Has your last-minute Mother’s Day planning got you in bind when it comes to getting a unique gift for the mom in your life? Don’t worry: you’re not stuck giving Mom her umpteenth macaroni necklace. (Seriously, the first one made me melt, but one of the dogs eats the macaroni so now they’re just one more thing to hide.) I’m here to help with nine simple, but-oh-so-unique DIY Mother’s Day gifts. Read on!
Prepare a special Mother’s Day dinner and make these Glowing Photo Luminaries the table centerpiece. Simple to make using easy-to-find supplies, this is a great project for older kids.
Looking for a project that involves the little ones? How about some Toddler Scribble Art? You and the kids can use craft punches (also called paper punches), which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, or you can free-hand your shapes and use an X-Acto knife to cut them out. Arrange the scribble-bits in a beautiful pattern, or go abstract and let your toddler create the design.
One of my personal favorites is this Hand-Shaped Ring Dish. If you have more than one child or want a bigger dish, you could use a strong adhesive to attach multiple hands together. Or you could create a low bowl or plate and use the cup-shaped hands as holders for the smaller pieces inside the larger dish. However you do it, this gift is a great memento and so much more useful than the standard clay handprints.
A picture is worth a thousand words—say them all! Grab a picture frame with a mat, a map showing your family’s favorite place (could be home, could be Disney, could be your favorite national park—you decide!), and a favorite photo of your family at your special place. Put it all together to create a personalized Map Picture Frame.
Out of wall space for new frames? Turn your favorite mommy-and-me moments into Photo Magnets instead. I especially love the mosaic idea, which would make a fun gift for the puzzle-loving mom.
Of course, I can’t talk about a gift for Mom without mentioning jewelry. I love this bright, fun Tassel Necklace! If you have younger children, let a grown-up help attach the jump ring, and consider using pony beads and yarn, or another thick string that will be easier to little hands to manage. Oh—be sure to buy enough supplies for multiple necklaces because your child is sure to want some tassels of their own.
Finally, flowers are a great Mother’s Day gift, but what to do if you’re like my husband and you don’t like to gift cut flowers that last such a short time? Why, you could make your own bouquets, of course! (Psst…If you’re intimidated by the felt flower tutorials below, you can always buy pre-made flowers, and use them to create your bouquet. It’ll be our little secret.)
- This felt-flower bouquet is time-consuming, but beautiful! Another great project if you have older kids. And remember: you can choose your own colors, so go ahead and incorporate Mom’s favorite.
- Here’s another felt-flower bouquet, using actual branches. How fun to get the kids involved in finding those while on a nature walk! Oh, and a head’s up: the website is in Chinese, but the tutorial is all pictures.
- Felt isn’t your medium of choice? How about coffee filters? You can get crazy-fancy with these, if you want to, but I’m thinking we should keep it a little bit more kid-friendly. Maybe these Coffee Filter Roses or these Coffee Filter Flowers (my daughter loves using the washable markers with water technique).
Happy crafting, friends! (And don’t wait too much longer to get started on your favorite DIY Mother’s Day Gift. Seriously.)