30 of Our Best Handmade Mother's Day Gifts

What do you give the woman who gave you everything? Flowers, jewelry, breakfast in bed—all of those things are a given. For Mother's Day this year, present her with a gift that honors her past, celebrates the present, and will carry poignant meaning into her future. And in order to offer a gift so personalized to Mom, it's best made with your own two hands.

Celebrated on the second Sunday in May, Mother's Day is a time for us to show love and gratitude to our moms. Whether you're detailing a masterpiece weeks out or looking to change plans last minute, we have handmade gift ideas for Moms of every personality and interest. Is she a gardener? Gift her with a bouquet of farmers' market blooms wrapped in patterned paper (using our printable clip-art). Is she crafty and creative? Surprise her with an decoupaged phone case or a fabric flower pin sewn in her favorite hue. Is she a style maven? Gift her with a baked-clay necklace fresh out of the oven. Is she the sentimental type? She'll adore a set of chair pillows printed with the faces of her family members. Is she a self-defined trendsetter? She'll jump to the occasion to wear a pair of hoop earrings by her favorite artisan (that artisan being you).

All of these ideas will offer more than fleeting happiness—instead, it will give her a tangible sign of your bond. Just like pasta necklaces and grade-school drawings, these are the handmade tokens that she will display with pride.

For the mom who's got gadgets and gizmos aplenty, transform a scallop shell into a keepsake she's shore to love. Cut out a circle of scrapbook paper that's an inch bigger than your shell all around, then brush the back of the paper with découpage glue and press it on, starting at the center, and smoothing out any air bubbles. Trim the excess, leaving just enough to wrap over the edges, and let it dry. It's just the right size to hold a pearl (naturally) or any of her other little treasures.

Shop Now: Florida Beach Weddings Real Irish baking Scallop Shells, 3 1/2" to 4", $8.50 for 6, floridabeachweddings.etsy.com; Recollections Double-Sided Scrapbook Paper, 12" by 12", in Teal Distress and Neutral Soft Floral, $1 per sheet, michaels.com; Recollections Scrapbook Paper, 12" by 12", in Teal Watercolor, White Floral Script, and Navy Leaf (similar to shown), $1 per sheet, michaels.com.

Believe us when we say that making these crescent-and-tube pendants is easier than baking cookies. Once you've picked out clay colors, beads, and cording, pick up a craft knife, a glass or two to help you trace the half-moon shape, and a small metal rod to wrap clay around to make tube beads.

Her favorite memory of you two together is captured in a single snapshot. Add a few stitches in red embroidery thread using our easy-to-follow template, and she'll treasure the heartfelt sentiment.

In her flower delivery, the only thing more important than the blooms themselves is the vessel they're displayed in. Take plain, inexpensive pottery and make it look absolutely artisanal with a little ceramic paint and a few quick-and-easy brushstrokes.

Give mom the gift of organization with this adorable and useful pink leather valet tray, to place beside her bed or on her desk. You can even personalize it with a monogram or sweet message for the woman who raised you.

Does she have a favorite family photo? More than one? Use it as inspiration to make a pillow that she can snuggle with at home. Here, the photos are printed on paper-backed linen, which feeds into your home printer.

Shop Now: Jacquard Belgian Linen Fabric, 6' by 42", from $40, inkjetfabrics.com; Heat 'n Bond Lightweight Iron-on Fusible Interfacing, $44.58, amazon.com; 3M Scotchgard Fabric & Upholstery Protector, $5.33, amazon.com.

A fresh bouquet from the florist is nice, but these fabric flowers are even nicer—and they will never, ever wilt. Make ones based on your mother's favorite flower or craft a bunch for her to mix and match as she likes for pins, brooches, hair accessories, and keychains.

Give Mom the gift of a home spa day. This soothing homemade exfoliant calls for a few natural ingredients—sugar, coconut oil, green tea, and dried rose petals—all of which pack a powerful punch.

Is she a tea-drinker? Here's an easy, pretty way to personalize her morning cup. Make sachets to fill with a mix of her favorite loose teas (or create custom blends from dried herbs and edible flowers, such as mint and hibiscus). Add tags, and place in a gift box.

Shop Now: Recollections Super Flower Lever Punch, $15.99, michaels.com; Celebrate It Kraft Jewelry Box, $1.49, michaels.com; Véritable Edible Flower Set, $59.99, williams-sonoma.com.

An ordinary soak in the tub becomes a real retreat with this set of bath salts combing four natural ingredients: black sea salt, rose buds, lavender, and chamomile.

She loves a bouquet, but how about a new take on it? Pick her favorite flower—we like smaller varieties like roses, lavender buds, and bluebonnets—and use our easy melt-and-pour technique for lovely soaps.

Whether it's Grandma's lasagna or Mom's famous chocolate chip cookies, every family has a recipe that's been passed down from generation to generation. Our friends over at Spoonflower show how handwritten recipe card can be printed onto tea towels, turning them into treasured family heirlooms.

Here's a new way for her to enjoy "tea time." Antique teacups—in their pretty, feminine prints and color palettes—were upcycled into beautiful candles.

Looking for a beautiful new vessel in which to display your Mother's Day bouquet? For this handmade vase, by our friends from Poppytalk, all you need is some inspiration and a few empty bottles, glasses, or jars.

No sewing required! For this sentimental accessory, a favorite family photo can be printed on cotton and ironed on the back. In it, she can carry her keys, phone, and other indispensables.

Shop Now: Printable Cotton Fabric Sheets, $17.50 for 6 sheets, amazon.com; Heat 'n Bond Lightweight Iron-on Fusible Interfacing, $44.58, amazon.com; Imagin8 Natural Canvas Pouch, $5.99, michaels.com.

A little glitz (and in this case, craft glue) helps Mom shine. Draw her initial on a leather coin purse with tailor's chalk. Trace letter with a thin line of craft cement, then adhere a 4-millimeter sequin strand along line; cut off strand and glue the end. 

Shop Now: Simplicity Single Strand Gold Sequin Trim, $4.19, joann.com; Madewell The Leather Pouch Wallet, $29.50, madewell.com.

For a minimalist style maven, try fashioning a pair of earrings. To make a few surprisingly inexpensive pairs, all it takes is high-quality yet inexpensive gold wire, a couple of tools, and a few minutes of your time.

These chic one-of-a-kind treasures are easy to make. Bright beads are looped and linked together, then tied off with pretty cord or ribbon. Make one in Mom's favorite color, or make a loop of beads for each one of her children in their one color. The added significance just might make her tear up.

Shop Now: Fire Mountain Gems Hematite, Wooden, Yellow-Quartz, and Agate Beads, from $4.50 a strand, firemountaingems.com; Cordeliere Cotton Trim, $2.98 per yd., mjtrim.com.

As any mom will tell you, beauty rest isn't always easy to come by. But a silky-soft eye mask in a colorful print will help her catch some zz's (or at least, look stylish).

Mom is always giving out kisses to everyone in the family—she deserves the perfectly pampered pout! In this particular balm, we used lavender, which helps to soothe, relax, and relieve stress.

Choose from a palette of your Mom's favorite colors, and make a matching set or a stand-alone statement piece for her kitchen. A marbleized surface is achieved by allowing paints of different colors to flow together and "marble" on the surface being painted. She'll display this custom-made collection with pride (and not just when guests come over).

Shop Now: Pottery Barn Hammered Short Drinking Glasses, $10 each, potterybarn.com; DecoArt Glass Paint, $2.99, michaels.com. 

Flowers for Mom become instantly more memorable and gift-worthy when you present them in one of these pretty patterned cones. And with a range of motifs—geraniums, lemons, and mixed greenery to name a few—there's infinite mix and match possibilities.

You always keep Mom on speed dial for her sage advice, her laundry tips, and roast chicken recipe, so why not give her phone some added hand-stitched flair? The perforated phone case here lends itself well to different kinds of designs: Try backstitching or cross-stitching.

If Mom's a style maven, this one's for her: It's a classic accessory made from luxurious modern fabrics—crushed velvet or satin silk blend. And because fabric glue and a tie-knot adheres the fabric, there's no sewing required.

Mom's casserole deserves high honors in this family project. Transfer her handwritten recipe card onto a dish, trace it over with a glass paint marker, and bake it in the oven. It will be displayed proudly in their kitchen for generations to come.

The only thing better than a family photograph is one paired with an heirloom. In this project, we used mirrors and trays to craft a one-of-a-kind treasure for her living room wall.

Handwritten letters and cards may be a dwindling art, but these table linens will preserve Mom or Grandma's signature forever.

For any mother, her children are her heart and soul, so why not leave a reminder somewhere she will see it every day? This personalized pinboard can display a few sweet mementos of her daughters including black and white photos, a pink ribbon, and a child's portrait in silhouette.

On Mother's Day, celebrate Mom, her mom, and all of the moms that came before her. A framed family tree in full illustration has a sophisticated charm and a pleasing symmetry that's perfect for display on her living room wall.

If your mom is a tea aficionado, here's a thoughtful gift to keep her mug warm and her hands protected. Craft a felted, soft-to-the-touch cup cozy with a heart, her name, or a simple "Love You."