Spin Off Christmas Thread -- Are you making/made any gifts for DC?

[kayte]

Just curious what everyone else might be plotting or have already finished.

Here's what I have planned (some things are finished) for my DD (23 months at Christmas)
Apron (to match one for me)
Painting Smock
Table setting placement
Felt food
Color Matching Mat

[mamababa]

Wow, that's pretty cool you're making all those things for your DD. I can't imagine adding handmade gifts onto my lengthy list at the holidays, but I think it fabulous. Go mama!

[annasmom]

Great thread! I have been thinking that I would love to make my dc something for this Christmas. I am dyeing some building silks, and was thinking about what else I might do. I love the felt food everyone is doing, unfortunately we have so much food already. I cannot wait to hear everyone's ideas!

[kayte]

here is a great blog post from author Amy Karol with some great ideas and links to directions for some home-made toys... It's in the second section...

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2007/08/not-made-in-chi.html

I forgot I am also dyeing some playsilks. A group of us ordered them together and are having a dyeing party.

[updacountry]

Oh, I love that site you pointed me to. I'm going to make the dolls of the grandmas and work on the rest of the family for x-mas! I love them!

[brittone2]

I'm making some fabric/wool playfood for the kiddos since we got rid of a lot of our M&D made in China stuff. We have some Haba playfood, but a lot of it is still kind of small for the baby, so I'm waiting on bringing that back out again. I'm not much of a sewer, but I"m using some felted wool sweaters and stuff to do the food.

I was going to make DD a little waldorf pouch doll (still might...) but my mom picked up a little Evi doll for her, so that's no longer a necessity. I have the materials here from when I made one for DS.

I'm going to encourage DS to help me make some felted wool balls for DD as part of his gift to her. I'd like to instill a little tradition of hand-made sibling gifts :)

ETA: DH usually makes some stuff for the kids, so I'm hoping I can get him to make a rustic little barn for the littles. DD is getting some Holztiger farm animals, so it would be nice to have a little barn to put them in. DS had a M&D one, but again, we're phasing that stuff out.

[annasmom]

Beth,

Since you mentioned it . . . I have to ask. I know that M&D is made in China, but as far as I know M&D is saying that their toys are safe. Is your decision based on the fact that these toys are made in China, the general quality, or some other factor(s) all together.

Just curious.

[boolady]

I would like to know, too. Of all of the companies that I emailed regarding their lead testing procedures, M&D's answer was among the most thorough, and I thought, assuring, that I received.

If you wouldn't mind sharing your reasons with us, it would be greatly appreciated, since I know you have so much insight into issues like this.

[sweetpea]

Unfortunately I don't have many craft skills so, no, I'm not personally making any. But I am buying some homemade ones.

So far a sock monkey and a crochet tea set are the only things dd is getting for christmas.

[eb1]

I'm also curious about why you got rid of M&D items. I know the quality has some issues (easy paint chipping) but since you mentioned "made in China," I'm guessing it's not just due to chipping? From what I can tell from CPSC, M&D hasn't had any toy recalls in...well...as long as is searchable on cpsc.gov.

[Gena]

I'm making DS a set of weighted bean bags.

Hubby is making a rocker board similar to this:

http://www.southpawenterprises.com/store/rocker-board-small,Product.asp

These will become part of our home therapy supplies

[brittone2]

You know, it is just outside my personal comfort zone w/ what has been going on. I've seen their statement released about their safety practices, but honestly, I really don't trust those statements from pretty much any toy company that produces toys with cheap labor. I'm sure up until a week or two ago, the Gap probably swore that they don't ever use child labor either, kwim? Personally, I think so much is subcontracted out, etc. that the manufacturer doesn't even know what is going on exactly (not saying this is the case with M&D specifically, just speaking in generalities). Who knows what is going on that we aren't catching?

With play food, I'm particularly picky because I feel like it is very inclined to end up in a child's mouth. If it was just DS at this point, I might be less concerned (maybe?), but with a not-yet-one year old that mouths everything and has months ahead of doing so, I'm erring on the side of caution.

Granted, there are pretty much no guarantees about products, MIC or otherwise, but that's where my comfort zone is right now. I also don't trust that the current recalls are even close to covering what dangerous toys are out there. I saw a report over the weekend about lead in toys still on the shelves. Many tested positive, but within the allowable legal limits. I'm one of those people that feels that a little bit here and a little bit there adds up, and that just makes me uncomfortable.

My niece had high lead levels as a young child from old paint in a house. She has struggled academically ever since she started school, and she's now in high school, and still struggling (she's in regular classes, but it is really, really difficult for her). I have no idea whether those things are connected, but it doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility.

FWIW, in high school and college I worked in the HR dept (and later the PT dept and environmental/health safety dept) of a battery manufacturing facility that did tons of safety education/training. I've been around lead. For adults, there are definitely precautions that can minimize exposure. But, the catch as far as I'm concerned is that kids don't wash their hands every time they eat, and they put their hands in their mouth a lot, even when they are toddlers/preschoolers. So even if they aren't chewing directly on the toys, I feel like the potential to ingest the stuff is there. Chronic low levels still bother me. I just read an article recently discussing that the current cutoff level of 10 mcg/dL isn't very well founded scientifically. I always hear that number cited, but it is pretty meaningless apparently. So I wonder about chronic exposure to even very small amounts.

this isn't a new study, but interesting:
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/April03/lowlead.kids.ssl.html


I'm not trying to say that everyone should handle things the way I'm handling them. This just happens to be one of my hot button issues, so I prefer to just pack the stuff up for now. For me, it is the easiest solution (and it gives me a great excuse to cull the toy collection before the holidays, which we try to do anyway ;) )

[MommyAllison]

I'm hoping to get some play food knitted up for DD to go along with her new kitchen. Anybody have links to great knitted playfood patterns? I've found just a couple and would love more!

Allison
Mama to DD 11/05

[brittone2]

I'm a knitting flunky, as evidenced by the half finished hat I have sitting in my closet, which is the only project I've ever really attempted. But...I see cute patterns for knitted food on etsy all of the time. I'm sure there are free ones out there, but I've seen some cool ones on etsy if you don't mind paying $ for the pattern.

For anyone interested in buying handmade stuff, I ordered some adorable ice cream cones from thechenillechef (or just chenillechef?) on etsy. Very cute. She sells adorable cupcakes too.

[annasmom]

Thanks Beth. This whole thing is just really scary. And I guess it is the pessimist in me, but while I don't necesarily think that companies like M&D are lying, I just don't think that they always know all of the information. Would it really surprise anyone if in a few months M&D (just using them as an example) did issue a recall?

Ugh . . .

[boolady]

Thanks, Beth. I appreciate you taking the time to explain your perspective.