Getting crafty on the cheap
Posted on March 25, 2010
by heatherlauraclarke
12 Comments
Thursday, March 25, 2010
29 weeks, 4 days pregnant
I saw something similar on another blog recently, but can’t remember where for the life of me. The idea is that when you take your toddler to someone’s house — specifically someone who does not have little children of their own — you don’t want them using/breaking/smashing their nice “big-people” dishes. I know if a toddler came to my house right now, I would have nothing to offer them except my real dishes and full-sized cutlery. Oops!
So my entry is a travel (i.e. fold-up and velcro) placemat with kid-appropriate cutlery and a custom plastic dish.
The supplies?
- Plastic placemat: $1
- Kid-sized cutlery: $1.25
- Plastic dish: $1
Grand total: $3.25 (plus tax)
First I tackled the customize-your-own dish. I removed the plastic backing, traced the template onto a piece of bright blue cardstock, and cut out letters that spelled out “Yum yum.”
For the placemat, I simply flipped it over, folded the bottom up to form pockets, and stitched down the front to form slots for the dish and cutlery. I added a little Dollar Store velcro (leftover from another project) so the placemat can be folded up and secured for easy travel.
Tada! Take the dish and cutlery out of the pockets, flip it over, and you’ve got a child-sized placemat to use during the meal.

Now if only Baby Boy was big enough to use cutlery. Or, you know, at least born.
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I love this — such a useful idea and it's so cute! Good luck with the challenge!
Wow. Yours is my very favorite. Useful, cute, and cheap. Nicely done!
Thanks so much! It was really easy to make, and I know Baby Boy will get good use out of it (when he's much older, of course!).
this is such a great and useful craft!! now if a toddler came to your house right now, you would have something for them!
Super smart! Love this idea!
What a great project! You are a clever and crafty girl. Happy Spring!
Cute, smart, and affordable – nice!
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Love this idea! I am going to have to make one myself. thanks for sharing
This is such a great idea! I'd love to know where you found that customizable plate … 🙂
Great idea. It looks great. Good luck!
oh! how cute! love love love love.