Paper Bouquet
Little hands will love cutting and gluing these paper flowers that Mom will cherish for years to come.
To make: Cut flower petals and centers from bright pastel and white paper. Use hot glue or a glue stick to glue petals together, forming flower shapes. Glue centers on top. Glue green paper straws to the back of each flower for a stem. Shape a piece of brown craft paper into a cone, using tape to hold it together. Tie a rickrack bow around the cone and add a paper tag. Insert flowers into cone.
Flower Power Painted Pot
Hand-painted flowers add color and help elevate a hardware store terra-cotta pot. Fill with a fern or other favorite plant for a gift Mom can enjoy for years to come.
To make: Use acrylic paint pens to draw and paint flowers on a terra-cotta pot. When dry fill with a fern or an herb.
Printed Dishtowels
Kids will have fun searching around the house for objects to stamp on dishtowels or napkins that Mom can use on special occasions.
To make: Spread a thin layer of fabric paint, or an acrylic paint mixed with a fabric fixative, on a paper plate. Dip found objects, such as flower-shaped cookie cutters and oversized paper clips, in paint and stamp on dishtowels.
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Painted Wooden Bracelets
When Mom heads out to a fancy dinner party wearing her hand-painted bracelets, we can guarantee the kids will be grinning ear to ear seeing their crafty work going out for a night on the town.
To make: Use acrylic paint or paint pens to paint designs on wooden bracelets. Finish with a layer of Mod Podge if desired.
Hanging Mason Jar Bouquet
Surprise mom as soon as she opens her door in the morning with a beautiful flower arrangement hung from the bedroom doorknob.
To make: Snugly tie a length of ribbon around the threads of a mason jar (you can add a few dabs of hot glue for added hold, if desired). Fill the jar with water and flowers. Hang around a doorknob.
Handprint Kitchen Towels
While flowers are great Mom will find so much joy in using practical gifts, like handprint dishtowels, everyday.
To make: Sew or use fusible bonding web to attach ribbon to the bottom of a flour sack dishtowel. Spread a thin layer of fabric paint, or an acrylic paint mixed with a fabric fixative on a paper plate. Have kids press their hands into the paint and then onto the towel. Iron to fix the paint per the manufacturer's packaging instructions.
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Coffee Filter Poppies
Mom can hold onto the fleeting beauty of poppies this season and into the next with these DIY flowers made from dyed coffee filters. Tip: Make these outside as dye can be quite messy and get into and onto unexpected things.
To make: Dip paper coffee filters in Cherry Red Rit Dye. Lay flat on a cooling rack fitted in a rimmed baking sheet or hang over a drying line. When dry, kink and fold the filters so they have a little movement. Use a dab of hot glue or a glue stick to glue the centers of two filters together to create petal layers. Cut a 6-inch piece of black pipe cleaner and roll into a flat circle; use hot glue to glue to the center of the poppy. Twist three green pipe cleaners together; use hot glue to glue to the back of the poppy. Arrange poppies in bud vases.
Celery Print Cards
A lot of moms love flowers and these celery prints give the impression of a perennial favorite, roses. Choose a classic rose color like yellow or pink, or simply take inspiration from spring and go with blue or green. Either way Mom will be smitten with her DIY flower card.
To make: Cut 2 to 3 inches off the bottom of a head of celery. Pat the cut end dry with a paper towel. Press the cut end on a stamp pad and then onto a blank note card, tapping the root side to help make an even print. When dry, add a sweet greeting.
Party Prep
Throwing a fête for Mom? Have the kids get involved with the party decor. They will certainly enjoy creating a pretty bunting by simply attaching vintage hankies to a string with mini clothespins. They can also help ferry items for a lemonade station, which we've set up on an antique French garden stand, but you can use a buffet table or even a cooler.
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Felt Flower Wreath
Help mom make the front door welcoming to guests with a fun and colorful felt and leaf flower wreath.
To make: Make or buy felt flowers and leaves. Hot-glue flowers and leaves to a grapevine wreath form and hang with a length of ribbon.
Tart Tin Coasters
Give moms sips a pretty place to park with fluted mini-tart tins.
To make: Remove the bottoms from the tins and trace the outline on fabric. Cut out and adhere the fabric to the bottom discs using glossy, water-resistant Mod Podge. Allow to dry completely, then replace in the tart rings.
Hand-Penned Garden Stakes
For the mom who loves to spend time with her hands in the soil these DIY garden stakes will make her heart sing. Kids will love writing the veggie names and maybe even drawing a cute picture of the fruits and vegetables.
To make: Drill a small hole in the wood handles and tie hand-penned wooden tags through the holes with twine. Insert the pointy tips into the soil so the markers stand upright. *Coat wood with clear varnish to protect the handwriting from the elements.
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Coffee Filter Flowers
David HillegasKids will love crafting these flowering candy dishes with an item you probably already have in your house: coffee filters.
To make: Submerge regular-size white coffee filters (you’ll need four to six for each flower) in a watered-down Rit Dye solution (here, Petal Pink); dry completely. Cut into flower shapes of various sizes, and stack largest to smallest. Attach at centers with craft glue. Glue a papier-mâché or store-bought candy cup to center of each. Fill with candy.
Flower Brooch Wreath
Shiny, sparkly, and made from jewelry = a wreath that mom is guaranteed to love!
To make: Wrap a small wire wreath form in white ribbon. Attach brooches using pin backings. Add a small bow made from sparkly ribbon, if desired
Dip-Dyed Baskets
David HillegasMom can store candy, keys, or whatever she pleases in this cute and simple to craft dip-dyed basket.
To make: Dip the top quarter of a cotton basket in desired color of fabric dye. When dry, fill with moss and candy.
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Egg Carton Wreath
David HillegasTurn the common paper egg carton into flowers, then attach them to a wreath form to create the perfect gift for the mom who loves all things flowers.
To make: Cut individual egg cups from paper egg cartons. Notch and cut decorative edges with scissors. Dye or paint cups desired colors. Attach cups and craft paper leaves to a painted craft ring with hot-glue.
Stitched Paper Cards
Brian WoodcockShow Mom the love with a hand-cut and stitched card. Start by cutting a shape (try a flower or an animal shape) from medium to thick craft paper. Punch holes along the border with a small hole punch. Stitch, using embroidery floss, thin twine, or yarn. Add additional flare like a pipe cleaner stem and a pretty vintage button.
Fabric-Covered Paper Weight
Brian WoodcockMake Mom’s desk pretty with a personalized paperweight. Start by cutting fabric into strips. Adhere to a small rock (2 to 3 inches) with glossy Mod Podge. Cut an initial, or “M” for "Mom," and a heart from felt and adhere to the top of the rock. Allow to dry completely.
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Flower Petal Change Bowl
Brian WoodcockWe know moms love all things organization, so what’s better than a handmade bowl that she can use to corral loose change. To create your sculpture, use Sculpey (or another oven-baked clay) to form a large flower petal. Form a smaller petal and press it into the center of the larger petal. Place plastic beads in bottom of the bowl. Bake, per package instructions, to melt plastic and harden clay.
Papier-Mâché Vases
David HillegasThese papier-mâché vases are ideal for gifting mom some of her favorite candy or a beautiful bouquet.
To make: Blow up one large and one medium-size balloon. Papier mâché each with white craft paper, leaving bottom quarter to third uncovered and edges rough. Let dry. Pop balloons, and remove. Set a vase inside each, and fill with water and flowers.
Charlyne Mattox is Food and Crafts Director for Country Living.
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