Speedy Craft Gifts for Mother’s Day

Mums deserve to be spoiled rotten on more days than just the one but Mother’s Day is a brilliant excuse for some serious pampering! I’ve come up with some homemade gift ideas to show you’ve put in a (little) bit more time and effort for your much loved mum.

Here are some of my favourite speedy gift ideas.

Tile Coasters

I love this idea and you don’t need to be restricted to using vintage comics of course; you could use maps showing special places, photos, pages from books, just about anything made of paper really.

Method:

1. Measure your tiles to calculate what size you need to cut the paper. My tiles were 10cm², so I cut my paper 9cm² to allow for a border.
2. Cut your paper and ensure the corners are nicely rounded.
3. Apply a thin layer of All-In-One to the top of the coaster, press the paper down and leave to dry as per instructions.
4. When dry, apply another layer of All-In-One on top. If you like, you can even apply a third layer once the second coat is dry. It will give you an even stronger surface.
5. Cut the felt to the same size as the paper, and apply to the bottom of each coaster using glue.

Up-cycled Jars

This is an easy way to add something totally unique to any mum’s kitchen. They’re quick to make and because you’re using recycled jars you can feel good about it too.

Method:

1. Find a selection of old jars that still have their lids.
2. Remove stickers and give the jars and lids a good clean.
3. Paint the lids whatever colours you like (I used a few layers of poster paint!).
4. Punch a hole in the middle of each lid with a skewer.
5. The knob will have a nut on the bottom to hold it in place- unscrew this, place the knob through the hole and screw the nut back onto the knob underneath the lid.

Button Magnets

These pretty little magnets are unique gifts and really easy to make, especially if you have lots of buttons around.

Method:

1. We’ll begin with the straight-forward buttons first. Take a button, pop a blob of glue on the back and stick to a magnet. Leave to dry as per glue instructions.
2. Now for the cover buttons: First to make a template. Take a cover button and make a circular paper template that’s 1cm larger all the way round the circumference.
3. Cut out the paper template, then pin to a fabric scrap - on a spot that you’d like to feature on the button. Cut out, around the template.
4. Take your needle and thread, knot the end and sew a line of small running stitches around the circumference of the fabric, about 5mm in from the edge.
5. Place the dish-shaped cover-button part in the centre of your fabric circle (on the wrong side), then pull your stitches to gather around the cover button. Pull them nice and tight, and secure with a knot.
6. Take the flat cover-button part and push down firmly over the back of the gathered fabric. (I sometimes use the end of a pencil for this).
7. Pop a blob of glue on the back of the covered button, and stick on a magnet. Leave to dry as per glue instructions.

Pin Cushion Pots

A really cute gift for Mums who love to sew and useful too; a pin cushion that doubles up as a little pot to store sewing knick-knacks!

Method:

1. Measure the diameter of your jar lid. Now multiply the measurement by two - this new figure will be the diameter for your fabric.
2. Now cut a circle out of your fabric, using your new measurement as the diameter.
3. With a needle and thread (making sure you've tied a large knot in the end), sew a line of running stitch around the outside of the fabric circle (about 1cm in from the edge).
4. Pull on the end of the thread, so it starts to gather up, like a bag.
5. Pop some stuffing into the fabric ‘bag’, then place the circular metal disk from the lid of your jar inside the 'bag', on top of the fabric.
6. Pull the thread tight so that it holds in the stuffing and lid, and secure with a knot.
7. Cut a rough circle out of felt and glue to the bottom of the bag to tidy it up.
8. Push your 'cushion' into the ring of the jar lid; you may need to prod it a little and manipulate the stuffing.