You were all so nice about my dress - thank you. It was a scary moment uploading that photo, but I like to see what my blogging friends look like so it seemed only fair that you know what I look like too.
But today - back to my crafting comfort zone. How ridiculously cute and pretty are these little macarons? I want to eat all of them. I tried to make macarons a while back and, well...let's just say they didn't look as good as these.
My mission to "make" something from each month's Mollie Makes magazine continues - this one is the felt macarons tutorial from issue number fourteen.
They were a bit of a fiddle. It took about half an hour to make each one, but playing with the colours (sorry, flavours) of each one was enormous fun. I put them in a cardboard takeaway box and wrapped them in ribbon and gave them to Bella and Angus. Bella thinks they are hers and hers alone. Angus knows better and plays with them while she is at school.
It did occur to me that, as well as play food, they would make excellent pin cushions.
John recently accused me of too much girly crafting and it hit a nerve and made me think. Bella loves crafting and gets very involved with what I make, and so I do probably make more things for her. That's true. Angus has neither the language, dexterity or opinions to really get involved. But when Bella was three, she didn't either.
So I was thrilled to see how much Angus loves playing with these toy macarons. We set up a little tea party and he sat there for ages, pouring tea, feeding his toys. He was a very happy chappie. He is loves the toy shop and kitchen we have, and spends as much time playing with those as Bella. But I do need some ideas for crafting with, and for, three year old boys. Who like cars, dinosaurs and trains. Any suggestions would be most welcome!
While admiring the cuteness of these nicely packaged treats, I started thinking about making things for gifts. I thought that a box containing two macarons, a couple of felt doughnuts and perhaps a felt biscuit or jam tart, wrapped in ribbon with a pretty tag, might be a sweet gift to give a small person for Christmas or birthday. I'd better get stitching.
Thanks for reading and I hope you are all having a good week. Mine has had it's ups and downs and I'm looking forward to Friday very much. x
Thanks for reading and I hope you are all having a good week. Mine has had it's ups and downs and I'm looking forward to Friday very much. x
They look good enough to eat. It's so lovely to see little ones immersed in imaginative play, there's too many computerised toys around these days, and take it from me, they spend enough time on computers as they get older.
ReplyDeleteI think ours are a bit young for computers, but when my parents come to stay they spend hours on my Dad's iPad, looking at hundreds of family photos.
DeleteLove the macaroons ... they're great ... the pincushion idea would make a lovely gift for a crafty soul ... as for boys craft ... having had two little boys first I have had to come up with things that aren't too girly ... Pinterest in general is brilliant for ideas ... I have a board called Kids Craft in my Pinterest account (on the sidebar on the blog) with a few things pinned ... take a look if you like .... but there are hundreds of ideas on the Pinterest site ... hope this helps ... definitely make a monster softie too ... I got my boys to draw their ideas and I tried to be true to their drawings ... Angus may be a bit little to draw but he could decribe what he likes ... hope this helps :) ... Bee xx
ReplyDeleteIt didn't occur to me to try pinterest, I will have a look, thank you. I love your idea of asking Angus to draw or describe a monster which I could then make - that it brilliant, thank you Bee!! xxx
DeleteOh they are splendid! You have very lucky children :) We're having a handmade Christmas this year and have already started - yikes!!! Hope your weekend is so much better than your week xxxx
ReplyDeleteA handmade Christmas, i do like the sound of that. I started making a lot of gifts a few years ago when we were on a really tight budget. Now I just do it because I love it. But yes, you do have to start early... x
DeleteWow these look so good, thought the other pics in the box were from Molly makes too at first. Love the idea of making other biscuits and they would make a lovely gift in a box. I have a crafty pinterest board too but it is much harder to find things to do with little boys. xx
ReplyDeleteI will definitely check out pinterest. I have an account but hardly ever go on there. I need to use it more as a forum for ideas. Thanks. x
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThese are too cute and a box just like the real ones! I might have to make one for our friend who own a macaron business as a key ring!
Ivan :-)
P.S. cool dress by the way, love her cushions.
That's a great idea, a macaron key ring, I like that!
DeleteSo cute - can't believe how nice they look in the box. I'm really inspired by your mollie makes makes as I get it every month and have made any yet!
ReplyDeleteYes but you have been extremely busy on all manner of other gorgeous projects instead!
DeleteYum, yum, yum! You could trick someone with these, they look so good! Imagine their faces though! Ada :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I think they look better than they taste!
DeleteOh those are lovely! My 8 year old would love a pressie of these....
ReplyDeleteLx
Thanks! I loved making them and want to make more felt cakes, biscuits, doughnuts... x
DeleteOh.. these are tooo cute.
ReplyDeleteThey are, aren't they? And fat free! ;-)
DeleteOh how adorable - I'm busy imagining what flavours they all are.
ReplyDeleteTrying to remember what crafts J liked and it was def more towards the 'construction'/ science side of things - making slime, building things with craft straws/ sticks and balsa wood....
There's definitely a lime and basil one in there somewhere!
DeleteMaking slime!! Angus would love that.
oh they are so cute! I love the way you packaged them too x
ReplyDeleteAh, how sweet! Love those little macaroons.
ReplyDeleteJune
Thank you, they came out looking like the picture in the magazine which is always good!
DeleteYes, very pretty, but I only want macaroons you can EAT!
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
Margaret, I am afraid real, edible macarons are not my forte and I am much happier making the felt variety!
DeleteThats a lovely idea to make a box of felt cakes for a little person gift, they're so cute.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I am itching to get started on making some more...one more project to add to the list... x
DeleteAdorable! What fun for the kiddos.
ReplyDeleteJenny
And for me... John often says "err...is this really for the kids or is it for you?" and he's right, it's usually for me. x
DeleteThe macaroons look amazing and your gift idea is a really good one! My 3 year old loves crafting and we usually end up making cars, trucks, buses, monsters etc. However all he usually wants to do is mess with the glue and I end up doing most of the 'work'! x
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me to have a go at making some cars or buses with him, he might really like that. I feel a Blue Peter style session coming on...empty toilet roll tubes and double sided sticky tape at the ready! x
DeleteHow very generous of you to think of giving these delicious handmade treats to friends. You are a very lovely gal! I love to give my handmade to people and children I really love, it's from the heart and from the hand. You get stitching princess, you gifts will steal the day! xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for leaving such heart felt comments on my blog. Roberta
Oh no, don't go thinking I'm lovely, it's all motivated by the desire to save a few pennies! December is a horribly expensive month for us as most of my family have birthdays then, as well as Christmas, so I've got to get creative and start planning and stitching early! xx
DeleteThey look scrumptious, no wonder they are a favourite! I had seen that pattern & I know my two would adore them, even though we have TONS of play food, you can never have too much, right? Best get on with it, like you say Christmas is a coming.
ReplyDeleteCrafting for boys, that sounds tough - some gorgeous sock animals out there, sure you could whip up a new buddy! Puppets too maybe...?
I have a thing about play food, especially wooden or fabric things, I always want to add to our already large collection!
ReplyDeleteSock animals - great idea, thanks!
You could make some dinosaur eggs with angus: i made some with a class of five year olds and they LOVED it yesterday (almost all boys). We are going to hide them in the sand pit and crack them open next week. Im going to blog about it on 4th february, including the recipe. I love your macarons: I have been making SO MUCH felt food recently!
ReplyDelete