Handmade Gifts Mean So Much!

My favorite Mother’s Day gifts from my daughter were those she made herself—usually as part of a school art project. A hand-painted vase on my bathroom windowsill, a tiny hand-print cast in concrete in my garden, a ceramic-framed mirror in my bedroom—remind me of her on a daily basis. I often give my mother hand-made gifts—everything from embroidered pillows to a hand-painted pasta bowl featuring my own daughter’s handprints.

Here’s some ideas, for simple, inexpensive DIY projects:

A Bouquet from Your Garden

A thrift-shop vase becomes a thing of beauty when it comes filled with artfully arranged flowers from your garden. The Internet is filled with tutorials on flower arranging. And, if you need to supplement with purchased flowers, consider the Slow Flower movement and choose locally grown.

A Framed Silhouette of a Grandchild

Grab a pair of scissors, some craft paper and get started. I can’t improve on these terrific instructions from blogger These Four, No More; they are beautiful and clear. Buy a new frame, or pick one up at a thrift store and restore if needed or embellish to your taste. Find great ideas here.

A Photo Book of Family Memories

My mom made me keeper of the old family photos when she downsized. I scanned them at a high resolution, and restored them using Photoshop. I used many of them to create a book celebrating her 80^th birthday. The web has many options. Apple enthusiasts have easy access to products via iPhoto. Shutterfly is a great choice for PC users.

Hand-knit or Crocheted Dishcloths

Make something your mom will use every day. Quick and easily made, these are the perfect choice for yarn crafters. Free patterns—from beginner to expert skill level—are available online at Raverly.com. Just be sure to use quality, 100% cotton yarn! Thanks to bruinmom99 for this great image!

A Personalized Meme

This combination of a meaningful quote and beautiful image is all the rage these days. Pinterest is full of great ideas. Use your artistic skills to craft an image in paint, cut paper or the medium of your choice. Not artistic? Choose a photo from your library (keep it simple) and add text with a photo-editing program. Print it at home or your local service and frame. You can even post it on Mom’s Facebook page!

Whatever you do to honor that special “mom” in your life, do it from the heart. Love beats out money any day!