Homemade Birthday Gifts Today

Believe it or not, soap can be a great homemade birthday gift for kids.  The secret is to have a special toy surprise inside!  Kids will love washing their hands hoping to get to the buried treasure!

Please be careful not to give this gift to a small child.  It contains a small toy and you want to be sure that it is not a choking hazard.  If in doubt, make a different present for the child!

What you will need:

• Clear glycerin soap
• Molds for soap or candy
• Soap dye if desired.  Make sure the dye is skin safe.  Use dye specifically for soap.
• Fragrance if desired (try grape or other fun fruit scents).  Make sure the fragrances are skin safe.  Use fragrances specifically made for soap.
• A small toy that will fit into the mold.
• A microwave safe measuring cup
• Popsicle stick or a spoon you do not mind using for the project

Instructions:

1. Cut up soap and place in a microwave safe measuring cup
2. Melt soap in the microwave according to the instructions on the package.  If no instructions are listed, try 15 – 20 seconds and then 5-10 minute intervals until the soap has melted.
3. If you want to add color and fragrance, add them to the soap according to the manufacturers instructions.
4. Carefully pour melted soap into mold until it is half way filled
5. Carefully place toy into mold on top of melted soap.
6. Carefully pour more melted soap into the mold, covering the toy.
7. Allow soap to cool completely
8. Pop soap out of mold.  If you have problems doing this, try placing it in the freezer first.

Technorati Tags: gifts for kids, homemade birthday gifts, homemade soap, soap making

Here is a fun way of using up old crayons to create a colorful birthday gift for kids. It is easy to do and will make a nice little extra present that any kid will enjoy.

Large Multi Color Crayon Directions

What you need:

• A muffin / cupcake tin that you don’t mind using to melt crayons
• Foil muffin liners
• Crayons (you can use up any broken crayons you may have)
• A knife to cut up crayons
• Oven

Instructions:

1. Peel any paper off the crayons and cut them up into small chunks
2. Put one foil muffin liner for each large crayon you wish to create into a muffin tin.
3. Fill a muffin tin with cut up crayons so they are about an inch thick.
4. Bake in a 150 degree F oven for 10 – 15 minutes
5. Allow to completely cool before popping crayon out.

Give Crayons with a tablet of paper or other craft supplies for a Fun Birthday Gift for Kids!

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A great homemade birthday gift during the chilly months is Hot Cocoa Mix.  It is a very simple gift to make.  You can give it with 2 mugs, mini-marshmallows, and possibly a tin of cookies.  Throw in a great DVD or a gift card from a movie rental store and you have a wonderful cozy gift.

What you need:

• Bell Jar, ceramic canister or other decorative container with a lid that has a great seal to hold the cocoa mix.
• Ribbon (enough to tie around the container so that you can attach a note card)
• Note card to write out instructions for hot cocoa.
• 2 1/2 C powdered milk
• 2 tsp. of cornstarch
• 1 C Cocoa Powder (try Dark chocolate or other types of specialty flavors)
• 2 C  Powdered Sugar Sugar
• Optional ingredients to try: Cinnamon, cayenne pepper or shaved semi sweet chocolate

Optional Items:

• Coffee Mugs
• Gift Cards or DVD
• Tin of Cookies

Instructions:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together and put in jar / canister.
2. Write out on a note card or create a note on the computer directions for the hot cocoa.
   1. Fill cup 1/3 full of hot cocoa mix
   2. Pour in a small amount of  boiling water
   3. Stir until smooth
   4. Fill the rest of the cup with the boiling water
   5. Top off with marshmallows, whip cream or any topping desired
   6. Enjoy!
3. Punch a hole in the upper left hand corner of the note card
4. Wrap ribbon around the top of the container and tie note card to the jar.
5. Other Ideas: Place jar in a basket with coffee mugs, cookies, DVD or other similar goodies.

Technorati Tags: Gift in a Jar, Hot Chocolate