A DIY mum built her kids a tiny town to play in for Christmas - all on a budget of only £400.
Kara Fidd, 32, began making gifts for her kids from scratch after she struggled to find a suitable 'Jurassic Park gate' last year for her son, Aiden, seven. The stay-at-home mum got some scraps of wood and paint and built the gate herself.
She also upcycled a sledge she found in a thrift store, transforming it into a Frozen-themed sleigh for her daughter, Reagan, five. So, when her kids asked for more homemade presents this year, Kara decided to create a whole town in their basement, Hull Live reports.
She spent four weeks constructing a stage, school building, rescue squad, and even a police station. Many of the materials for the project were made from scraps, using items such as a school desk, chalkboard, and an old telephone from thrift stores.
However, the mum still has some time to complete the ambitious project in time for Christmas and said she can't wait to surprise her kids. Kara, a content creator who lives with her children and husband, Bryan, 34, said: “People gave me lots of ideas of what I could build my kids this year.
"My daughter loves playing teachers and my son loves anything emergency response related. People said build a stage, ambulance or a school. So I just thought it would be really cool to combine them all.
“I’m trying to make the whole thing functional as well as fun. Hopefully, it will be finished in time for Christmas. I’m 32 but I am excited to play with this.”
Speaking about last year's project, she said: "Last year my son wanted a Jurassic Park gate, but I couldn’t find one that was decent sized that wasn’t really expensive,” she said.
“I realised I could just build one. I used scraps and only bought hinges and some acrylic paint.
“I found my daughter a sleigh from a thrift store and turned it into a Frozen sleigh. I asked what they wanted this year and they said to build something.”
Kara looked for advise from her online followers and decided to combine all of their ideas to create the mini town. "I used the closet structure already there and decorated the front of them," she said.
She also bought a dry wall for £89, two four-by-fours for £83, and spent £205 on materials. "It looks like it costs a fortune," she said.
“The school building is covered in tiles and there is a teacher's desk, school desk and a chalkboard. The rescue squad has a cot they can use as a stretcher, a desk, bookshelf, and I’m making an x-ray viewing screen.
“The police station has a little locker and I’m making a jail cell.”
The mini town features a stage which will house all the children's musical instruments as well as a karaoke kit. “I’m on track to finish for Christmas,” Kara said.
“I think imagination is better than toys. The town has lots of props for them to play with. I’ve found lots in thrift stores, marketplaces and family have passed down old things too.”
Kara plans to reveal the project to her children on Christmas Day and says she can't wait to see their reaction. "The kids know I am making something, but they don’t know what it is.
"I’m going to wrap a large box and put a note in it to say, ‘go downstairs.’ Then they’ll walk through some wrapping paper at the door and then see it. “I don’t think we will ever top this.”
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