Grammy on the Go
By Karen Shadrach
Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May every year, so this timeit will be celebrated on May 12, 2024. Mother’s Day is celebrated at different times in other countries, but all honor the special mothers and mother-figures in our lives.
I like to help the grandkids make something special for their mom, in addition to or instead of buying a card or flowers. The kids love crafts and are always eager to create something. Protect your work surface first with an old tablecloth or cheap plastic party table cover and then begin!
One of our first Mother’s Day projects was a flower planter. The flower centers had a picture of their face, surrounded by craft sticks that were painted in multiple colors for the flower petals. One stick was painted green for a stem and one cut in half for a leaf. The sticks were inserted in a piece of green Styrofoam and placed in a planter basket. You could also use a vase filled with colored rocks or glass beads.
Another idea is to have them make a “Why I love mom” pot of flowers. Using a foam green sheet, trace and cut out their handprint. Draw a flower pot on a purple foam sheet or cardstock and on the rim of the pot, write “Why I love Mom.” Cut out five different small flower shapes from colored/patterned cardstock and glue them onto each fingertip. Add a gem to the middle of each flower for more glitz. Glue the hand print to the pot and write within the pot their reply, such as “She takes me to the park” or “Hugs me!”
Use things around your kitchen to make flowers. Cupcake liners can be used to make cute daffodils. Make a flower base by cutting around and into the edges of a small white paper dessert plate to form petals. Then, cut out a stem and leaves using construction paper or card stock. Place your cupcake liner into the center of the paper plate with glue. A small photo can be inserted in the center, or just write “I Love You” with a marker.
The grandkids will love making coffee filter flowers! Beautiful, full flowers can be made with coffee filters of any size and pipe cleaners. Even the very young can make these, as they are super quick to assemble and easy to make. Use colored markers (washable) and let them scribble all over the filters. Placing each filter on top of a paper plate makes for easier cleanup. We would usually use three different colors per filter, but you can use as many as you like. Just don’t use contrasting colors, as the end result may be gray or brown. Next, spray with a spray bottle filled with water. You will only need about four good sprays and the colors will continue to blend together by capillary action as they sit. After drying on paper towels, the flowers can be assembled by placing two to three filters on top of each other and pinching in the middle, where you will attach together with a pipe cleaner. After a few twists to secure, the finished flower can be placed into a vase. Unique flower shapes can be made by folding the filters in half, then in half a second time. Cut along the top to make scallops, or pointed petals. This way, you can create a bouquet of the same flowers or a mixed arrangement.
Gather together some supplies and have fun creating something for your grandchildren’s mother that she will cherish for many years.
Photos by Karen Shadrach
