How to......Share It Forward

Mother's Day Crafting Ideas! What fun! I'm a crafting junkie, not even therapy helps. I don't always finish what I start (shhhh) but I love it and am willing to try almost anything.  I've been thinking about the homemade gifts I've received throughout the years. Those are the ones that I remember the most.

As a woman, I can tell you that we appreciate and love anything that our children hand to us.  We're just thrilled to get something from our little guys. This is truly where "it's the thought that counts" holds true.

Here are some favorite Mother's Day Crafting ideas I came up with.

stringing beads

you can't go wrong with jewelry. This link will take you to a blog that I found online that has step by step instructions for stringing beads and other great ideas.

Even toddlers can make Mother's Day crafts with a little help.

Framed Photos

Every mother loves to look at pictures of her kids. So why not pick out a favorite picture or yourself with Mom and create a beautiful frame for it? There are many ways you can go about making photo frames. One of the cheapest and simplest ways to make a picture frame is to cut one out of paper.

• Construction paper,
• card stock
• and thick scrap-booking paper are good choices.
• Or, if you want to make the frame even sturdier, use corrugated cardboard.

Decorate with paint, glitter and stickers. Add a magnet to the back for easy display on the refrigerator.

You can also make frames out of craft sticks. Just glue the ends of four sticks together to make a square, and decorate with markers or paint. Or if you prefer, buy a plain photo frame and decorate it as you please.

Candle Holders

• It's easy to make a lovely candle-holder out of a small jar.
• Larger baby food jars work well for tea-lights and votives.
• Pint jars can hold votives or small pillar candles.

To decorate, use tissue paper. Mix equal parts white glue and water, and stick the paper onto the outside of the jar, stopping below the rim. Use pieces of different colors to create a stained glass look. Cut some shapes out of the paper if you like, arrange them in a pretty pattern, and glue on top of the larger pieces. Coat with the glue mixture to seal, and let dry.

Bath Salts

Want to help Mom pamper herself on her special day? Make her some homemade bath salts. They will help her relax and leave her skin feeling great.

Here's How:

Mix

• 3 cups of Epsom salts,
• 2 cups of baking soda, and
• 1 cup of table salt.
• Add about twenty drops of a fragrant essential oil. Lavender, sandalwood and chamomile are good choices.

Mix thoroughly. Present the bath salts to Mom in a pretty jar tied with a ribbon.

Decorative Flowerpot Moms adore flowers

Creating a unique flowerpot with a plant you've grown for her is sure to bring a smile to her face. Small unglazed terracotta flowerpots are easy to paint on. Use acrylic paint to make a pretty scene or design. If you don't have a flowerpot, a styrofoam cup will do. You can decorate it with markers, glitter glue and stickers.

When your creation is dry, fill it with potting soil and plant a few seeds. Try to do this a week or two before Mother's Day so the plant will have time to start growing. If you don't have anything growing, go ahead and apply the seed package to a popsicle stick and stick it in the dirt.  Don't forget to give it plenty of sun and water.

Place-mats

Making place-mats out of contact paper is very easy. Have your toddler cut shapes out of construction paper and glue them onto a whole piece with a glue stick. He can add detail with markers or embellish with stickers. When he's done, place the artwork on a piece of contact paper, sticky side up. Place another sheet of contact paper on top, sticky side down.

Kids want to show their moms just how special they are. Store-bought gifts and cards are nice, but they lack that personal touch and it means more to kids to make it themselves.  Something made just for Mom has much more sentimental value

Mom is sure to appreciate these simple yet thoughtful crafts. They will give her fond Mother's Day memories for years to come!

photo credits: MOEL1, Francine Toukou, Chickeemama

Related articles

• Crafting - Easy Baby Handprint Crafts (sharingitforward.wordpress.com)
• How To: Mother's Day Plant "Flag" (craftingagreenworld.com)
• Paper Craft's 3-D Flower for Mother's Day ... (blackwidow12.wordpress.com)
• Make a Paper Plate Turkey Photo Frame (education.com)
• Craft a Rainbow Trout (education.com)