<p>Mother’s Day is fast approaching. I’m sure you would like to express your love to the person who means so much to you.<br /><br /></p>.<p> It is a good thing that the big day occurs during your summer holidays. With time on your hands, you can have fun making a gift or two for your mother. Here are a few ideas to help you along:<br /><br />JEWELLERY TREE<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> A small dry branch of a tree with smaller twigs – resembling a small, leafless tree<br /> A small pot (used for plants) or ¼ sheet of thick thermocol<br /> Silver or gold paint<br /> A small piece of thermocol or sand and pebbles<br /><br />Method: Check for any sharp protrusions on the branch that might hurt you, and blunt them out. Carefully paint the branch with silver or gold paint. If you are using a pot, place the painted branch in it and fill the pot with either sand or pebbles. <br /><br />Or just pierce the branch into the sheet of thermocol and then place it in the pot. If you are not using a pot, mark the centre of the sheet of thermocol, and pierce the branch in. <br /><br />You could paint the thermacol stand or pot if you choose, or write your personal message on it. Now hang your mother’s jewellery — bead necklaces, wooden bangles etc — on the branches of the jewellery tree and place it on her dressing table.<br /><br />BANGLE HOLDER<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> A clothes hanger<br /> Satin ribbon of 1 inch thickness and 3 metres length, in any colour <br /> Glue or Fevicol<br /><br />Method: Take a clothes hanger and loosen the hooked part that twists just below the curve, so that you can slip it out easily. Now wind the satin ribbon tightly to cover the hanger, sticking the satin to the hanger after every 3cm, all through. Your mother can slip in all her bangles through the loosened groove and slip the hooked part back in place again. This bangle holder can be hung in her wardrobe.<br /><br />SPECIAL CARD<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> Thick cardboard<br /> A small mirror<br /> Sketch pens<br /> Glue<br /><br />Method: Take the required size of cardboard. Fold into two. Glue the mirror on the right side, inside the card. Draw designs with sketch pens to ‘frame’ the mirror. On the outside of the card, draw a colourful border and write the following words: ‘Guess who is the best mom in the world? Open this to find out’.<br /><br />EVERLASTING BOUQUET<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> Dry flowers<br /> Big and thick leaves of different sizes<br /> Dry berries<br /> Varnish (wood polish)<br /> Golden paint<br /> Cellophane paper<br /> Thick satin ribbon – ½ metre<br /><br />Method: Varnish the leaves on both sides and dry them in the sun. Paint the dry flowers and berries and their stalks with golden paint and let them dry. Wrap in cellophane paper and tie a bow around it with the satin ribbon.<br /><br />PAINTED MUG<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> A plain mug<br /> Bright-coloured nail polish<br /><br />Method: With some nail polish, paint something pretty (like flowers or fish) on the mug. You could even write a personal message with a bright-coloured nail polish. Your efforts will not get erased for sometime at least, in spite of the mug being washed repeatedly. Your mother will now enjoy her tea or coffee more than ever before!<br /><br />KNIFE STAND<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> Very thick thermocol of required size and shape (from the variety used to pack television sets)<br /> Paints<br /><br />Method: Paint the thermocol all over. Make incisions in it with all the kitchen knives and let them remain there. The knife stand is ready to be displayed on the kitchen counter. Use your imagination to decorate it further. <br /><br />For example, you could cut out a semi-circle, paint it yellow-orange and slide in the knives all round the curved part to make it appear like a rising sun (with the knives sticking out as rays). <br /><br />Or, you could cut and paint the thermocol in the shape of a peacock and pierce in the knives (to resemble its fan-like feathers). One advantage of such a knife stand is that the knives remain dry and do not get rusted.<br /></p>
<p>Mother’s Day is fast approaching. I’m sure you would like to express your love to the person who means so much to you.<br /><br /></p>.<p> It is a good thing that the big day occurs during your summer holidays. With time on your hands, you can have fun making a gift or two for your mother. Here are a few ideas to help you along:<br /><br />JEWELLERY TREE<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> A small dry branch of a tree with smaller twigs – resembling a small, leafless tree<br /> A small pot (used for plants) or ¼ sheet of thick thermocol<br /> Silver or gold paint<br /> A small piece of thermocol or sand and pebbles<br /><br />Method: Check for any sharp protrusions on the branch that might hurt you, and blunt them out. Carefully paint the branch with silver or gold paint. If you are using a pot, place the painted branch in it and fill the pot with either sand or pebbles. <br /><br />Or just pierce the branch into the sheet of thermocol and then place it in the pot. If you are not using a pot, mark the centre of the sheet of thermocol, and pierce the branch in. <br /><br />You could paint the thermacol stand or pot if you choose, or write your personal message on it. Now hang your mother’s jewellery — bead necklaces, wooden bangles etc — on the branches of the jewellery tree and place it on her dressing table.<br /><br />BANGLE HOLDER<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> A clothes hanger<br /> Satin ribbon of 1 inch thickness and 3 metres length, in any colour <br /> Glue or Fevicol<br /><br />Method: Take a clothes hanger and loosen the hooked part that twists just below the curve, so that you can slip it out easily. Now wind the satin ribbon tightly to cover the hanger, sticking the satin to the hanger after every 3cm, all through. Your mother can slip in all her bangles through the loosened groove and slip the hooked part back in place again. This bangle holder can be hung in her wardrobe.<br /><br />SPECIAL CARD<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> Thick cardboard<br /> A small mirror<br /> Sketch pens<br /> Glue<br /><br />Method: Take the required size of cardboard. Fold into two. Glue the mirror on the right side, inside the card. Draw designs with sketch pens to ‘frame’ the mirror. On the outside of the card, draw a colourful border and write the following words: ‘Guess who is the best mom in the world? Open this to find out’.<br /><br />EVERLASTING BOUQUET<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> Dry flowers<br /> Big and thick leaves of different sizes<br /> Dry berries<br /> Varnish (wood polish)<br /> Golden paint<br /> Cellophane paper<br /> Thick satin ribbon – ½ metre<br /><br />Method: Varnish the leaves on both sides and dry them in the sun. Paint the dry flowers and berries and their stalks with golden paint and let them dry. Wrap in cellophane paper and tie a bow around it with the satin ribbon.<br /><br />PAINTED MUG<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> A plain mug<br /> Bright-coloured nail polish<br /><br />Method: With some nail polish, paint something pretty (like flowers or fish) on the mug. You could even write a personal message with a bright-coloured nail polish. Your efforts will not get erased for sometime at least, in spite of the mug being washed repeatedly. Your mother will now enjoy her tea or coffee more than ever before!<br /><br />KNIFE STAND<br /><br />Material:<br /><br /> Very thick thermocol of required size and shape (from the variety used to pack television sets)<br /> Paints<br /><br />Method: Paint the thermocol all over. Make incisions in it with all the kitchen knives and let them remain there. The knife stand is ready to be displayed on the kitchen counter. Use your imagination to decorate it further. <br /><br />For example, you could cut out a semi-circle, paint it yellow-orange and slide in the knives all round the curved part to make it appear like a rising sun (with the knives sticking out as rays). <br /><br />Or, you could cut and paint the thermocol in the shape of a peacock and pierce in the knives (to resemble its fan-like feathers). One advantage of such a knife stand is that the knives remain dry and do not get rusted.<br /></p>
