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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Mothers day gift:

You may not want this to happen, but your college departure ushers in the possibility of redecorating your room. As a sign that you embrace this change, get your Mom a book on interior design or home renovation. Encourage her to turn that room into a reading retreat, an exercise room, or a home office, encouraging her to start that business she has put on hold for the last 18 years. 

Mothers Day will be next Sunday and it’s the day we honor our mothers for their love, nurturing and the sacrifices they make to help us have a happy, healthy and successful life. Mothers of the college-bound go above and beyond by providing their kids with encouragement, help and financial support throughout the college admissions process. Those moms need some tender love and care once their kids head off to college. Mothers Day is the perfect time to pamper those empty nest moms.
Let’s face it–kids put a damper on romance. Now is the perfect time to help your parental units rekindle the romance by encouraging them to spend some time together. Send them on a weekend getaway, pay for a date night (dinner and the movies), or offer to babysit your younger siblings while they spend some time alone.There is nothing prouder than a mom of a college student. One of the best gifts you can give her is a shirt with your college logo on it. When my daughter was in college, I had a sweatshirt that said, “Bentley College Mom”. I wore it with great pride. Use Mothers Day to give her that special gift and show her you recognize her part in your success.
It goes without saying that your mom will miss you when you are off living the college life. You can lessen that feeling of loneliness and loss by getting her up to speed with technology. Phones that share pictures, are text enabled and allow you to download apps like Facebook and Twitter can help her stay in touch. If she is not yet computer savvy, give a gift of your time and help her learn how to use those applications like Skype that will keep her connected while you are gone.
Mother's Day is Sunday, so every day this week we have ideas to inspire your gift-giving.

There’s just no better occasion than Mother’s Day for mom and her mini-me to break out in matching fashion. And we’ve found something for every pair, whether their favored look is classic, feminine or flirty. The season’s stripes have met their match in these timeless T-shirts and onesies by Yala Designs in a silky-soft, eco-friendly bamboo fabric and a multitude of hues. (Bamboo Dreams Kai Boatneck Top, $58, in three colors, and Bamboo Dreams Long-Sleeve Onesie, $30...
Speaking of flowers... If you’re considering a bouquet and looking for a destination to show off your wears, Brentwood Country Mart florist Botany is throwing a Mother’s Day Flower Arranging Tea on Saturday. The workshop includes instruction and supplies to make two of your very own arrangements, for mother and tot, plus goodies from Farmshop. Dad, in case you forgot to remind your littlest, this Sunday is Mother’s Day. Rather than buy a present for your child to give to the most special woman of them all, why not encourage your son or daughter to craft a gift by hand or create one together? 

Unlike flowers, handcrafted presents are saved by Mom for years to come. Most projects can be done in under an hour and, because some require adult supervision, they are a great opportunity for children to bond with Dad, a grandparent or another beloved relative.
   
Stuck for ideas?

How about a ribbon headband like the ones a group of girls made at a recent fashion design class at The Wizard of Art in Great Kills?

The girls transformed plain fabric headbands from a dollar store into colorful, shimmering hair accessories by wrapping them with ribbon and attaching feathers and faux gemstones with a glue gun.
   
This simple project can be done at home and takes about an hour. 

“It’s nice to make a gift for their moms,” Deanna Arena, instructor at The Wizard of Art, observed. “They look at their parents wearing the stuff they made and it’s a good feeling.”
   
Other ideas from The Wizard of Art class last-minute crafters might consider as gifts for Mom are: purses and belts constructed of cardboard and colorful duct tape; shirts decorated with non-washable acrylic paint and glued-on faux gemstones; heart-shaped, felt pillows and ribbon choker necklaces that use Velcro as a fastener.
At Michaels, which has stores in New Springville and Port Richmond, families can find a slew of materials for fashioning homemade gifts.
1 800 flowers, mothers day date, mothers day classic, 1800flowers, edible arrangements
Jeremy Kotel, store manager at the New Springville site, suggests purchasing items like the MOM frame, outdoor stepping stone kits, ready-to-finish wood frames and ceramic mugs with markers, T-shirts and Candy Melts chocolates that can be poured into molds to create fun designs.

Kotel said girls especially love making bracelets and necklaces for their mothers, while shadow boxes, stepping stone kits and frames are projects both boys and girls enjoy. More do-it-yourself ideas are available on the Web site, Michaels.com.

Hands-on help is offered at several in-store crafting workshops. Most include free supplies with the purchase of the item being decorated.

This week’s crafting events at both Staten Island locations include instruction in making: a Mother’s Day card (tonight); a frame (tomorrow); a clever T-shirt necklace (Thursday), and a clay pot jewelry holder (Friday). Workshops take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
   
On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon, Michaels will celebrate National Scrapbook Day with a workshop on decorating a scrapbook page for Mom. “Moms treasure the special things their children have made for them through the years,” Kotel noted, adding, “The handmade gifts kids make their mothers are heartfelt and so much more sentimental.”

At Created By You in New Dorp, children can select a piece of unfinished pottery to paint for Mom. Manager Anna Cullen said children enjoy decorating platters, plates, trivets and mugs for their mothers; many youngsters will incorporate an impression of their hands into the design to give it an extra special personalized touch.

The process at the ceramics studio is simple. Children choose an item, paint it and leave it at the store, where employees later will apply a clear glaze and fire it in the kiln.

Usually, pottery pieces are ready to be picked up within seven days, but for Mother’s Day, Ms. Cullen said, they should be ready in three.

“Parents will hold onto it; it’s not a disposable gift,” she said. “Most of the time if [the children] do a plate, it’s put in the china closet and stays there for many years.” For projects that can be done at home, visit Crafters 4 Kids Web site (http://c4k555.org). The site, run by Bowdabra creator Sandy Sandler, features step-by-step directions for a range of projects, including those for different seasons and celebrations.

For Mother’s Day, Ms. Sandler suggests mixing up a basil-infused bottle of vinegar simply by filling an old glass bottle with white wine vinegar and fresh basil leaves. Affix a faux flower or pretty bow for a festive finishing touch.

“The nice thing about [them] is that you can keep refilling them,” Ms. Sandler commented. “It’s a gift that sits on the counter, something Mom uses every day, and kids are proud that they made it.”

Making magnets is another simple project she suggests. These can be fashioned with adhesive magnet tape purchased at a craft store, and cool accessories like a fun button or decorative clothespin. Mom can use the magnets to display other artwork on the fridge.
1 800 flowers, mothers day date, mothers day classic, 1800flowers, edible arrangements
Another item kids can decorate easily is a chalk board. Ms. Sandler suggests purchasing one from a dollar store and embellishing the edges with craft supplies like ribbon, buttons and gemstones.

Among other gifts she recommends are drink coasters painted in spring or summer colors; a sheer organza bag filled with bath salts and decorated with bows and charms; pillar candles jazzed up with embellishments, and grapevine wreaths accessorized with faux florals, tulle and craft pearl strands.

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