Why not just have a new craft and call it, Toy Crafting.
Each device intially required a prototype to be built, such as a windmill or the first cart or even a mock up of ship to be built, prior to actually building. For a character, such a craft would allow for the creation of clockwork devices, like the flying metal owl of Odysses, the Emperors singing songbird, or King Solomon's head. Toys have always been the precursor to almost every medieval warmachine. Also in the creation of models for temples and other architectural structures and mechanical devices.
Having toy crafting, along with tinkering, woodcraft, metalcraft and jewellery making would perhaps facilitate the invention of a clock, and thus clockwork devices, and perhaps even the crafting of windups.
Not quite little golems, but perhaps the next best thing.
