Handmade gifts, especially when they mark milestones in your child’s life can be lovely. You’ll find yourself years from now looking at them and remembering back to earlier times. I have a small collection of these gifts, and they always make me smile.
For example, there is the wax cast of my first-born’s hand when he was only two. We were at a festival, and the vendor didn’t want to cast anyone under the age of four because children that age tend not to hold still. We insisted and said we would take it, no matter how it came out. My little guy was very serious and careful, and held his hand perfectly still, the shape of his chubby fist preserved for life, dipped in a rainbow of colors at his direction. *
This gift to me cost less than $5.
While there is nothing wrong with the standard jewelry (I am a big fan of mom’s getting nice things), I think the homemade gifts are so precious. They are memories. They take some forethought and preparation, and they are extremely personal.
Recently I came across the above photo of the flower pot, posted by an urban garden out on California. It takes little baby feet and turns them into a butterfly. I love this idea. It offers a mom (or grandmom) something beautiful and useful at the same time. To create it, all you need is an inexpensive Flower Pot (or a T-shirt, piece of canvas, etc.), some non-toxic paint, and a pair of your favorite baby feet.
There are so many ideas for cute handmade Mother’s Day gifts on the Internet. Find a few of your favorites to make this holiday a memorable one for you and your kids.
* I wouldn’t necessarily try this one at home. The vendor worked with a special wax that was able to stay liquid at low temperatures, so there was no risk of scalding.
Photo courtesy of The Urban Farm Garden