Gifting on a zero dollar budget

Two weeks ago I found out my parents would be flying out for a couple days and I would get to see my mom on her birthday.

Last time I saw her on her birthday had to be 8 years ago. I began thinking big! I need to shower her with gifts.

Hours later my husband asked if I have checked our bank account lately.

Gulp

I'm informed we need to watch our spending for the rest of the month.

I hadn't bought anything for my mom yet so I decided I would create her gifts and only use things I have in our house.

So here is what I did for my mom's birthday on a zero dollar budget.

Garden Sticks

Materials: stickers, Sharpie, Popsicle sticks, and Mod Podge.

My mom loves gardening so I used leftover craft Popsicle sticks. I covered them with several layers of hard mod podge to make them weather resistant.

Scented Sachet

Materials: Tule, ribbons, dried roses, rose scented essential oils.

I used leftover ribbon from a taggie blanket and leftover rose petals and essential oil from a Church activity to make a sachet you can use in a drawer or closet.

Magnetic Picture Frame

Materials: Scrapbook paper, scrapbook letter cutouts, Popsicle sticks, magnet, tape and glue gun.

The scrapbook paper is leftover from the blocks I made for my son. I used Popsicle sticks to hold the picture and to allow other pictures to slide in and out. The magnet is from a fridge notepad I had used.

Ping Pong Ball!!

Basically we had a ping pong ball but we don't have a table. My parent's do have a ping pong table and now they have another ping pong ball but this one says "bring it". :)

A weeks worth of dinner recipes

I gave my mom seven dinner recipes that I enjoy making for my family for dinner. While they were here I made one of these recipes and she asked me to make sure I give her the recipe. No prob!

Necklace

Materials: Denim, beads, embroidery thread, mod podge, white thread.

I got my idea here. I used an old pair of jeans to make the flower. I covered the petals with mod podge to make the petals stiffer so that they would stick up more. The big wooden beads on the necklace are from a necklace I had as a little girl. I didn't have any necklace clasps so I just left lots of room with the thread to tie it.

Cake Pin Cushion

Materials: felt, buttons, pins, glue gun, magnet.

I found this tutorial here. Very easy project with a lot of fun ways to embellish. I wrapped an empty ribbon spool with foil to use as a cake platter. I put a magnet on the bottom tier to pick up stray pins with.

A History of Motherhood

Lastly, I recorded thoughts and memories I have of my mom while growing up. I wrote down memories from holidays, grade school, and different stages of life. I then called my grandma and asked her questions about being a mom, specifically being a mother to my mother. I also asked her questions about her mother and recorded everything I could. I love, love family history and the little details is what makes it so special.

There you have it. Luckily a mother's love is unconditional no matter how handmade or silly a gift is!