Personalized Baby Doll Gift Idea for Under $20

Craft: Very Special Delivery (Baby Doll)

This is not really so much a homemade birthday gift for a preschooler (over 3), as it is an embellished and personalized one. Get a life-sized infant doll with a soft body at a big box store for about $10. Then go to the dollar store where you can find onsies, even dresses, baby powder, small packages of newborn diapers, blankets, etc.

Give the doll a name (I chose Nelly) and make a bracelet. (The doll can also wear some of the birthday girl's things from when she was a baby). You may find some things at yard sales as well, if you begin early enough. The whole set was less than $20.

Approximate Time 1 hour, plus shopping time

Supplies:

• life-sized infant doll with soft body, 23.5 inches
• baby clothing from dollar store, dresses, onsies, socks
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• 2 receiving blankets from dollar store
• powder, lotion, diapers, binky, etc. from dollar store
• bracelet: alphabet beads, pink and blue beads, elastic
• buttons, trims, etc.
• small bit of fiberfill, grosgrain ribbon
• "It's a girl" gift bag
• "birth certificate" from your printer
• labels from your printer

Instructions:

1. Make a name bracelet for doll with alphabet beads, pink and blue beads, and elastic.
2. Attach buttons, trims, etc. to clothing as desired.
3. Make diaper bag: cut one blanket in half. Fold that piece in half with wrong sides together lengthways. Repeat, so you have a rectangle, something like 9 x 12. Sew up the short sides. Fold raw edges under at the top and sew. Add grosgrain ribbon handles.
4. Make pillow: with remaining piece of blanket, fold in half, sew right sides together, leaving hole for turning. Clip corners, turn so right side is out. Stuff and sew up hole. So you have a pillow that matches the other receiving blanket and diaper bag.
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5. Add "Made for Nelly" labels to clothes, diaper bag, etc. if desired.
6. Make "birth certificate" on your computer and print out. Make sure the doll's birthday is the same as the real birthday girl's!
7. Place items in "It's a girl!" gift bag.

Tip: If you give the doll a name, it makes it more fun to give the "baby" things at Christmas, etc.

By Cindy from Waynesburg, PA

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