Welcome to Field Trip Friday with Jennifer from Smart Fun DIY. I met Jennifer back in January at a Blogging Conference. It ends up that we both used to live in the same town in California, and she went to school with my older kids. Crazy, huh? I have seen the many crafts Jennifer has made, and she is one talented crafter, FOR SURE! She is here today to show you a few Mothers Day Garden Gift Ideas.
Thank YOU for being here today, Jennifer. I am honored to have you visit my blog.
So, take it away…
Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend. My mom loves gardening and wind-chimes so I tend to get her those for Mother’s Day gifts. At one point she told me she didn’t need any more store bought gardening supplies and wind-chimes. I was crushed! But then I realized what she was really trying to say. Anyone can go out and just buy some gardening gloves and a fancy trowel and throw it in a gift bag. Since I was always making things, my mom wanted something that was a little more special and made by me. Here are two projects that you can make to give to your garden-loving mom to make her feel extra special this Mother’s Day. And yes, you still totally have time to make these for this Sunday!
Farmhouse Style Garden Tote
This personalized tote comes together in one afternoon. The tote is readily available online from Walnut Hollow or at your local crafts store in the wood crafts section. Minwax makes some great stain wipes that you can easily use to wipe stain onto the wood without a brush or a lot of cleanup. After the stain has dried, use a digital cutter to create a vinyl stencil with a special number, symbol, or letter that has meaning for your mom. I chose the number 4 because that is the number of people in our family. Lay the stencil on the side of the box and use chalky finish paint to stencil the image onto the wood. Remove the stencil. Sand the wood to distress it if you like and then spray the tote with a spray sealer to seal. You can plant flowers in the tote (I suggest using a plastic liner) or use it to carry gardening tools. Add a pretty butterfly plant stake to the flowers to make them pop.
Upcycled Garden Markers from Paint Stirrers
My mom is all about heirloom seeds so most store-bought garden marker sets just don’t have the right combination of labels for her needs. I recently had some leftover paint stirrers from staining my backyard fence and I loved the color the stain had created on them. They’d make pretty, practical, and free garden markers for sure! Collect paint stirrers from your stash or get them from a local hardware store. You can also buy them in bulk online if you are not comfortable asking for the free stirrers from your local paint counter. Stain or paint the stirrers if you’d like. Measure the stirrers and create vinyl stencils to fit the stirrers using an electronic cutter. I created custom labels such as “Roma Tomatoes” and “Kale” for my mom. Apply the stencil to the stirrers and paint with craft paint. Remove the stencils and use a spray sealer to seal both the front and the back of each paint stirrer. Since these are wood and they will be outside in the elements, it is important to seal them well so they will last for several years. Mom will love that you took the time to make custom plant markers for her. She doesn’t need to know that they were free … * wink wink *.
Aren’t those fun? You can add the garden markers to the tote and compliment them with seeds, a new pair of gardening gloves, and a scented fancy hand cream. Jennifer also sewed a felt insert for the tote to help keep it clean as it is used for gardening tools and supplies. These handmade gifts are personalized for mom and will make her feel extra special on this coming Mother’s Day. Moms always loved handmade gifts from the heart!
Pop on over to Jennifer’s site at Just JP to see what she’s been working on as well as the garden she has planted these garden markers in.
Thank you more than words can say, Jennifer! It was a pleasure to have you here. I just LOVE your Mothers Day Garden Gift Ideas.
Isn’t she talented? I KNEW you would enjoy this post for anytime of year. Be sure to visit Smart Fun DIY as soon as you can for MORE ideas and creativity.
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Thanks for having me Meegan!!!!
Such a cute project Jennifer!