Make & Bake Gifts 2017

This year has flown by so quickly, it's hard to believe that Make & Bake Gifts has come and gone.  Every December, we combine the two popular teen clubs, First Friday Art Club and Teen Cooking Club, into one special event called Make & Bake Gifts.

Googly Eyes and Glitter Glue

With special guests in tow, we had several stations to make a gift or bake a gift for the holiday season.  The very colorful Filomena Jack brought her Sock Creature project for everyone to make a few creature treasures to share.

Snip, Stitch, Sew Cool!

Taking old socks of various shapes and colors, students learned how to sew with a needle and thread.  Hand sewing is a skill that seems to be getting lost with the focus on technology in society.  I strive to keep these skills relevant to all age groups.  Filomena's patience and friendly approach to the project helped students make adorable stuffy friends for their human friends.

Creature Convention

Creatures for Christmas?

Craft Farm's mother hen, Allison Duncan, led a lip balm craft packed with essential oils and emollients.  Whether you call it chap stick or lip balm, the average cost of the natural and organic ingredient products cost nearly $5 each.  Such a simple gift can be too costly for a teen.  Providing a lesson and literacy on essential oils, each student created four separate lip balms to bomb their friends chapped lips!  

Pour the Balm

Craft a Label

There were two edible craft recipes that everyone took turns tackling.  Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels were a sweet and simple recipe that can be made in bulk.  With only 4 ingredients, this recipe is just too easy to pass.

Bulk up for the Season

I usually make batches of cookies for Christmas.  My Kitchen Aid mixer takes a beating and my propane provider loves my gas usage in the month of December.  After seeing just how much this recipe produces, I'm skipping the cookies and copying this pretzel treat!

Even Gluten Free Options

There are a few Gluten sensitive students in my charge, so we had Gluten Free products to accommodate that dietary restriction.  Even the gluten free option of this recipe was quick and easy.

Stir!  Fast!!!

The last edible craft for the Make & Bake Gifts event was Cornflake Candy Wreaths.  This five ingredient recipe is similar to Rice Krispy Treats, but uses cornflake cereal and green food coloring.  

Festive Fun

Students whipped up these edible wreaths in just about 15 minutes.  The wreaths they made were larger than palm size, so a bit too big for a snack.  I say they are perfect to share.  Add some red candies to represent holly berries and you're good to go.

This wraps up another fun year in Young Adult programming that I facilitate at the Southeast
Steuben County Library.  We welcome 2018 with a Photo Collage event for First Friday Art Club.

Get ready for 2018

Teen Cooking Club will learn how to Squash their Hunger in January.

We will also try to get organized with our schedules.  Starting in January, we'll try to get some focus with Middle Mondaze.  The first installation is Bite the Bullet Journal.  This event is strictly for teen, 13 years and older, who need a break from the mundane Monday.

New addition for 2018!

Thanks for visiting.  I hope this blog has inspired you to try some of the things we tested this year.  Happy Holidays!

xo,

Erica