4 Wolfs

When Mother’s Day rolls around, kids want to show their moms just how special they are. Store-bought gifts and cards are nice, but they lack that personal touch. Something made just for Mom has much more sentimental value, and kids don’t have to spend much money (if any) on it.

Even toddlers can make Mother’s Day crafts with a little help. Here’s a sampling of things kids can make for Mom.

Framed Photos

Every mother loves to look at pictures of her kids. So why not pick out a favorite picture or yourself with Mom and create a beautiful frame for it? There are many ways you can go about making photo frames.

One of the cheapest and simplest ways to make a picture frame is to cut one out of paper. Construction paper, card stock and thick scrapbooking paper are good choices. Or, if you want to make the frame even sturdier, use corrugated cardboard. Just make sure the opening in the middle is large enough to show the part of the photo you want to display, and make the frame any shape you like. Decorate with paint, glitter and stickers. I’ve even used scraps of fabric before to make a frame quilt! Add a magnet to the back for easy display on the refrigerator.

You can also make frames out of craft sticks. Just glue the ends of four sticks together to make a square, and decorate with markers or paint. Or if you prefer, buy a plain photo frame and decorate it as you please. I’ve seen basic photo frames at Jo-Ann’s for $1 in the shape of flowers, trains and castles. Michael’s also has dollar frames that you can embellish with craft paper or fabric.

Candle Holders

It’s easy to make a lovely candleholder out of a small jar. Larger baby food jars work well for tealights and votives. Pint jars can hold votives or small pillar candles.

To decorate, use tissue paper. You can find so many patterns now, you can make your candle holder look like stained glass! Mix equal parts white glue and water, and stick the paper onto the outside of the jar, stopping below the rim. Use pieces of different colors to create a stained glass look. Cut some shapes out of the paper if you like, arrange them in a pretty pattern, and glue on top of the larger pieces. Coat with the glue mixture to seal, and let dry.

Bath Salts

Want to help Mom pamper herself on her special day? Make her some homemade bath salts. They will help her relax and leave her skin feeling great.

Just mix 3 cups of Epsom salts, 2 cups of baking soda, and 1 cup of table salt. Add about twenty drops of a fragrant essential oil. Lavender, sandalwood and chamomile are good choices. Mix thoroughly. Present the bath salts to Mom in a pretty jar tied with a ribbon. If you add a loofah, some bath gel and moisturizer, you can turn this gift into a spa basket!

Breakfast in Bed

Okay, not exactly a craft idea, but one of my favorite gifts to receive! You can see the post below for an easy breakfast or brunch treat!

Mom is sure to appreciate these simple yet thoughtful gifts. They will give her fond Mother’s Day memories for years to come!

Enjoy,
Rebecca Wolf

I run a Montessori-inspired preschool program (see http://SibleyCenter.com) and our class created a Mother’s Day Tea together for all our wonderful and supportive moms. Here is an easy recipe you can use if you’d like to create a Mother’s Day Brunch for your special mama!

BASIC QUICHE

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (it’s usually Havarti or Swiss in most recipes, but I have used cheddar and monterey jack with success)
* 4 large eggs
* 1 1/2 cups milk (low-fat works well but half and half makes it richer)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
* dash nutmeg

Creative Additions (base your choices on mom’s favorite foods, of course):
* asparagus or broccoli or even dandelion greens
* mushrooms or tofu or chunks of ham/turkey
* tomatoes and onions
* I’ve even made a Polynesian quiche with rice, water chestnuts, pineapple and chicken in it!

Preparation:
Steam, saute or cook your veggies and other additions, as desired.

You can make a pastry crust, buy one, or go crustless.

Arrange vegetables and shredded cheese in pie dish.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over the vegetables. Place the filled pie shell/dish on a large cookie sheet to catch any drips.

Place in the oven and cook for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serves 6 to 8.

Enjoy,
Rebecca Wolf

One of my friends interviewed her daughters with these questions. Here are Arianna’s responses, at 5 1/2 years old:

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you

2. What makes mom happy?
Being good.

3. What makes mom sad?
When I get a strike.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Funny  jokes.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
I have no clue.

6. How old is your mom?
40.

7. How tall is your mom?
5 inches, no I mean 5 feet.

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Playing with her girl and working for class to get money.

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
Work, of course.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
School, of course.

11. What is your mom really good at?
School and work.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Let me think. I don’t know. She’s not very good at fixing cars.

13. What does your mom do for a job?
Work.

14.What is your mom’s favorite food?
I’m pretty sure it’s yogurt with granola.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
When she gets me a video from the library.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Puss ‘n boots because he is a cat as well as a hero.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Play, play and more play.

18. How are you and your mom the same?
I don’t know, I’ll have freckles when I grow up.

19. How are you and your mom different?
Our hair.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Because she hugs me.

21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?
As far as I’m concerned, it’s the ice cream shop because everyone loves ice cream around here.

22. What is your mom’s favorite thing about your dad?
Because he’s nice.

It’s interesting how she is learning to separate herself and her likes from mine. With younger kids, it’s painfully obvious that it’s just all about them!

Okay, your turn!

Rebecca

I attended a fabulous presentation on how to use local herbs and plants to strengthen the immune system during the winter months. Angela Tiberio is a wealth of knowledge and right in our own backyard — Honeyoe Falls.

Here is one of my favorite recipes:

Lemon Ginger Tea, good for warding off colds and/or helping ease congestion

Grate 1 tablespoon ginger and add to 1 quart boiling water.

Let steep for 30 minutes.

Add the juice from 1 lemon and honey to taste.

Optional:

If you need additional heat, you can add a pinch of cayenne.

You can also add astragalus root, to boost the immune system.

Fresh crushed garlic is also a good preventative plant to add.

You can make a large batch and keep it in the fridge.

Enjoy,

Rebecca

I made the mistake of going to bed with the girls at 7:30 last night and awoke at midnight, unable to return to my delicious slumber until 5:30 a.m. when I ran into the other bedroom in a fit of anger. Andrew was kind enough to let me sleep in and made the traditional whole wheat pancakes with strawberries on top at 9:00. I had to take a shower, which made us quasi-late for Quaker meeting (you have to wait in the library for 15 minutes if you’re late). I made it in, but Andrew didn’t because he was trying to get Ostara settled in with the babysitter in the children’s room. He came in at 11:15 without any kids — mission accomplished, but said Ostara was crying off and on and he might have to leave again.

I was enjoying the silent worship and thinking how different it was to be silent with others as opposed to tossing and turning in bed. I thought about how I used to expect to receive a message from Spirit every Sunday, but have been having difficulty settling into worship because of the kids. Then I heard Ostara cry. I tapped Andrew and he ran downstairs to assess the situation. I got an annoying tickle in my throat and went to get a drink whereupon I met Andrew and Ostara. He handed me Ostara and mumbled something about her not wanting to stay downstairs anymore. I still had a tickle in my throat, so I took Ostara into the library and we read some books.

When meeting was over, I took Ostara in so I could listen to the announcements. She wasn’t being too loud, just sharing her usual comments, when she got shushed. Yeah right, I wish it were that easy to keep her quiet. I tried to tell her to not to talk, but to no avail. So then the person started to complain that she couldn’t hear. So much for me getting to hear the announcements. I took Ostara down to the children’s room again and tried to figure out how I could be a Quaker when I never have more than 20 minutes of silence at a time and am losing my connection with the community because my daughter gets shushed during announcements. I’m thinking a microphone might be a good investment for the meetinghouse. Either that, or I need to find a less silent religion.

Rebecca