48 DIY Mother's Day Gifts That Are the Best Way to Say "I Love You"
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48 DIY Mother's Day Gifts That Are the Best Way to Say "I Love You"
It goes without saying that mom would rather have you spend money on yourself than on another Mother's Day gift for her. If you're finally ready to heed her advice and skip giving a store-bought gift this year, make one of these DIY Mother's Day gifts instead. And no, we're not suggesting making her more macaroni frames. In fact, these ultra-thoughtful craft ideas are very sophisticated, ranging from herb garden planters to homemade soaps. If her young child is taking care of gifts this year (makes sense!), we've also included a number of kid-friendly projects that are easy enough for her little ones to complete on their own, a.k.a. requiring as little parent participation as possible.
Even if you're lacking some serious DIY skills, think about what your mom, grandma, aunt, or other special lady would tell you: Anything made with love is a win in her eyes. So, while you're at it, pair her present with a homemade Mother's Day card that comes straight from the heart.
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Customizable Reed Diffuser
Fill your mom's home with a scent that she's guaranteed to love by mixing different essential oils until you create a signature blend.
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Wallpapered Recipe Box
It may be what's on the inside that counts (decades of family recipes), but make the exterior of your mom's recipe box just as statement-worthy with peel-and-stick wallpaper.
Get the tutorial at Club Crafted »
RELATED: The Best Mother's Day Gifts to Give
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Herb Garden Planter
Fill a wooden planter with individual pots packed with her most-used herbs, so she can have instant flavor within reach.
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Photo Flower Pots
Moms help their kids every step of the way — from seeds to full blooms — and this gift symbolizes just that. Fill the center of each flower with a picture, so it serves as a timestamp of this year's holiday.
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Instagram Calendar
Put your Instagram sleuthing skills to work by browsing through your siblings' profiles until you find a dozen photos that mom will love for this desk-friendly calendar.
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Flower Trinket Box
Not only is it the perfect accent to her vanity, but she can store all of her treasured jewels in this pretty in pink box.
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Geometric Mother's Day Surprise
All you need is an array of colored card stock to make this sentimental gift. Brainstorm all the reasons why you love mom — her award-winning apple crumble, for example — and hide them in geometric boxes.
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Wrapping Paper Bouquet
Turn your garden's flowers into a bouquet fit for a queen by wrapping them in patterned paper.
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Fingerprint Butterfly Mugs
Melt mom — or grandma's — heart with a mug decorated with her little one's fingerprints. That means you can even get your kids involved in this craft.
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New Mom Survival Kit
If it's a first Mother's Day (or even, if she's a mom-to-be), fill a box with everything she needs to unwind, recharge, and well, stay sane.
Get the tutorial at Ashley Brooke Nicholas »
RELATED: The Best First Mother's Day Gifts
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Floral Monogram Door Hanger
Whether she uses this floral beauty to dress up her door, wall, or shelf, it'll make her smile every time she looks at it. Trust.
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Floral Bath Bombs
Sure, bath bombs that smell like roses are divine. But rose-infused bath bombs that look like fresh blooms are even better.
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Egg Carton Flowers
Regardless of how classic or cliché they may be, flowers are a must on Mother's Day. For an arrangement that will last way beyond May, turn egg cartons into makeshift blooms.
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Bath Tea
For mom, a night of self-care consists of a bubble bath followed by a cup of hot tea. Give her the best of both worlds with this bath tea — for bathing, not drinking — made with epsom salt, lavender, chamomile, calendula, roses, and cornflowers.
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Soothing Body Scrub
Treat mom to this sweet-smelling citrus and passion fruit spa treatment. She'll instantly feel like she's on a mini tropical vacation.
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Hand Holding Heart Card
Mom will hold this love note close to her heart — literally. For an added touch of sweetness, seal the envelope with a cut-out kiss.
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Gemstone Soaps
Impress your mother-in-law by making these creative soaps. This blogger suggests using dark colors at the base and lighter colors on top, but cautions against making the soaps too perfect — a random approach makes for better color combos.
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Floral Pots
If you gifted bulbs last year, add the perfect container this time around. Floral prints on the bottom only add to the natural beauty up top.
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K-Cup Bath Bombs
Ease her worries with these lavender scented bath bombs. She will never know that these delicious bath bombs are actually a recycled K-Cup craft.
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Coffee Cup Holder
You could get her yet another mug or you could make this pretty, rustic-inspired mug organizer to hold all of the gifts you've given her throughout the years.
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Jewelry Organizer
You and your siblings have given mom lots of handmade jewelry over the years, from macaroni necklaces to funky earrings. Now, it's time to give her a stylish way to organize 'em.
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Marbled Ring Dish
Help them keep their odds and ends in check with a cheerful bowl made from oven-bake clay.
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DIY Rope Basket
Really, is there anything mom loves more than an organized home? (Besides you, of course.) This rope basket is surprisingly simple to make and adds texture to any room.
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Marble Clay Handprint Jewelry Tray
Need a new way to memorialize your kids' hands? This pretty jewelry tray in the shape of her kids' handprint is sure to make mom shed a tear (in a good way!)
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Monogram Clay Keychains
These stylish, modern keychains add a touch of cool to mom's car keys and can be customized with her initials or the initials of all her kids.
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White Chocolate Bark
Edible flowers and glitter, white chocolate pearls and pastel-dyed white chocolate all make an appearance in this gorgeous bark.
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Camera Strap Scarf
She's always bringing out the family camera to capture special moments, so why not give her a stylish accessory for it?
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Agate Coasters
With gilded edges, trendy coasters take their next cocktail hour to the next level. Please wine-lovers and hostesses alike with a glam set of their own.
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Cupcake Bouquet
Can't decide between flowers or homemade goodies? These sweet lemonade cupcakes are the best of both worlds.
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Stamped Tea Towels
Use sliced citrus (or carved potatoes) coated in paint to amp up plain kitchen cloths.
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Tassel Necklace
Make a statement with a colorful accessory that's party-ready. This blogger recommends using a needle to comb through the tassels after wearing to keep them neat and full.
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Floral Tea Bags
Bake her a cake, then gift her best-selling teas, and dress them up with these simple floral attachments — we recommend choosing mom's favorite faux flowers for longevity.
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Caramel Latte Tea Cup Candle
Give mom her go-to Starbucks order in candle form, so she can soak up the smell all day long.
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Paper-Covered Journal
If you don't want to spend money on a cute notebook, wrap a plain notebook with origami paper to create a treasured journal.
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Cardstock Cactus Garden
Here's a kid-approved craft that you and the little ones can make for grandma. All you need is colorful cardstock — and lots of imagination. Bonus: These plants don't need watering.
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Homemade Coffee Syrup
Does mom love wine? Take her old bottles and up-cycle them to make her mornings extra-sweet with this thoughtful gift that can be customized to her favorite flavors.
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Graphic Planters
Color-blocked balsa wood — yep, those blocks of wood you see at your nearby craft store — feels modern and cool with the help of mini succulents.
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Wine Cork Coasters
This gift combines mom's three great loves: you, wine, and a table without water rings.
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45-Minute Arm Knit Blanket
Keep mom cozy with one of these chunky knit blankets. They're easy to make by hand (er, arm, as the case may be).
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Patterned Makeup Bag
Help your mom wrangle her beauty essentials with a zippered bag — just pick a fabric that matches her personality.
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Colorful Luggage Tag
And when it comes to her traveling luggage, upgrade a dollar-store luggage tag with metallic and neon paint and she'll have a reminder of you while on the road.
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Lavender Sachets
Tuck these sweet-smelling lavender sachets into dresser drawers or onto closet shelves — they require a basic understanding of sewing (or, a good sewing machine to help you) but they'll give her clothes a subtle scent.
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Coffee Filter Peonies
With a big boost of color, these coffee filter flowers make the perfect long-lasting bouquet.
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Blooming Monogram
Giving flowers for Mother's Day is great, but you can add a special twist: get creative and make these monogrammed initials that spell out "Mom" in bright blooms.
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Painted Bottles
With the help of bright-hued craft paint, dollar store jars go from plain to fancy. And the elevated photo frame adds a sentimental touch.
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Ombre Tote Bag
Use her favorite color to give Mom a personalized bag that'll hold all of her daily essentials.
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Simple Succulent
Don't throw that tin away: Pretty it up with a watercolor label and an easy houseplant that doesn't need a lot of attention.
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Colorful Flower Tote
Grab a few colorful flowers from the garden and get hammering to create this nature-inspired tote. Your artistic efforts will shine through and she'll think it's the best Mother's Day gift ever.
Plus, they're seriously easy to make.
