MOTHER'S DAY 2018
"Knock, knock!"
"Who's there?"
"My Mother."
"My Mother, WHO?"
"It looks like My Mother isn't getting anything for Mother's Day tomorrow."
SMH.
Whether it's a hectic work schedule, wrapping up your final semester, stringent funds or a lack of common sense -- Mother's Day is less than 24 hours away! You find yourself with nothing wrapped, nothing shipped and nothing planned. Granted, appreciating the 'MOTHER' in your life should be a mindset you possess throughout the entire year. But if you are looking for prompt and practical gestures to show your Mom that she is ultimately valued, keep reading...
We don't have much time, so let's get started:
1. A CRAFTY PURSUIT
Is your Mom or Grandmother a caffeine fiene? Does she share her quiet time with a cup of tea? If so, bestow the gift that keeps on giving by flexing your arts-n-craft skills and baking her a mug.
That's right -- BAKING!
Creating custom tableware is actually an easy and affordable gift that only takes a few hours to design.
***What you need:
- plain white mug (Dollar Tree has a great selection, and yes, for $1/each)
- oil based Sharpie markers (black or colored, designer's choice)
- rubbing alcohol
- adhesive stencils & stickers (designer's choice)
- pack of cotton balls
- nail polish remover & cotton swabs/Q-tips for smudges and fixing mistakes
- an oven (baking the cup will set your design into the ceramic)
Make sure you have OIL BASED markers. Regular Sharpie markers are water based and will wash off no matter how long you bake your mug. Oil based Sharpie markers have a red or pink band at the bottom of the marker.
Clean your mug with the rubbing alcohol and cotton balls. After cleaning, only hold the cup by the handle so dirt and grease don't go onto the surface your plan on decorating.
Use your black/colored oil based markers, stencils and stickers to create a custom, personal design on your cup.
Allow your mug to dry for a few hours. Accelerate drying time by setting the cup/s in front of an air conditioner, fan or outside in a cool, stable setting.
After it's dried, place the cup/s inside of a cool oven on a cookie sheet or a sheet of aluminum foil. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Allowing the mug to bake during the pre-heating process reduces the chance of cracking due to sudden changes in temperature. Speaking of temperature: other blogs suggest baking DIY ceramic projects at a lower temperature. However baking your cup on a higher setting not only allows the original white glaze to melt but sets your marker paint deeper into the ceramic, allowing it to set in.
Bake for 30 minutes.
You'll begin to smell the paint while your mug is cooking. The smell isn't pungent, but be sure to crack a window or allow proper ventilation if you're unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the aroma.
After 30 minutes, turn the oven off but keep the cup/s in the oven. This allows the mug/s to cool down and further prevent the cup from cracking due to rapid changes in temperature.
Once the oven has cooled, take your masterpiece out and YOU'RE DONE!
Dress your Mom or Grandmother's gift in a cute gift bag, a box with wrapping paper and accompany your gift with a heartfelt card or letter than explains just how much your MOM means to you.
Can't decide on how to decorate your Mom's MOTHER'S DAY Mug?
Here are a few images to get your creative gears going:
The best part of this project is that this gift can be made with a trip to Dollar Tree, a trip to Staples and costs under $15!
2. POP-UP SPA
Is Mommy more a home-body and prefers to enjoy her day in the comfort of her home? Bring the luxury of a relaxing spa TO HER! Whether you set her spa trip to the Master bathroom or set up shop in the Living Room, there are PRACTICAL ways to create a calming oasis for her to take a seat and just unwind.
They say pictures say a thousand words, so feast your eyes below and see what it says you can do with the time you have:
3. KEEP IT COMIN'
As previously mentioned, appreciating the MOM in your life should be an attitude you express and a mindset you posses throughout the year. Too many times a Woman is exalted on this Sunday in May of every year, and by the next day, she goes back into her everyday routine of cooking, cleaning, working, studying, budgeting, planning, breastfeeding, sowing, baking, shopping, writing, knitting, polishing, mowing, driving, singing, dancing, packing, dressing and the 948760349827095687 other responsibilities she has. Why not make your gratitude for having her in your life everyday a LITERAL gesture? How, you ask? Keep reading...
Purchase a decorative calendar that suits your Mom or Grandmom's style.
If she works in an office, buy a cute desk calendar from Target. If she's a stay-at-home superhero, get her a wall calendar from Home Goods. Be sure to keep her lifestyle and everyday tasks in the forefront when selecting her calendar.
Once you've found the perfect year-at-glance, start at the month of May, on 5/13/18 and write a reason why you love her.
Then write another reason on the following week, 5/20/18.
Then another on 5/27.
Then trickle that admiration into June.
Write one amazing thing she does on one of the days of the first week of June.
Write one funny thing she does on a day of the following week.
Write one adoring trait of hers on a day of the following week.
Write one insider-joke on a day of the following week.
Wait, it's already July???
Write one reason/joke/trait/responsibility/memory/whatever else for one day of every week for the rest of the year. Once complete, wrap up your gift in a cute wrapping paper and accompany it with a letter that explains how you cherish beyond 'Mother's Day'. Tell her that this gift proves your admire her efforts and contribution EVERY WEEK, EVERY DAY. Best thing is you can get this done TODAY (that is, if you really wanted to).
We hope this week's blog put some perspective on pragmatic ways you can show your Mother, Grandmother, Step Mom, Adopted Mother or Mother-figure just how much she means to you. So if you've done the 'breakfast in bed', store bought jewelry, in-prompt dinner and gift cards and ready for a creative change, Celebrate With FLEUR and these innovative ideas to make your Mama feel loved.
CHEERS!