By Blythe Copeland
Great Neck, NY, USA | Mon May 04 15:00:00 GMT 2009
Read more in Planet Green's Green Mother's Day archive.
No matter how old you are, no mom can resist a handmade project—remember, this is the woman who kept a tracing of your toddler hands on the refrigerator until you went to college. Young kids (with help from Dad or older siblings) can turn plastic jugs and paper scraps into these recycled flower pots from Kaboose; other kid-friendly projects include DIY cards, paper flowers, and fingerprinted vases. If you're old enough to turn your efforts toward something more complicated, try making perfume from garden flowers, a ring from one of her old vinyl records, or a mosaic tiled table, frame, or mirror.
Image courtesy of Kaboose.
If you're not the DIY type, you can still give mom a gift that's sentimental and heartfelt; plenty of sellers on Etsy will work with you to make bags, art, and jewelry to your specifications. Moms will be especially emotional when they open this custom silhouette from seller BlueClara. Send in profiles of you and your siblings and they'll be recreated with exacting detail on classic white backgrounds.
Image courtesy of Jamie Wolfe.
If your mom's style is more contemporary, frame an artsy black and white shot in these colorful wooden frames made of lumber reclaimed from boats, houses, and schools in Thailand. The handmade pieces are one-of-a-kind, perfect for showing off memories of your favorite moments together.
Image courtesy of Uncommon Goods.
Fruit baskets are so overdone. This year, treat mom to one of these summer fruit parchment bowls from artist Margaret Dorfman, who uses paper-thin slices of cantaloupe and orange to form sculptural, abstract bowls. They're not sturdy enough to hold food, but with votive candles they're ideal as centerpieces for al fresco dinner parties on warm summer nights.
Image courtesy of Viva Terra.
It's hard to go wrong with jewelry on Mother's Day, but at least you can steer clear of the mass-produced cheap stuff (and the long lines of last-minute shoppers). Look for pieces upcycled from glass and pottery, like the After Dinner necklace, made of vintage china by artist Jessica Lee. The leafy pattern and natural shapes are just right for Earth-minded mamas.
Image courtesy of Uncommon Goods.
Remember how many tea parties your mom sat patiently through, pouring drinks for Teddy the bear and your favorite Barbies? Thank her with this handmade Tunisian teapot. The blue and orange design is handpainted, and each purchase provides 14 bowls of food to animals living in shelters. Add some organic tea bags and freshly baked scones for a tea party mom will love.
Image courtesy of www.theanimalrescuesite.com.
Plenty of moms say they don't need anything for Mother's Day—and the fact is, most of them are telling the truth. Finding a way to spend time together on or around the holiday will mean more to her than anything else: cook an organic dinner for the two of you; take a walk through a local park; or get tickets to that art exhibit she's been wanting to see. It's a perfectly-timed reminder that not all great memories come from consumerism.
Image courtesy of Jorn Tomter/Getty.
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