, but dd was in the same store when I got them, but I gave him the credit for it).

Dd1 stayed up late last night with me to play with her playmat. It was fun.

All the dds loved the wooden animals and peg people I finally finished painting and the farm play mat.

I had to put dd3's play mat up for a bit because she wanted to play with the gnomes, but she has pinkeye at the moment. Or did yesterday but that breastmilk is clearing up nicely for her. So I will pull hers out after I make sure it's gone.

I need to make another mushroom table and chairs set though because they really liked that too.

Anyone else feel all their hard work paid off?

[***Heather***]

That's good news! There's always that little worry in the back of your mind that you might spend forever on something just to have the recipient go "eh" and put it aside.

I knit scarves, hats and purses for the women of the family (five!) and neckwarmers for the men (two). They were well liked. It's funny, 2 sisters ended up trading their hats and scarves and I didn't even notice. They were made from the same yarn but a different style. They told me once they realized I hadn't noticed. . I didn't care.

[sapientia]

I made a cloak embroidered with runes and a beautiful scarf/headwrap for my friend's kids and they adored them...or at least they faked it well! I also made a my friend and her youngest daughter a set of stone runes (using my handy-dandy dremel that I currently am in love with and some river rock I have) and those were a hit as well. It's gotten me in a crafty mood again.
I'm still finishing a huge velvety cloak for my friend. I had to take a break from it cause it was making me crazy-but that should be done by the weekend. (I'm hoping).

[operamommy]

Mine went over even better than I expected! All 3 of the kids seemed really thrilled with their mama-made toys. What really made my day was how much ds1 loved the crocheted parakeets that I made him. He's almost 13, and getting difficult to craft for. He's been sleeping with them and they tagged along in the van while we were running errands yesterday. He asked me to make him another set!

[boricuaqueen327]

DD liked her playsilks. She is using them as baby blankets and the blue one was water for her baby to take a bath in. She loved the purple one especially. Glad to hear your gifts were well liked too.

[Miss Information]

Happy sigh...isn't it great?

It just warms my heart every time I see my girls playing with their playmats (and they have been every day since Xmas).

[beemama]

Dd loves her new playmat! It IS heartwarming!

[Hoopin' Mama]

Everything has been enjoyed so far. The slippers I knit ds have already been pee-soaked, so I need to wash them already. Not surprising.

My friends will be back from vacation soon, and their girls are getting their knitted play food.

My firends loved their felted bowls, and I made the kitty-ear hat from StitchnBitch for someone, and she loved that as well.

I will say, after all the time I spent knitting furiously for ds, what he likes most and declared his favorite are his five new beanbags. They took me 30 minutes, at most. 45 minutes if I include setting the sewing maching up and putting it away.

But he is happy, and so am I!

[jgale]

The stuff for my daughter: terrible (see my blog for the whole sad story). My son loved his homemade (pink) socks (he chose the color). And my mom loved her socks and the pillowcases I made her. But my dd--she's trouble!
Jessi

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by jgale

The stuff for my daughter: terrible (see my blog for the whole sad story). My son loved his homemade (pink) socks (he chose the color). And my mom loved her socks and the pillowcases I made her. But my dd--she's trouble!
Jessi

Aww, that is a sad story. I'm sorry that that happened. But maybe dd can find that the two dollies can be friends or "sisters" and they both can live in harmony. Maybe the fascination with the vinyl doll will wear off and she will be relegated to a corner in a few months? Maybe you can reconcile your distaste for the completely synthetic doll by making some nice new clothes for her (I'd ask first though...).

We do have our share of vinyl dolls too, so ITU. I'm not a fan of them myself, but the children are attracted to them anyway and they were usually gifts by MIL. I have sent a few that were just very, very cheaply made to donation box and have kept one doll each.

[serenetabbie]

Aww, J, I am so sorry And that sounds like a horrible day at work before that too! Ugh! I LOVE that little crown your DD is wearing Did you make that, and if so can I see more photos/directions?

My gifts went over pretty well I think. DD LOVED the house, horses and fairies, telling my MIL it was the best gift ever . She has played with them a lot. SIL liked the basket of jams and pickles I gave her (or pretended!). My SIL really seemed to like the felt book, although my niece could have cared less (she is only almost 2, and would have much rather had a big box I think ). Niece #1 was totally not impressed with her felt house, and said "Is that it?". *sigh* Oh well at least my DD liked hers and she is the one I have to live with

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by serenetabbie

my niece could have cared less (she is only almost 2, and would have much rather had a big box I think ). Niece #1 was totally not impressed with her felt house, and said "Is that it?". *sigh* Oh well at least my DD liked hers and she is the one I have to live with

Well you have to remember too, that if your older niece is used to getting store bought gifts, it may be hard for her to appreciate handmade items. It's totally understandable about the 2 yo, all my dds loved boxes and anything they could hide in or put things in take things out of.

[serenetabbie]

Yeah, I know. The book was really more for SIL than the baby I was a little hurt when the 6 y.o. said that, but it only lasted for a second until I realized she more than likely was commenting on the amount of product and not the product itself. This might have been the only relative's house she went to that did not have a huge pile of loot I was so happy that SIL and DD liked them, that's what mattered most to me!

[cam&kat's_mom]

our stuff went over very well. DS loved his fleece pants and hats and mittens and blanket. DS #2 loved his cloth blocks ( i didn't finish his other stuff). DD loved her sling, doll snowsuit and her waldorf doll. Which She promptly named River

DS now wants a doll too.. so gotta get to work

[mehndi mama]

The doll and associated stuff that I made for my niece was a big hit. I think most of my family was worried, as she had never gotten a handmade doll before, so when she opened it everyone ooh'd and aah'd over it and said "Isn't she cute! Auntie MADE her for you!" Trouble is, when that particular niece attracts a lot of attention, she sort of shuts down and removes the source of commotion. So the doll was put right back into the bag
I did ask if I could show the doll to my SIL, and so I got to sit down and show her off along with all the clothes I had made for her (even undies!), and that took the pressure off of my niece completely. Within a half hour, she was asking me to help her put the sling back on, and had the doll's jacket off, and was putting her in the slng and looking at herself in the mirror So, while I was worried, I'm definitely pleased with how much she really did like it.

[MountainLovinMama]

Well, I guess I finally have to chime in here...it has been several weeks since Christmas, and the only thing I have heard from my BIL and SIL about the doll I made for my niece was a one line general thank-you for all the gifts we sent their family "Thank you for the thoughtful gifts". Ah, well. They sent us an overly sexualized singing plastic "pop-rock" doll for dd (which was hastily returned) and a subscription to a very mainstream news/info periodical for dh and myself. So I guess I shouldn't expect them to do backflips for a handmade doll! In fact, they probably roll their eyes at how "traditional" I am to be home with my kids and do things like SEW.

But my kids loved their dolls. Dd got a vintage doll that I made from a 19th century pattern and fabrics that are reproductions of prints from that era, and ds got a waldof doll with several "boy" outfits - jeans, cowboy, pirate, and a dragon costume I have some pics - someday when I have time I'll figure out how to link to them....

[NoliMum]

So who's got pictures of their creations? I'm especially interested in your vintage 19th century doll, MountainLovinMama.

I made food to go with Noli's new kitchen. She also received some store-bought food, but at least it wasn't plastic. She likes it all equally. At 22 months, she's a little young to tell the difference.
I also made a little gnome ball which she didn't care much for at first (she was also given 3 other dolls so it had competition) but now she likes to carry around.

Luckily my daughter pretty much enjoys anything you hand to her.
Pictures