Mother’s Day is almost here so I’ve curated my own selection of gift ideas to share with you — based on my personal favorites! My selection includes some freebie ideas, because at the end of the day it’s about showing appreciation for our moms — and you don’t need money to do that. *wink*
SAVE
Here are a few inexpensive DIY gift ideas that are super simple and sweet…
Home Depot Kids (Free) Workshop // The first Saturday of the month kids can participate in a free building activity. On Saturday, May 5th kids can join the free workshop to build a windmill planter — just in time for Mother’s Day! My daughter made a tulip planter for me last year, the proud smile on her face lit up the entire room and made this momma cry happy tears. Check your local Home Depot for details on dates and times for any upcoming events!
Gift of (Free) Time // Sometimes moms just need an hour of quiet to themselves. Be it to sleep in, take a nice long – and uninterrupted – shower or to just browse Instagram. Dads, take the kids out for an hour (or two *wink*) to give your mom some much needed “me” time!
Breakfast in Bed or Backyard Picnic // Show mom that you appreciate her by bringing her breakfast in bed. Let her sleep in while you do the cooking – even if it’s just cereal in a bowl and a glass of juice. Or if it’s a nice day outside, grab a blanket and a couple of PB&J sandwiches and some snacks then head out for a backyard picnic (and if it’s not nice outside just have a picnic indoors!) Whatever you decide, mom will just be happy that you planned something special just for her!
I Love My Mom Because (Free Printable) // Use this free printable from Teach Create Motivate to tell your mom all the things that make her so important to you. Just print, write down all the things you love about your mom and pop it into a picture frame (use a frame you find around the house or purchase one from a local dollar store for cheap!)
Handpicked Flowers in a Pretty Wrapper (Free Printable) // Give mom some flowers that you handpicked from the backyard (or a neighbors yard if they’re ok with it.) It’s a super simple, and super sweet, way to show her you think she’s pretty special. Just yesterday my daughter came home from a weekend at grandma’s house and she was beaming as she walked up the sidewalk hiding a small bunch of gorgeous yellow stems she had picked for me from my mom’s backyard — she was so excited to give me my “surprise,” and I absolutely loved it!
And, if you have access to a printer you can jazz up your flower arrangement by printing these (free) pretty flower wrappers from Liz on Call.
Not Having to Make Meals (for Anyone) All Day // I asked my girlfriends what they really wanted for Mother’s Day and I thought this response was so awesome! Not having to make meals for an entire day seems simple enough right? Just being given a free pass from having to be asked any variation of “what’s for dinner? when is dinner?” or worse, “I’m hungry! I want a snack!” is probably gift enough. So to all the co-parents out there perhaps you can figure out the meal plan for one day and give this mom a reprieve?
Less Dishes for Mom (Free Printable) // I absolutely love this idea from Simply Kierste! Give mom the night off from having to do the dishes (bonus if you give her the night off from cooking too) by putting together this inexpensive little kit of dinnerware. Check out the clearance aisle or even the dollar store for plates, cups, silverware and napkins. You could probably purchase it all for about $5 – then add the little note from Simply Kierste. So cute and easy!
Flowerpot Handprint (Free Printable) // I love it when my girls bring artwork home that’s full of their handprints (or footprints.) I know one day I will look back on the crayon-traced handprints and miss those little fingers and how they fit, so small, into mine *tear.* Crafty Morning shared this free Mother’s Day Flower Pot Poem, all you need to do is add the handprint with paint or simply grab a crayon and trace the outline of your little ones hand.
SPLURGE
But if you’re looking for something a little more…
Handwritten Engraved Tablet Stand // I bought this stand for my mom for Christmas last year from Memories for Life on Etsy (it’s probably a gift that I really wanted for myself, lol.) I took one of my grandmother’s recipes that she had written probably long before I was even born, and Edi engraved it onto this wood/bamboo stand. I chose the tablet stand because my mom uses her iPad frequently, and it doubles to hold the tablet like a cookbook that she can use in the kitchen (though Memories for Life does sell cookbook stands and cutting boards too!) It’s a great way to display what has become a family heirloom for us! $40 plus shipping costs for the tablet stand.
Camera Strap // This is for the mom that loves to take photos, which is pretty much every mom I know. But really, there’s a growing number of moms with DSLRs out there and this camera strap is super cute and holds up well — my SIL (she’s real photographer in the family) has a B/W stripe version by Capturing Couture and assured me of it’s durability! You can get a variety of colors and styles on Amazon for about $39, I really like this pretty Mix|Match Sammie Allie Scarf option with the mix of floral and stripes and this Grey Stripe version with hidden pocket!
Alex and Ani bracelet // Last year I jumped on the bandwagon and received my first Alex and Ani bracelet set for Mother’s Day. I really do love them and have started collecting them…slowly. This year I’m asking for another bracelet from their Symbols + Tokens collection, but they still have the Mom and Daughter Infinite Collection — it’s $48 for the set of two bracelets (one Mother and one Daughter) and each additional Daughter’s Love Charm Bangle is $28. They also have individual mom charm bracelets for $32.
Magnolia Table Cookbook // This one is for the Fixer Upper mom! A collection of recipes from the one and only Joanna Gaines, and at only $18, need I say more?! I don’t have this book (yet) but all the reviews on Amazon are amazing — only a few negative reviews about bindings and printing flaws but that can happen to anyone!
Jenna Kator Crossbody Wristlet // I fell in love with Jenna Kator purses back in 2012 with my first bag, the Petoskey bag (love it, still have it but they don’t carry it anymore.) She just came out with her 2018 Spring line and I’ve been eyeing the Little Sable Vegan Crossbody Wristlet. This purse will be perfect for concerts and ballgames this summer (since most venues have restrictions on purse sizes.) Her purses range in price from $35-120 depending on style (wallet vs. handbag,) I’ve been sporting the Cranbrook ($95) for a couple of years now…ahem, which is why it’s time for another JKC bag *wink.**
BONUS, Jenna Kator is a local small business owner (and former ad-girl Spartan like myself) and all of her bags are named after places in Michigan! Who isn’t about supporting local shops?!!
Handmade Porcelain Vases from Annie Clay Things // Speaking of supporting local shops, for any of you Chicagonians (is that what they’re called?) out there, my other SIL handcrafts these beautiful porcelain vases. These pieces are part of a 100 vase project and each piece is uniquely different in size and shape. They’re the perfect size for a bud vase (for lovely Mother’s Day bloom) or to display pretty little succulents. You can DM her for ordering and price details here.
Fossil phone wallet // I received this wallet (in the berry color) for one of my first Mother’s Days and I absolutely love it! When Grace was a baby I struggled with carrying a diaper bag AND a purse, this wallet was the perfect solution. It carried everything I normally had in my wallet, plus it held my phone. I could just drop it in the diaper bag and go — and when I was done I could just throw it back in my purse. Super versatile. I still use it today even though my phone no longer fits (I now have an iPhone X so it’s probably time to upgrade the wallet *wink.*) They range in price from $75-85 depending on the size — but some colors are on sale for $52-$59. I’m really digging the Steel Blue and Mineral Grey colors!!
Stackable Name Rings // One of my girlfriends is asking for gold stackable name rings for Mother’s Day this year, so I went to Etsy looking for some inspiration. I found CaitlynMinimalist — this shop has excellent ratings (5-stars and over 26,000 reviews!) and seems to be most budget-friendly at $28 for a single ring. There are so many options in her shop it’s hard to pick a favorite! The only downside, TODAY is the ordering deadline to get your order in time for Mother’s Day, eek!! (Side note, you can also print a photo of the item and stick it in a card with a note to mom that her gift is en route right?!)
Massage or Mani/Pedi // What mom doesn’t want to be pampered, even just a little? Over the past few Mother’s Day I’ve received gift certificates for a 60-minute massage and even a gift card to my local nail salon that I used towards a pedicure. Check your local shops for options and pricing, your mom will thank you!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Just remember, at the end of the day it’s not about spending money, it’s about spending quality time with your mom and showing her that she’s needed, loved and appreciated. Take the time to make her feel special! Happy Mother’s Day to all my fellow moms out there – I hope you know just how special you are!
Cheers ♥