More DIY Gift Ideas for Mom

May 9, 2012

More DIY Gift Ideas for Mom

Yesterday I shared a few ideas for how to customize some of the projects from my DIY archives to make a gift for your Mom. Today I'm sharing a few crafty ideas new to you and me.

How about a cute pearl bracelet? Click here for the simple tutorial.

Photo & project from Heodeza

If you're running short on time, this simple embroidery floss wrapped wreath looks easy to make but is stunning in its simplicity. Try it with Mom's favorite colours.

Photo & project from Duo Fiberworks

Spring has sprung(ish) in my neck of the woods and these juicy felt coasters would be a gift as cheery as the season.

Photo & project from The Purl Bee

I love this tutorial for making a tiered cake stand because, with plastic plates, this is perfect for Mom's patio parties!

Photo & project from Backless Shirt

Rummage through family photos to select a few choice ones to turn into mini polaroid magnets. So sweet!

Photo & project from Ambrosia Creative

If making something from scratch seems a little daunting, try a simple makeover. For example, see how this plain ring got a little spruce. . .

Photo & project from Papernstitch

. . . or how this wood vase became more glam.

Photo & project from Joe & Cheryl

Terracotta planters and some paint are all you need to make Mom some fun vessels for herbs or colourful flowers.

Photo & project from Dellie

Baked goods are always appreciated. Spruce up a tin for presentations points, or make a mix so Mom can whip up something tasty later (and not have to share).

Photo and recipe from Our Best Bites

So, are you all prepped and ready with something for Mom?

Mom-approved DIY Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Handy Hubby's Mom and her husband are arriving today for a visit (they leave Saturday) and we couldn't be more excited. I'm also a little tuckered out from trying to cram a week's worth of work into a weekend, so we could have more time to spend with them. I failed, but at least we remembered to pick up a Mother's Day gift (pssst, some chocolate from the best chocolate shop in Ottawa).

My own Mom is not a fan of Mother's Day. She's not one to go with the crowd. But she loves handmade goods and is especially fond of a few of my DIY projects. If I was a better daughter, I'd have made her something and forced her to revel in the joy that is Mother's Day.

Today I'm featuring my Mom's favorite projects from my DIY archives, with ideas for how to personalize them for your Mom. Check back tomorrow for a list of fun DIY gift ideas for Mom I haven't yet tried.

Framed Bakelite Brooches:

I love this project because it is so customizable. You could make one large display for all of Mom's brooches, or use a few special pieces (maybe family heirlooms?) so she can enjoy them everyday, as "art". And remember: this project doesn't damage the brooch and it is still easily removable.

Handmade Art:

Awww, Mom's with grown kids (unless they have grandkids) have no more school art projects to pin to the fridge. Why not tackle a blank canvas and create Mom some one of a kind artwork? I promise she will love it - my Mom is always stealing paintings I've made (see her living room for one of them). Or, for something even more sentimental, invite Mom over, hand her a smock and paint something together! Check out my DIY Projects Page for some inspiration.

Simple Beaded Jewellery:

Beautiful jewellery can be so simple to make. Check out this tutorial for simple drop earrings, this post about stringing beads to make a bracelet, or this chain and pearl necklace post for some ideas. After my sister-in-law's first baby was born, I made her a pair of earrings from her and her little girl's birthstones. Try a pair with your birthstone paired with your Mom's.

Customized Table Linens:

I think Moms, like most people, have too much stuff. My Mom complains of that all the time. If your Mom had begged for no more clutter, try making something usable and consumable. Decorative items (unless they meet their maker in an unexpected dusting accident) last forever and take up space, doing nothing! But table linens can be used daily and eventually wear out (so we always seem to be able to use more). Try making a table cloth for your Mom's specific table measurements, or a set of napkins - or both!

Frame Something Special:

Maybe a photo of you coupled with some memorabilia, or a collection of vintage spoons needs a better way to be displayed. You can find really nice shadow boxes at craft and framing stores and, with a little personalization, you can finally display what is most special to your Mom. Take a peek at my framed skeleton keys for inspiration. This DIY is easy-peasy!

Pretty Card Display:

One thing Mom might have a lot of: greeting cards! Make her a special place to collect them, like my DIY card display made from a vintage frame. She will thank you every holiday!

"Renovation Gift Card":

Maybe your Mom has complained her tiling is dated or her walls need painting. Why not give her a "gift card" for a weekend of your time, or a specific job (one you're good at, now is not the time to experiment)? I actually enjoy spending a weekend helping my Mom organize and de-clutter, because I feel like I've really given her a gift (although she's a fan of chocolate too).

Tell me: what do you have planned for Mother's Day? Does your Mom like homemade gifts? Nothing at all?

Treasure Hunting Report: Vintage Treasures

I have been hoarding my thrifty finds and not sharing any pictures (or what I've learned) with my lovely readers. So selfish! Well, here's a peek at a few thrifted treasures, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.

1. I bought this Royal Norfolk Pottery piece (from the 1950s), for the tidy sum of $2.99 at Value Village. I saw a similar one on Etsy for $15.00 or $20.00 but I'm less concerned about the value and more excited about how perfect the colours are for Mom's place.

2. I also brought home this small, silver lustre Susie Cooper for Wedgwood tray, also from Value Village, for $8.99. A bit steep for a thrift store find, yes, but Mom loves Susie Cooper and look what a trinket box with the same design is valued at. A bell with the same pattern is priced at $90! But I'm not selling it. Mom already snagged it and uses it in her sewing room for straight pins. How fancy.

3. You already caught a glimpse of my thrifty necklace, purchased at the Almonte Antique Market. For $5.00, this turquoise necklace sure does make any outfit that little bit more happy. You know I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to materials, but I actually like that this necklace is plastic. It is so light and comfortable to wear.

4. I found this pretty, mid-century modern enamel dish at a yard sale for $1. It looks like it is signed "Victoria," so I am guessing this might have been a school art project in the 1960s. . . ? For a little light reading on enamel, check out this article.

I already have an idea in mind: I think I might incorporate this into a DIY gift for my friend's upcoming birthday.

5. At a church rummage sale I found this mid-century modern cast iron taper holder. My treasure hunting partner in crime thought I was nutty for buying this, until I sent her this link for a similar (maybe identical?) candle holder. I think knowing what it actually is helped her appreciate this purchase. Now I just need some skinny tapers Or an Etsy shop!

Even though I try really hard to edit what comes into the townhouse, I am starting to amass quite a few vintage and one of a kind treasures, so I've toyed with the idea of opening an Etsy shop to sell fun, retro finds and maybe even some handmade goods and artwork. My Mom & I even came up with the perfect shop name and set about creating a shop until I found out the name was taken (but not being used). That totally knocked the wind out of my sails and I temporarily abandoned the idea. But now I'm thinking about it again . . . wait until you see the rest of my thrifted purchases! Too much for one thrifty gal, even if my Mom does ferret away some of it.

Nerdy Girl Guide: My Best of Boston

I'm finally sharing some details from our recent trip to Boston, MA. If you recall, I'm not going to have pointers on the most expensive watering hole, the most underground shoe store or the hippest spot to dine. Seriously, I use phrases like "watering hole". Nope, can't promise coolness but I can suggest fun things to do in Boston (and if you missed it, here is my post about Duluth, MN).

Sadly, I didn't find a restaurant or hotel I'd give a glowing recommendation for. Our hotel, the Boston Marriott Copley Place, was nice enough, but we really only stayed there because the conference I presented a paper at was actually in the hotel. The room we got was kind of cute:

But let's talk sights and sounds! After two visits to this fantastic city, I've got some favorites so I made a shortlist (leaving out things we liked but weren't enamoured with, like the Ghost Tour we took, the too-small Marimekko concept store in Cambridge, etc):

Institute of Contemporary Art
I am obsessive about visiting art galleries and museums and this gallery is one of our favorites! Situated on the waterfront in a super modern building, this gallery has the most inspiring and innovative exhibits, the sweetest gift shop and - yay! - ample parking. Plus, Thursday nights are free!

This time visiting the ICA, I was really taken by Sue Williams' intensely colourful abstracts:

2 Greens With Sable, 2002 (image via)

The painting on this DVD cover is: Colour Pile, 2002 (image source)

New England Aquarium
Honestly, not the best aquarium we've been to (we check every city we visit to see if there's a good one) but still pretty fun. There is a tank where you can touch a Ray (it doesn't feel like what you think it would feel like) and be sure to check out the 3D Imax; the shark film we saw was mesmerizing. I honestly feel conflicted about aquariums because I wouldn't enjoy being locked up, but this aquarium houses a lot of rescue animals and does extensive conservation and research. Plus, look at the friends we made:

The Gibson House
The strangest museum we've ever been to, this museum is a time capsule of a 19th century townhouse. The last Gibson to live in this house decided early on that the house should become a museum and didn't update anything. He lived with 19th century furnishings and technology until the 1950s, when he passed. The home is remarkable and, as you take the tour, think about how someone lived like that in the 50s! He also wore 19th century clothing in the 20th century and was a poet who wrote odes to his favorite people. An early hipster, perhaps?

If for nothing else, go for the amazing embossed wallpaper. So beautiful.

Boston Duck Tours
Oh my gosh, only the most fun ever. The Duck Tours use restored WWII-era amphibious crafts (DUKWs), decked out in crazy colours with equally nutty guides. We learned so much about the city and geeky Hubby was thrilled with the vehicle. If it sounds really nerdy and touristy, that's because it is, but I promise it is the most unique way to explore Boston.

Here was our DUCK:

Boston Neighbourhoods:
Boston has some of the most beautiful architecture. I can't even pick a favorite neighbourhood. To start, see how the other half live by walking about prestigious Beacon Hill or Back Bay. Here are some photos I took in the Back Bay area. Swoon. I also like this activity because it is free (unless you pop into one of the posh stores, restaurants or coffee shops you'll find).

Shreeve Crump & Low:
Most everything in this jewellery store was out of my price range (but I did buy a gorgeous charm for my charm bracelet). Why did we visit? I like "firsts" and this company is the oldest jeweller in North America. I am such a magpie, so just ogling the wares was fun, but I also like a bit of "everyday" history. Sure, sites dedicated to monumental events are important, but this store represents a tiny bit of ordinary history and that is interesting to me. Plus, they are home to the gurgling cod.

Photo Source

Boston Public Garden:
Boston has a surprising number of parks, and many have historical significance. We like the Boston Public Garden because it is just so pretty (whereas Boston Common is supposedly less flowery). Apparently critics say this park is garish. As someone who hates gardening, I need to get my fill of flowers somewhere and this park did the trick. Sadly, I didn't take many photos of the flowery goodness because I was too focused on this hilarious couple obsessed with feeding the squirrels:

I know, I'm weird. I like to people watch.

Places I wish we had time to see:

Museum of Fine Arts
SoWa Open Market, an art & indie design mark (only open Sundays and we left Saturday!)
Freedom Trail (we saw only some of the 16 historical sights)
Boston Public Library
USS Constitution Museum
Whale watching!

Any Bostonians or fellow tourists want to add to my suggestions or still-to-see list?

Hatching a Plan: Bar Cart to Steal

I'm not literally planning to steal a bar cart, but copying a person's brilliant idea is still theft. I should feel ashamed, but instead I'm pretty excited.

After all of your awesome feedback about what to add to our teeny tiny dining room, I am 97.5% sure we're going to go with a bar cart. I think the airiness of it won't make the space seem lopsided, although I don't plan to load it up with stuff. I like an uncluttered space, anyway. So I'm thinking only a few accessories, maybe decant our hooch into some vintage bottles. Ultimately, I need a surface to use during dinner, like a sideboard or buffet, but we just have zip room - for even the smallest buffets. Even the play kitchen, hanging out beside the table, is almost too big. Have I mentioned the space is small?

We decided to make a bar cart (of course), but when I started sketching designs I got a little overwhelmed. How do furniture designers do it? I just couldn't narrow down what I wanted and changed my plans daily. But then I spotted the perfect cart! Its high price tag ($800-$1200) almost gave me a mild heart attack, but we plan on getting our welding on to make our own version, for a fraction of the cost (barring any unforeseen thrifting successes). And, whew, pressure is off for designing the perfect piece!

This is the cart, the World's Away Hampton Bar Cart:

This is about $1100! Yikes!

I am thinking of painting it turquoise, which is actually a stock colour so I already get to see what it would look like:

I like that the squares echo the squares of our headboard (which I actually designed and didn't copy from anywhere - go me) and our desk (which I totally did copy).

Although, truthfully, I'm getting used to the play kitchen there (I'm delivering it in a few weeks).

Geometric Painting Knock-off

I took a stab at making a geometric painting (inspiration below). I painted a canvas a shade of grey I mixed, using acrylic paint. It is a bit darker than the inspiration, because I didn't want it to blend in with the basement walls (where I think it's destined to hang). Then I drew the pattern I wanted with a pencil and ruler.

Using a short, hard bristled brush I traced my lines in white paint (I needed to go over them twice for an opaque look). Then I filled in the triangles.

The result:

Meh.

This is the original Etsy inspiration (which must have sold because everyone's links are an Etsy dead-end. Anyone know the seller?) I didn't realize until writing this post how overboard I went on the coloured triangles.

Via Pinterest

Kristin F. Davis did a tutorial for Pantone. Even though she started with same piece as inspiration, hers and mine look totally different from each others' and the original.

Kristin F Davis Designs

Honestly, I think I like mine the least. Sad face. But copying the work of someone else is not as easy as one might think. Further, just making a decent abstract is tough. It can slide into cheesy, my-kid-could-paint-that territory super quickly.

But I gave it a whirl. Unless I have the urge to paint over it (I'm seriously tempted), it will be making an appearance in the decorated basement. Maybe a better method might have been to use some type of white marker (do those exist?) and make the white lines with a marker and ruler. I'm also not convinced about my composition, it looks wobbly and unbalanced.

P.S. I linked this project here: My Girlish Whims, Junk in their Trunk, Creations by Kara, Fabulously Flawed,
Addicted to Decorating, DIY Showoff Project Parade, Polly Want a Crafter? Craft Party

Felted Billy Button Success Story

I love when folks try a tutorial of mine and then tell me (like here and here). Especially when they tell me it worked!! Surely you know Emily, from Go Haus Go? She is one of my favorite bloggers and I wish we lived in the same city (even the same country would work) so we could be pals. Is that weirdly creepy of me? Oh, the adventures we'd have. Like making felted wool billy buttons together.

She used my tutorial and check out her version:

Her billy buttons turned out perfectly, right? And of course I'm loving her white walls + white bedding + colourful art.

As a refresher, here are my billy buttons:

So many of you have left comments or emailed me, telling me you've tried an art project or craft tutorial of mine and I am dying of curiosity! Even if you think it's a flop and refuse to let me blog about it, could I please see? Pretty please? Please please please?!? Remember, I don't have crafty friends outside of blogland. Doesn't that make you feel sad for me? Sad enough to show me your projects? I promise your project is awesome and I guarantee it will warrant nothing short of gushing compliments. Now show me . . . dans.le.townhouse@gmail.com

Dans le Lakehouse

May 9, 2012