HAPPY MOTHER ('S DAY)
With most of our kids having turned into rascals by now, it is time to celebrate their astonishing mothers. We do this in style (even if it means celebrating ourselves), and we compel the kids to do their glamorous part. With materials dug out from the cupboard, we create spectacular gifts that will charm our home for a life-time.
It is only as we mature in life that we appreciate the hard work our own mothers put in to raise us. After having had our own kids, we understand the unconditional love that develops between a mother and a child, playing the most imaginative games and dancing with them to the wildest music. However, we also develop a deep respect for the mothers who handle tantrums in the grocery store and we suddenly realise we have five arms on either side that we never knew were there. We are alert all day not only to safeguard our children, but also to fortify the contents of our house from our children.
“After having had our own kids, we understand the unconditional love that develops between a mother and a child, playing the most imaginative games and dancing with them to the wildest music.”
This Mother’s Day I spoil myself with beautiful gifts from our kids, and capture the age they are currently at. Scribble is turned into stylish home décor, and paint blotches into priceless utensils. Envelopes and toddler colouring are transformed into noble personalized cards.
With mothers being the heart of the home, they are certainly worthy to be patted on the back at least once a year. And I don’t mean half-heartedly.
Creative Secrets
Keep the colour scheme simple, because you want the items to be true décor items to be incorporated into your home, and not only cute gifts to tolerate for sentiment’s sake. It pays off.
One again, I used Chalk paint. Although it is not really suitable for fabric painting, it does not wash out of clothing easily once it has dried - use this to your advantage. The colours I chose are black and off-white (sheepskin), two shades of grey and a soft pink.
Top-stitching creates a neat finish. I always do it.
Soft Pots
I made a soft pot for myself from both my little boys respectively, and had them make a shared pot for each of their two grandmothers.
The artwork that my young boys produced gave me a glimpse into their wild imagination. From imposing dragon boats and diggers to fishing in the rain with mum, to a chaotic mess of lines, in which I certainly found ninjas and big whales.
You will need:
1. Fabric:
- For the main part of the pot, and for the kids to paint and draw on I used a light-coloured curtain fabric of 12cm x 50cm.
- For the bottom part, I used firmer upholstery fabric of 5cm x 50cm in a copper tone.
- For the top part, which folds over to be the lining of the inside, I used charcoal fabric of 22cm x 50cm.
- For the base of the pot, I used black felt of 12,5cm x 12,5cm.
2. Masking tape
3. Chalk Paint in the colours of your choice
4. Paint brush
5. Permanent Marker in the colour of your choice (I used black)
6. Sewing machine
a. Stick the 12cm x 50cm material onto a firm surface with masking tape. I marked off the middle of the material for the grandmothers’ pots with masking tape to designate separate sides for each child.
b. Provide the paint and paint brushes to the kids and watch them create scenes of their imagination. Even if they apply the paint quite thick in places, it creates texture and will dry eventually. I don’t get involved in their artwork – it is a true reflection of them. I just try and ensure they don’t paint the whole house 😊.
c. Once the paint has dried completely, let the kids draw a picture over it with the permanent marker. I was stunned by their imagination.
d. Sew the strips of material together (right on right); the 5cm strip to the bottom and the 22cm strip to the top. Top-stitch.
e. Fold the 22cm strip over, to leave a 3cm border on top, and sew to the 5cm strip at the bottom (left on left). You now have roughly a 16cm x 50cm strip.
f. Fold the strip in half (painting on painting) and sew the ends together to form a round.
g. Mark the opposite ends with a needle, and then fold the opposite (marked) ends against each other to mark the four corners of the base.
h. Sew in the felt base, starting with two opposing sides, and then the other opposing sides.
i. Turn it inside out, and voila. Breath-taking.
Wooden Spoons
These are a really quick project and suitable for dads to make with any age of kids for mum and grannys.
You will need:
1. Wooden spoon
2. Paint in the colours of your choice (I used Chalk paint)
3. Masking tape
4. Paintbrush
a. Stick a ring of masking tape around the top and middle of the spoon.
b. Paint the marked off area with a base colour (I used different shades of grey).
c. When it has dried, provide the paint and paintbrushes and watch the kids blotch, paint and mess. Beauty.
d. Remove the masking tape once the paint has dried completely.
e. Paint a border around the edge with a steady hand.
Personalized Card
This card is graceful and very personal, and the chaotic colouring is contained with just a little help. We made a card for myself and both the boys’ grandmothers. For my husband’s mother, I convinced my husband to also colour a few letters. All the cards turned out unique and stylish.
You will need:
1. Envelope or any paper that is a little thicker
2. Blank card or plank paper
3. Large printed letters for colouring. Size the white letters to fit onto A5 with a grey background. Print another copy for cutting out the letters on the envelope or paper.
4. Coloured felt pens
5. NT cutter
6. Ruler
7. Glue
a. Have the kids colour in the blank letters. Let them go wild. We even practiced writing numbers – but no one would have ever known 😊.
b. Stick the second copy of printed letters onto the paper or envelope you wish to cut out with masking tape.
c. Use the ruler as a guide and cut on the lines with the NT cutter.
d. Stick the coloured letters into the negative space you have created from the back.
e. Stick this onto a card.
f. Trim off the edges with the NT cutter.
