12 Mother's Day Card Ideas That Are Handmade for Her

Whether you're surprising her with breakfast in bed, a DIY home spa, or a bright bouquet of her favorite flowers, no Mother's Day gift is complete without a heartfelt card. While finding the right words to tell Mom how much you appreciate her and everything she does is one thing we can't exactly help with, finding the perfect card to fill with these sentiments is definitely where we come in—in fact, we have plenty of handmade ideas to help inspire you. All you'll need are a few paper crafting supplies, a dash of embellishment, and a whole lot of heart.

Need more ideas on how to make her special day a memorable one? Why not treat her to a rejuvenating jar of homemade green tea and rose sugar scrub complete with a box of pressed-flower bar soaps? Or turn a photo from a favorite day together into a touching keepsake. We're sharing our favorite Mother's Day gifts to DIY should you need more craft inspiration. We've even rounded up our best aww-worthy, kid-friendly crafts, like sweet-but-simple fingerprint cards to classic coupon books, that will surely put a smile on Mom's face. And if you're planning a family gathering or a special brunch party, here are our favorite ways to decorate, from doily bouquets (they make darling favors) to fabric flowers (which can be turned into sweet napkin rings or upgrade any tablescape scattered in the center).

Whatever you decide to make for Mom, we're sure these ideas will not inspire you, but also create new memories she'll cherish for years to come.

Blossoming right before her eyes upon being opened, this paper bouquet card is sure to be one of her favorites this Mother's Day.

Do nature one better and give Mom everlasting tulips, complete with messages from the heart. With a few folds of colored paper and a piece of wire, you have a beautiful Mother's Day greeting. Craft a single flower or a whole arrangement of sweet sentiments.

Cut out a square piece of paper 5 inches or larger. Fold in half, open, then fold in half again; unfold. Apply tape along each of the creases and pinch the creases so each piece of tape adheres and paper pops up into a cupped shape. With scissors, cut edges into a petal shape. Poke a small hole in bottom of folded flower. Fold over the tip of wire, insert into the bottom of the flower, and glue to secure. With scissors, cut out paper leaves; write messages on them and glue them onto wire.

Shop Now: Canson Mi-Teintes Assorted Color Packs, $24.76, dickblick.com; Rose Mille Cloth-Covered Floral Wire, $2, rosemille.com.

Catch a parent's attention with a buttoned-up seaside-inspired note card. Copy our templates onto sturdy paper, and embellish them with basic sewing and a few small buttons.

Shop Now: Tacony Rose Gold Sewing Kit, $7, fatquartershop.com; Purl Soho Mussel Shell Button, 1/2", $1 each, purlsoho.com.

She'll love opening up this card full of lifelike blooms made from petal- and leaf-shaped craft punches and scraps of fabric.

Begin by punching fabric flowers: Lay a piece of fabric in a shallow tray. With a paintbrush, apply enough fabric stiffener to saturate, but not soak, the fabric. Let it dry, about an hour; repeat with any remaining fabric. Using craft punches, punch out petals and leaves as close together on the fabric as possible. Glue just the centers of leaves and flowers to a card, so their tips curl upward. Draw stems and a message by hand.

Shop Now: Aleene's Fabric Stiffener & Draping Liquid, $8, joann.com.

No more searching for the right card—a truly one-of-a-kind option is at your fingertips. Press your thumbs into an ink pad to make the momma animals, and dip your (or your little one's) pinkies for the babies; let dry. Draw the details with a fine-tipped marker, and post as a card for Mom. (Tip: Cut card stock to the same height and twice the length of your envelope; fold in half.)

Shop Now: Marvy Uchida Le Pen, $2 each, uchida.com.

Pamper Mom this Mother's Day with a homemade dreamy sleep mask. Print the clip-art onto card stock, write a message on the back, and decorate if desired (we used glitter on the eyelids and pipe cleaners around the border). Punch a hole in each side, and thread with ribbon ties.

Inspired by vintage cards from the 1920s, we use watercolors to paint the flowers and leaves, and gold thread to stitch the stems and tendrils (the tiniest blossoms are made with French knots) to give the cards a layered effect, further enriching the original palette. Leaving more white space on the card adds to the modern effect.

Thread two 24-inch lengths of gold thread through needle (use more strands if you prefer a thicker gold line). The stems and flourishes are made using a backstitch. To create the centers of the flowers, use French knots. Cut the embroidered card stock to fit on a tented card, and mount using double-sided tape.

Shop Now: DMC Metallic Embroidery Thread, $2.49, michaels.com.

Make a Mother's Day card with the same floral designs used for a complementary bouquet of nosegays. Print one on card stock and cut it out, then fold it in half so it fits inside a standard card envelope.

Shop Now: Paper Source A7 Hydrangea Envelope, $5 for 10, papersource.com.

Here's a sweet variation on the "I love you this much" theme: an expandable hand-shaped card for Mother's Day. To make one, trace your child's hand on card stock to create a template and cut it out. Accordion-fold a piece of 11-by-17-inch paper to the width of the template—you'll have enough room for about four hands, depending on your child's size. Trace the template onto the paper and cut it out, leaving a portion of each pinkie and thumb intact to keep the hands connected. Then it's ready to decorate! (Tip: For a longer card, cut several strings of hands and tape each of the ends together on the back. Then tie them into a package with bright string or yarn.)

Shop Now: Paper Source Pure White Paper 11" by 17", $5.50 for 10 sheets, papersource.com; Ooly Left Right Crayons, $9 for 10, crateandbarrel.com; Appleton Crewel Skeins, $2 each, purlsoho.com. 

Surprise Mom on her big day with this sweet bouquet card made with three-dimensional daisy stickers in pretty purples, pinks, and white. Give the flowers a lovely background with our patterned craft stock, and add a sentimental message to tell Mom just how special she is.

Shop Now: Recollections Signature Gerber Daisy Stickers, $4.19, michaels.com; Factory Direct Craft Lavender Rick Rack Trim, $4.19, factorydirectcraft.com.

Use flower punches to create a bright bouquet of a card for Mom, personalized with her favorite floral hues and a sweet message.

Cut and fold a 5-by-7-inch card out of craft stock. (Add a decorative border using an edge punch, if desired.) Punch various flower and leaf shapes out of colored paper or craft stock using craft punches. Cut stem shapes out of paper with scissors or a craft knife. Arrange the bouquets on the card front and affix with double-sided tissue tape. Embellish with a bow using ribbon.

Shop Now: Recollections Daisy Lever Punch, $13.49, michaels.com; Martha Stewart Craft Knife, $10.95, amazon.com.

To make these pop-out cards, first print out our printable template; then, trace onto the desired stationery, gift wrap, or card stock. Carefully cut along the traced lines with a craft knife, leaving gaps between petals. Finally, attach your cutout card to a second card in a contrasting color with double-sided tape.

Shop Now: Paper Source Blossom Card Stock, 8.5" by 11", $4.50 for 10 sheets, papersource.com.