Our Favorite DIY Mother's Day Cards Are Meaningful and Simple to Make

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, crafts that kids can make, 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 easy ideas will not inspire you, but also create new memories she'll cherish for years to come.

Blossoming Pop-Up Card

Get the Blossoming Pop-Up Card How-To

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

Paper Tulip Card

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, kids can make 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.

Button Card

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

Fabric-Punched Card

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.

Thumbprint Card

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.)

Eye-Mask Card

Get the Eye-Mask Card Clip-Art

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.

Embroidered Card

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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.

Watercolor Floral Card

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.

• Get the Berries Clip-Art
• Get the Black-Eyed Susans Clip-Art
• Get the Blue Flowers Clip-Art
• Get the Geraniums Clip-Art
• Get the Leaves Clip-Art
• Get the Lemons Clip-Art
• Get the Mixed-Flowers Accent Clip-Art
• Get the Mixed-Flowers Border Clip-Art
• Get the Mixed-Flowers Clip-Art

Expandable Handprint Card

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.)

Daisy Card

Surprise Mom on her big day with this sweet bouquet card made with 3D 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.

Bouquet Card

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.

Floral Pop-Out Cards

Get the Flower Template

To make these kid-friendly 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.