Homemade Toys

I posted already about The Great Toy Replacement Project going on at our house. So far I've sold quite a few things on Craigslist (nothing recalled, just things we are choosing not to have in our home) and am saving the money to buy replacement toys. Not that my kids are hurting for toys! Julia got several Haba things for Christmas that we really like the quality of and feel safe giving her to play with and suck on. Lucy got a Plan Toys dollhouse I found on ebay and some of the furniture sets from Great Grandma for Christmas. She took the Plan Toys doll family to go play in her plastic broken $10 garage sale monstrosity that I have no idea how I'm going to take from her.

I also made quite a few things for both girls for Christmas. I am proud of how they turned out and spent months planning, sewing, crocheting, etc. In the homemade by mama category Julia got a crocheted baby doll, set of four soft blocks, soft shoes, a bottle filled with beads and corn syrup to watch, and a cloth bag filled with little pillows made of all different texture materials. Lucy got soft matching slippers, an I-spy bag, an apron, felt cupcakes, felt sandwich toppings, playsilks dyed by me, leg warmers, and little bean bags. We bought other things like books, art supplies and Haba toys, but I am happy with the handmade loot too.

We are also making the girls a set of wooden animals - much like the expensive Holztiger animals for sale online at various toy shops. My father in law has a band saw and DH and he have been working on them. I absolutely adore the little creatures and know they will be treasured for ages to come! There is just something so cool about having handmade toys for the girls rather than mass produced plastic. Its got me thinking up more things to make and pulls me even further from the plastic laden shelves of the local stores. Not that I mind.