DIY Kosher – 3 Kid-Friendly Mother’s Day Craft Projects for Moms Who Have Everything

What can you give the woman who has it all for Mother’s Day?  Hair accessories?  A cookbook?  Perfume?  Nah. Better opt for something she can’t get herself (or return): kid-friendly craft projects made with love!

Mother’s Day, time to get out your crafting scissors and paint brushes. Or, just call in the troops with their school supply boxes and unbridled creativity because we’ve put together three crafts kids can make to surprise mom on her special day.

Whether you present her with a plant in a uniquely painted pot, an everlasting bouquet of family photos, or breakfast in bed on a decoupage tray, she will love the effort you put into to finding the perfect gift.

Kids will love this opportunity to draw, paint, cut, glue.  Just make sure they wear smocks!

One-of-a-Kind Terracotta Planter

As the seasons change, mom can showcase new flora in this lovely, hand-painted planter.

Materials:

Terracotta flower pot and plate
Acrylic or patio paints
1- or 2- inch wide foam brush
Cosmetic foam wedges or cotton balls
Ribbon and additional trim such as buttons, sea shells, craft jewels, optional
Glue gun and glue sticks
Dirt and a seasonal plant

Directions:

1. Place the pot on a clean surface in front of you.  Using the foam brush, paint the flower pot in a single color.  Allow to dry.
2. When dry, dip the foam wedges or cotton balls in a contrasting color of paint and sponge-paint designs all around the flower pot.
3. To personalize the gift even more, hot glue decorative ribbon in a contrasting color on the wide rim of the flower pot.  Or, decorate the rim by gluing a collage of sea shells, buttons or craft jewels.
4. Once dry, complete the gift by filling the pot with dirt and a beautiful plant.

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Decoupage Breakfast Tray

Make sure to serve mom’s favorite breakfast on this tray which doubles as a gift she can use to store her personal items.  This idea is from Rivky Koenig, who wrote “Crafting Jewish” (Artscroll, 2008).

Materials:

Sandpaper
Unfinished wooden tray, any size
Papers Towels
1/2 inch- and 1 1/2 inch- wide paint brushes
Cream and beige colored acrylic paints (or colors of your choice)
Paper napkins with fruit or floral images
Scissors
Decoupage medium such as Mod Podge or watered down craft glue
Black or green felt, optional
Craft glue, optional

Directions:

1. Use the sandpaper to sand down any rough edges on the tray.  Wipe off wood dust with a damp paper towel.
2. Using the 1 1/2-inch paintbrush, paint the entire tray with the cream paint.  Allow to dry.
3. Take a dry 1/2-inch paintbrush and dab the bristles lightly in the beige paint.  Brush the paint off against a paper towel to remove as much paint as possible.  Lightly stroke the paint on the tray to give it an antiqued look.  Let dry.
4. While the tray is drying, cut out the fruit or floral shapes from the napkins.
5. Using a clean 1 1/2-inch paintbrush, coat the inside of a dry tray with Mod Podge or watered down glue.  Place the fruit shapes on the Mod Podge-covered surface.  Smooth the shapes down carefully with your fingers.  The shapes may get a little wrinkly.  Continue to smooth it.  Allow to dry.
6. Brush another coat of Mod Podge on the entire surface of the tray, covering the cut-out shapes completely.  Coat the raised sides of the tray, inside and out, as well.  Allow to dry.
7. Optional: Cut a piece of felt the size of the underside of the tray.  Use craft glue to glue the felt to the underside of the tray.
8. When mom wakes up on her special day, present the tray laden with breakfast items.

Bouquet of Family Photos

This evergreen bouquet is a wonderful way for mom to have a thoughtful memento from the people who love her.  Not watering required!

Materials:

Scrapbooking, wrapping or construction paper or cardstock
Glue stick
Family photos
Glitter glue, optional
Tape or a glue gun and glue sticks
Green pipe cleaners, one for each flower

Directions:

1. Cut out a simple-shaped flower (like a daisy) from a piece of paper or cardstock in two sizes, one slightly larger than the other.  These will be your flower stencils.  Trace the flowers on various pieces of paper so you have an assortment of colors.  Cut them out.
2. To make the center of the flowers, cut the photos into circles.  Each center should be a picture of a different person in the family.
3. Glue a photo circle in the center of each of the smaller flowers.
4. To matte the flower, glue the smaller flower on one of the larger flowers in a matching color.
5. Use the glitter glue to outline the border of the smaller flower, optional.
6. Tape or hot glue a pipe cleaner to the back of each flower.  Tie a ribbon around the stems to make a handheld bouquet.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Shop for fabulous Mother’s Day kosher gift baskets on Kosher.com

Originally posted May 4, 2010.