Mother's Day ideas for low or no cost cards and gifts

• How to pretty up a low cost bunch of flowers to make it look special.

If you have a gift bag left from a present that was given to you why not  recycle it by using it to make you flowers look like a more expensive flower arrangement.

Give your  flowers purchased in the local market  'added value' by arranging and displaying them in a nice way before you give them to your mother. If the flowers have a see thro' wrap, wrap them in gift paper leaving the tops of the flowers peeping over the edge of the gift wrap paper. This is usually easier if you wrap the paper in a cone shape around the flowers. If you want to leave them in the see thro' wrap add a pretty ribbon bow and make a gift tag to attach to them.

• Giving a pot plant , how to 'wrap' it to make it special.

A previously used cardboard gift box can make a great way of packaging a pot plant that you are giving as a gift.  It is worth finding a plastic lid or tray to fit into the bottom of the decorated box so the box is not ruined by water or compost from the plant pot.

• How to decorate a box to make a personalized gift box.
• If you do not like the design on the box it is not difficult to recover it in wrapping paper. 
• Or re-cover it decoupage style with cut out pictures glued to the surface of the box to cover the surface of it. 
• If the box has plain colored sides you could write messages on it to your mom. Or decorate it with  cut-out pictures. 
• Sequins can look really pretty on a dark colored box.

You can use these ideas for making gift bags special too.

To make images like the ones here - copy the images from Pixabay to Paint or similar.

You can do this by copying the image  -  first follow the link to Pixabay.

This link here will take you to a page of drawings but you can search for other images there.

• Find a picture you like. If you want to make a simple card just print the image and color it     in and make a card from it.
• If you want to add to it or alter it or to re-color the image:
• You can copy an image by pressing the keys Ctrl. and C.

In Paint or a similar program re-color the areas in the colors you want to by - using the paint/color filling process with the shades you want. That is the one/tool that looks like a paint pot.

You use it to 'tip' the colors into one area of the image at a time.

When you have finished you can add text  to the card if you wish. 

Save the image and use the image to print your Mother's Day card.

Using this idea you can also make a gift of a promise.

You can also make  D.I.Y. 'gift promise vouchers' such as "I will wash the car for you 5 times" or "I will make your morning coffee every morning next week."

Wooden Bangles come in different widths.

Remember when buying bangles that they need to be the right size for the wearer's hand and wrist size.