Four Homemade Mother's Day Cards to Make

Image by scrapbit via Flickrby Rachel Paxton

There is nothing as special or personal as a homemade Mother's Day card. Surprise your friends and family with your handmade creations. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Materials:

Four blank greeting cards (available at craft stores),

scrapbooking paper with floral pattern, coordinating solid piece

of scrapbooking paper, creme or white colored cardstock

(whichever matches other papers best), paper cutter, scissors,

glue stick, computer, printer, sewing machine.


Card #1:

For this card you will need a floral piece of scrapbooking paper, a coordinating piece of solid colored scrapbooking paper, and a piece of white or creme colored cardstock. Cut a piece of the solid colored paper to fit the front of the greeting card and glue it in place. Cut an approximately 2-inch strip of the floral paper and glue on lefthand side of card as a border. Use your sewing machine to stitch* along the righthand side of the floral border and around the outside edge of the card. Cut a large square out of creme colored or white card stock and glue to
the center of the card. Type "Happy Mother's Day" on your computer and print out on white or creme colored cardstock. Cut out the phrase (narrow strip) and glue to the bottom of the
square in the center of the card. Choose a flower from the floral paper and trim to fit in the center of the square on the front of the card. Glue in place.

* Stitching tips: If you have never used your sewing machine to make cards, it is easy! Just sew on the paper like you would on fabric. You might want to reserve a needle just for paper so you
don't dull the needle for your fabric projects. There are two ways you can include stitching in your card making projects. You can either stitch directly on the card, or you can stitch on a
separate piece of paper and then glue that piece to the card (then the stitching won't show through the card).


Card #2:

This Mother's Day card is quick and easy. Cut a piece of the solid colored scrapbooking paper to fit three-quarters of the front of the card. Carefully tear along the righthand edge of the paper and glue the paper in place. Next cut a piece of floral paper to fit half of the front of the card. Carefully tear along the righthand edge of the paper and glue on top of the solid colored piece of paper. Type "Happy Mother's Day" on your computer and print it on white or cream colored paper. Mat the cut-out phrase first on a piece of the solid colored paper, then glue to front of card. Stitch around the outside of the card if you wish, but it isn't necessary.


Card #3:

This card will open horizontally. Cut three approximately 3-inch strips of paper to fit width of card: two floral and one solid colored. Tear bottom edges of each piece. Beginning at top of card overlap the three pieces with floral paper first and glue in place. Cut a large square from the cream or white colored paper and glue it in the center of the card. Cut a slightly smaller square of solid colored paper and glue in center of cream colored piece. Type "Happy Mother's Day" on your computer. Print on cream or white colored paper, trim, and glue in the center of solid colored square. Stitch around the edge of the card, if you wish.


Card #4:

This card will open horizontally. Tear a rectangle from the solid colored paper and glue near top of card. Type "Happy Mother's Day" on your computer and print on white or creme colored paper. Trim and glue to center of solid colored paper. Tear another piece of solid colored paper (larger than first) to glue across the bottom of the card. Cut a rectangle from floral paper and glue to center of bottom piece of solid colored paper. If you wish you can accent edges of floral rectangle with coordinating eyelets.

Notes: - The terms "card stock" and "paper" are used interchangably here, but it is up to you which kind of paper you use, depending on the look you are trying to achieve - A sewing machine isn't necessary for this project, it is just a nice added touch - You don't have to use your computer for this project, you can handwrite the words if you wish.

Happy Mother's Day!

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit http://www.crafty-moms.com . Photos of finished cards: http://www.crafty-moms.com/cards/mothers-day-cards.shtml

Article Source: Lady Pens

Three Fun Easter Crafts for Kids

We love to make crafts to give away and display for the holiday season. Here are three ideas to enhance the festivities observed during Easter.

Egg maracas

You will need:
Plastic eggs
Glue
Rice, BB pellets, or marbles
Enamel craft paint
Newspaper
Paint brushes
Bowls of water

Clear a space on the table and cover with newspaper. Each person should have their own bowl of water, a paint brush, and plastic eggs.

1. Choose a filling for the egg.

2. Once the filler has been added, dribble a thin line of glue around the egg opening. Snap the egg shut. Wipe off any excess glue.

3. After the glue dries, let the children choose a paint color to decorate their eggs.

4. Let the eggs dry on the newspaper.

Tissue paper Easter bouquets

You will need:
Tissue paper in assorted colors
Green pipe cleaners (eight per child)
Styrofoam blocks (optional)
Plastic or glass vases
Scissors
Ribbon in assorted colors

Clear a space on the kitchen table and give each child a vase, pipe cleaners, and a pair of scissors.

1. Pick the colors for the flowers from the tissue paper pile.

2. Have the children take several sheets of paper. Roll them up together. Wrap one end of a pipe cleaner around the center of the tissue paper and twist to secure it.

3. Separate each sheet of paper, creating folds. Pull the edges up so that they surround the end of the pipe cleaner. If the paper is too long, cut it down.

4. Continue making flowers until the bouquet is finished. Wrap a piece of ribbon around the flowers.
5. The flowers can now be placed in the vase. If you want to keep them from falling out of the vase, stick the free end of the pipe cleaner into a piece of Styrofoam. Cut the Styrofoam to fit the bottom of the vase.

Easter cards

You will need:
Card stock paper
Markers
Stickers (Easter themes)
Scissors
Glue
Construction paper

1. Cut the paper to the size wanted for the Easter cards. Fold the paper in half. The children can also cut the paper into shapes like eggs or bunny rabbits.

2. Decorate the outside of the card with pictures and/or stickers.

3. Using a marker, have the children write their own special greeting on the inside of the cards.

4. The children can hand deliver the Easter cards to their favorite people in the whole world.

Craft making is doubly fun when shared with family. Make this a regular part of “together” time instead of keeping it just for special occasions.

Recommended: Little Kids Crafts for All Seasons

Christmas Card Organizing and Displays Ideas

The average family receives over twenty Christmas cards each year. What happens to them after Christmas? Do you throw them away? Instead of doing that, use those Christmas cards to make holiday displays.

Christmas Card Tree
The tree can be hung on string or small hooks. The smaller cards are displayed at the top. Each line gets a little wider so that you are forming the shape of a Christmas tree. The cards should be hung so that people can open them and see who they were from. For a more permanent display, the cards can be tacked to a piece of fabric that is attached to a rod. This makes the set up and breakdown easy each year.

Christmas Card Window Decoration
Christmas cards can be hung around the window like a border to make a display. The cards can be tacked directly to the top and sides of the windows. For windows facing the front of the house, make a display that can be seen from the outside. Using only the picture on the front of the cards, string them on a piece of ribbon through holes punched in the top center of each one. Secure the ribbon to the window so that the cards are in view. Let a string of white lights hang intertwined with the cards to illuminate them.

Christmas Cards as Ornaments
Your favorite Christmas cards can be displayed right on your tree. Punch a hole and run a thin piece of ribbon through each one. Knot the ribbon and curl the ends of the strands. Secure each card to the tree in a place where it will be seen. Propping the cards against a branch of the Christmas tree allows you to keep them sitting open so they can be read without disturbing the tree.

Christmas Cards Display Ideas
Christmas cards received for the current year should enjoy their day in the spotlight. Display them on the mantle. Another alternative, if you don’t have or don’t want to use the mantel is the coffee table. Have a piece of glass cut to fit the top of your coffee table. Take each Christmas card and arrange it on the top of the coffee table. Throw glitter or confetti, in Christmas colors of course, on the table among the cards. Cover with the piece of glass.

Christmas cards are not just for a year to be tossed away once the holidays are over. You can use them each year to remind us of people long gone and special moments. Finding different ways to display your cards throughout the years will let others share in your special memories too.

More Christmas Ideas:
Little Kids Christmas Crafts
The Ultimate Christmas Guide
Christmas & Advent Celebration For The Holidays Package

Making Homemade Christmas Cards with Kids

The Christmas holidays are the most joyous time of the year for families. Especially important is the time families spend together decorating, wrapping, and baking. So let’s explore how you can spend family time making homemade Christmas Cards with your kids.

Here are some items you will need. Buy a Santa coloring book and a package of colored construction paper. Cut the construction paper to the size of the cards your family wishes to make. Get out the crayons, magic markers of all colors, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, ribbons, glue or glue stick, sparkles, red, black and green fabrics, and small candy canes. Your family is ready to begin making unique Christmas cards.


Christmas Tree Cards
Make Christmas tree cards by drawing several trees on green construction paper. Cut the trees out. Glue fabric and candy to the cards for a beautiful visual effect.


Santa In A Chimney Cards
Draw a house with Santa climbing down the chimney. The card can be decorated with cotton balls for Santa’s hat and beard with a line of trees cut from construction paper for the front of the house. Use colored markers to add ornaments to the branches of the trees. Sprinkle glitter on the ornaments, as well as the tree, to resemble snow.


Santa Cards
A picture of a full-sized Santa could be cut out of a coloring book, and pasted to the front of a card. After it is colored in with crayons, add fabric to enhance the picture. Make a green sack out of material and place it over Santa’s shoulder; use black material to glue onto Santa’s boots; use the red material to glue onto Santa’s hat. You can adorn the card with small candy canes.


Reindeer Cards
Draw a reindeer and sleigh card. Instead of drawing antlers, take some brown pipe cleaners, arrange the brown pipe cleaners into antlers and glue the pipe cleaners to the top of the reindeer’s head. If the coloring book has a picture of the sleigh, cut the sleigh out of the book; color the sleigh using crayons; and paste the sleigh in front of the reindeer.

Once the fronts of the cards are decorated, your family can write a personal Christmas message inside the card, with everyone signing their names using colored crayons or markers. Or, to really make the card special, insert a family photograph and sign all your names.

Making personalized Christmas cards is probably one of the most popular craft ideas for the entire family. While the kids are on Christmas vacation, take a day to sit around your kitchen or dining room table and create memorable homemade Christmas cards.

More Christmas Ideas:
Little Kids Christmas Crafts
The Ultimate Christmas Guide
Christmas & Advent Celebration For The Holidays Package