Finding the perfect gift for mom can be tricky, but a thoughtful homemade present is sure to make her feel special. Handmade gifts show how much time and care you put into choosing her gift. Even if you’re not the crafty type, there are lots of easy DIY gift ideas you can make that your mom will cherish. This article covers 10 of the top easy-to-make handmade gifts to give your mom.
Top Easy-To-Make Handmade Gifts for Mom
Photo Collage or Album
A custom photo collage or printed photo album filled with favorite memories makes a heartfelt gift for mom.
Materials Needed
- Old photos showcasing special memories with mom
- Photo printing paper or a photo album book
- Decorative scrapbooking supplies (stickers, borders, etc.)
Steps to Make
- Select the photos you want to use, making sure to pick ones spanning your lifetime that will be meaningful to mom. Mix portraits of you and mom together along with candid shots.
- Print the photos or use an online service to print a photo album or collage poster. Arrange photos how you’d like them displayed.
- Embellish the collage or individual pages in the album with decorative touches like stickers or handwritten captions.
Customized Coffee Mug
Make mom smile every morning with a personalized coffee mug featuring one her favorite photos.
Materials Needed
- Plain ceramic mug or cup
- Printed photo of choice
- Mod Podge sealer glue
- Foam paint brush
Steps to Make
- Clean the coffee mug thoroughly and let dry.
- Print out a 4×6 or 5×7 photo of your choice that will wrap around mug.
- Brush a layer of Mod Podge glue onto back of photo and position onto mug.
- Use foam brush to apply glue sealing the photo in place. Allow to fully dry.
- Apply another layer of glue over the photo if desired to seal and protect the image.
Handmade Candle
Treat mom to a stylish soy candle in her favorite scent that you customize just for her.
Materials Needed
- Soy wax flakes
- Pre-tabbed or reusable candle wicks
- Fragrance oil of choice
- Candle dye
- Containers like jars, tins, or glasses
Steps to Make
- Prepare candle container by adhering the wick to bottom with hot glue.
- In a double boiler, melt wax flakes over low heat.
- Once wax is melted, stir in candle dye and fragrance as desired.
- Carefully pour wax into containers and let candles fully set and cure overnight.
Decorative Planter
Use air dry clay to make a customized planter mom can use to display her favorite house plants or seasonal flowers.
Materials Needed
- Air dry terra cotta clay
- Acrylic paint & decorations
- Paint brushes
- Sealant spray
Steps to Make
- Shape clay into your desired planter form and let air dry as per package instructions.
- Once hardened, paint the planter with acrylics in mom’s preferred colors and let dry.
- Embellish planter with painted designs, stencils, or attached decorations like beads.
- Seal painted planter with spray sealant.
Handwritten Coupon Book
Make mom laugh with a cute book of homemade coupons offering helpful tasks or quality time.
Materials Needed
- Paper or index cards
- Markers, pens, stickers
- Ribbon, hole punch
Steps to Make
- Fold paper into small booklets or punch holes in index cards to bind together.
- On pages, write out coupon offers for things like: cooking dinner, cleaning the house, movie night, spa treatment, etc.
- Decorate booklet covers and individual coupons with decorative lettering, designs, or themed stickers.
- Tie booklet together with ribbon into a cute gift book mom can redeem from you anytime.
Framed Art Print
Create a sentimental artwork using your handprint or footprint shape from when you were a baby.
Materials Needed
- Old handprint or footprint artwork
- Scrapbooking paper
- Photo frame
- Craft glue
Steps to Make
- Trace your hand or footprint onto patterned paper and cut out shape.
- Assemble layers by gluing your original baby-size hand or foot print and the traced scrapbook paper cutout onto neutral background paper.
- Frame the finished three layer artwork in a picture frame to gift.
Knitted Scarf or Hat
Knit mom a cozy accessory like a scarf or hat to keep her warm during the winter months.
Materials Needed
- Knitting needles & yarn
- Hat pattern or scarf instructions
Steps to Make
- Select a beginner knitting pattern for a hat or scarf you can complete at your skill level.
- Knit hat or scarf by following the step-by-step pattern instructions.
- Finish knitted gift with any additional pom poms, tassels, or embroidery embellishments.
Decorative Throw Pillow
Sew a custom throw pillow from fabric printed with family photos or kids’ artwork for mom display.
Materials Needed
- Decorative fabric
- Pillow form
- Sewing machine
- Thread, scissors
Steps to Make
- Print out artwork, photos, customized text on iron-on transfer sheets to decorate a cotton fabric canvas as the pillow cover.
- Cut fabric to pillow dimensions, sew edges with 1⁄2 inch seam leaving opening.
- Insert pillow form through opening, then finish sewing pillow closed.
Recipe Jar Mixes
Fill personalized jars with the dry ingredients for mom’s beloved baked goods recipes.
Materials Needed
- Glass jars in assorted sizes
- Ingredients for mixes
- Printable jar topper labels
- Ribbon
Steps to Make
- Select delicious recipes for mixes like cookies, muffins, or hot cocoa.
- Layer dry ingredients for each recipe into jars: flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, chocolate chips, etc.
- Print labels listing instructions for completing each recipe to attach to the jar lids.
- Finish off gift jars by tying a pretty ribbon around each and attaching gift tag.
Other Great Homemade Gift Ideas
Beyond these highlighted homemade gifts, there are plenty more DIY present ideas you can creatively make for mom depending on your time, skill level, and budget. Here are some additional easy yet meaningful homemade gift suggestions:
- Breakfast-in-bed gift basket
- Embroidered dishtowels or potholders
- Customizable t-shirt or tote bag
- Decorative wreath for front door
- Sentimental memory quilt
- Personalized garden stones
- Heartfelt homemade greeting cards
Tips for Creating Meaningful Handmade Gifts
Follow these essential tips when preparing homemade gifts for mom to help make your present more heartfelt and meaningful:
- Make sure to choose a homemade gift idea that matches your actual time availability, skill level, and budget so you don’t take on more than you can handle.
- Incorporate personal, customized touches when possible by using cherished photos or selecting mom’s favorite colors, fragrances, foods, etc. to add sentimental value she’ll appreciate.
- Feel free to get messy and make mistakes since it’s the final heartfelt gift that matters, not perfectly crafting it on your first try.
- Start preparing homemade gifts for mom well in advance rather than waiting until the last minute when limited on time. This gives extra time to redo or tweak your gift if needed.
- Add a personal note, homemade card, or create a custom gift tag detailing why you chose to make this special gift just for her.
Conclusion
Creating easy DIY presents allows you make unique homemade gifts from the heart that will resonate more with mom rather than buying an overly commercial gift that could be from anyone. The one-of-a-kind nature and care put into a handmade gift demonstrates how well her kids know and cherish her. Whether she loves cooking, gardening, cozy home décor, or sentimental mementos, there are so many homemade gift ideas to try that mom is sure to adore. Just be creative and most importantly, have fun in the process since the love poured into homemade gifts is what moms care about most!
FAQs
What are the best homemade Mother’s Day gift ideas?
Some top homemade Mother’s Day gift ideas include a photo memory book, customized recipe jars, handmade jewelry, potted plant, embroidered pillow, or canvas tote bag. Focus on gifts featuring personal photos, sentimental details, or displaying kids’ artwork.
How do you make homemade gifts special?
Make homemade gifts extra special with custom touches mom will love like featuring family photos, her favorite colors, homemade baking using cherished recipes, incorporating pieces of original children’s artwork, or including gift tags with heartfelt messages explaining why you chose to handmake her gift.
What homemade gift can I make last minute?
Some of the easiest last-minute homemade gifts include creating a personalized coupon book good for household chores or quality time, baking mom’s favorite childhood treats like cookies or muffins, designing a breakast-in-bed gift basket filled with her go-to items, or preparing homemade bath products like scented bath salts or sugar body scrubs.
What are good homemade gift ideas for grandmothers?
Meaningful homemade gift ideas grandparents will appreciate include framed family photos chronicling special memories together, handwritten memory books detailing your favorite stories growing up with them, photo blankets adorned with decorative patches featuring family photos, handprint art pieces made by their grandchildren, or homemade recipe books compiling traditional family dishes.
What homemade gifts can kids make?
Homemade gifts kids can create themselves include personalized mugs or plaques painted by hand, beaded jewelry pieces like necklaces or bracelets, decorative candles, potted plants, custom greeting cards featuring their artwork, handwritten coupon books good for chore help or quality time together, framed handprint art, and homemade baked goods like cookies.
