grandmother handmade giftsFor Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, and Father’s Day or for mother’s, daughter’s, grandmother’s or grandfather’s birthday, handmade gifts are the most appreciated gifts of all.  Actually, any handmade gift received on any day is special because it comes from a grandchild.

The following handmade grandmother gifts should be made with adult supervision if younger grandchildren are involved. These gifts are perfect for grandmothers, mothers, wives, or daughters.  Below you’ll find directions for a Jeweled Heart Pin, Heart Ornaments, Bouquet in a Pot, Growin’ Love Basket, and a Ribbon Rose Gift Card.

Jeweled Heart Pin

Jewel pin gift for grandmother, mother, daughterCraft this pin, reminiscent of a Victorian brooch, quickly with beads, jewels and cord on a wooden heart base.

Materials

  • 3″ (7.5 cm) wooden heart
  • 1 pkg each 10/0 rocaille beads: pink, royal blue
  • 1 pkg 4.5 mm black bugle beads
  • 5 assorted round mounted jewels, 5/8″ to 1″ (1.5 to 2.5 cm)
  • 1 yd (0.95 m) gold tubular cord
  • 1.25″ (3.2 cm) pin back
  • God acrylic craft paint
  • 1″ (2.5 cm) sponge brush
  • Hot glue gun
  • Miscellaneous items: tracing paper, pencil, ruler, scissors

Directions

  1. Painting: use sponge brush and gold paint to paint the wooden heart on both the front and black sides, and the edges. Let dry; repeat for better coverage, if desired.
  2. Large Jewel: Refer to photo for jewel and bead placement. hot-glue the largest 1″ (2.5 cm) jewel in the upper left section of the heart. Hot-glue a strip of gold cord around the large jewel.
  3. Cord: Begin at the center top of the heart, and hot-glue cord around the outer edge. Cut cord and meet beginning coJewel pin templaterd at top center. Glue 1 end of cord to top of heart on the back side. Bring to the front and hot-glue in a squiggly free-form design on heart; end at beginning point on back. Cut 2.5″ (6.5 cm) of cord; hot-glue 1 end to lower left of heart on back side. Bring to front, make a loop, and glue end on the back.
  4. Bugle Beads: Working in small sections, apply hot-glue and fill in with bugle beads; refer to the illustration. Place bugle beads around the large mounted jewel and small spots around the edges of the heart. Either sprinkle beads on the glue, and brush off after the glue hardens, or place beads as desired with a tweezer.
  5. Finishing: Fill in remaining spaces with jewels and blue and pink rocaille beads. Hot-glue pin back onto back side of heart in center.


Heart Ornaments:

Materials – for 1 each double twist and single twist heart ornamentsHeart Ornament

  • 1 pkg 50 g each oven-bake modeling clay: white, pink
  • Crystal heart with bail: 18 mm pink, 10 mm clear
  • Dried florals: 2 roses, glittered baby’s breath, asparagus fern sprays
  • Scrap of white net or tulle
  • Clear monofilament thread
  • Hot glue gun
  • Miscellaneous items: nonsitck baking sheet, toothpick, rolling pin, oven, scissors, ruler

Double Twist Heart

  1. Preparation: Use 1/4 pkg each pink and white clay. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to knead each color until it feels warm, like smooth putty. Roll clay by hand until you have a long strand of each about 17″ (45 cm) long.
  2. Forming: Pick up both pieces and match the ends. Twist them around each other in the air as shown in the Step 2 illustration, into a heart shape, approximately 4: (10 cm) across. press the ends together in the center V, and flatten.
  3. Baking: Use toothpick to poke 2 vertical holes in the V, about 1″ (2.5 cm) apart. Bake in the oven according to clay manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20-30 min, until hardened in a 265 degree F (132 degree C) oven. Remove from oven; let cool completely on baking sheet.
  4. Hanger: Hang clear crystal heart with monofilament thread from the lower hole so it hangs within the heart; see photo. Cut desired length of monofilament thread for ornament hanger. Thread through the upper hole, tie in an overhand knot, and trim thread ends.
  5. Forals: Fold and hot-glue net or tulle to the front of the heart V for a base. Refer to the photo to hot-glue in order: asparagus fern, baby’s breath and rose.

Single Twist Heart

  1. Preparation: Use 1/2 pkg white clay. follow manufacturer’s instructions to knead clay until it feels warm, like smooth putty. Roll clay by hand until you have a long strand about 17″ (43 cm) long. Flatten with a rolling pin until it is about 1/8″ (3 mm) thick.
  2. Forming: Carefully lift the clay strand up in the air and twist, referring to the photo. Form clay on a flat surface into a heart shape, approximately 4″ (10 cm) across. Press the ends together in the center V, and flatten.
  3. Finishing: Repeat Steps 3-5 of Double Twist Heart to complete, hanging pink crystal heart from the lower hole.

Bouquet in a Pot

Bouquet PotFlowers are always a welcomed gift, especially roses. It combines the simplicity of carnations with the elegance of roses in an expression of bright color. Made with silk flowers, it will continue to give pleasure throughout the year.

Materials

  • 6″ (15 cm) clay pot
  • Saucer to fit the pot
  • Acrylic craft paints: hot pink, bright yellow
  • Two 1″ (2.5 cm) sponge brushes
  • High-gloss spray finish
  • 3″ x 4″ x 8″ (7.5 x 10 x 20.5 cm) brick dry arrangement floral foam
  • Florals from your local craft store: 7 yellow roses; 10 standard hot pink carnations; 5 stems of tree fern, about 18″ (46 cm) tall
  • Miscellaneous items: paint palette, newspaper, serrated knife, ruler, sharp knife, cutting board or surface, scissors
  1. Basecoating: Let paints dry between each coat and each color. Use 1″ (2.5 cm) sponge brush to basecoat clay pot rim and saucer with yellow paint. paint the saucer on both the top and bottom. Use the other sponge brush to basecoat the clay pot body with hot pink paint. Use as many coats as necessary for complete coverage, about 5 coats of yellow paint and 2 to 3 coats of pink paint.
  2. Glossy Finish: Set up newspaper sheets outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to spray the pot and saucer with at least 2 coats of high-glass spray finish; let dry overnight.
  3. Foam Base: Place foam in the clay pot; use serrated knife to trim foam to fit, cutting off the top of the foam level with the top of the pot.
  4. Carnation Border: Use a sharp knife and a cutting surface to cut off the carnation stems, 1 at a time, to a 4″ (10 cm) length. Remove any leaves remaining on the stems. Place the carnations around the edge of the pot, pushing them into the foam at a slight angle. Place all 10 of the carnations around the pot in a circle border.
  5. Roses: Use a sharp knife and a cutting surface to cut off the rose stems, 1 at a time, to a 4″ (10 cm) length. remove any leaves remaining on the stems. Place the roses in 3 rows in the middle of the pot pushing them straight down into the foam.
  6. Tree Ferns: use scissors to cut off small pieces of the tree ferns, about 2″ to 3″ (2.5 to 7.5 cm) tall. Push the pieces into the foam between each flower, until the floral foam can no longer be seen. Also place them in the foam in a circle around the top rim of the pot.


Growin’ Love Basket

Create this beautiful basket for any day, even St. Patrick’s Day, and give it as a gift. Getting blooming flowers and Growin’ Love Basketbright green plants will cause someone’s eyes to be smiling.

Materials

  • Large green oval basket, 14″ (35.5 cm) long, 6″ (15 cm) deep and 12″ (30.5 cm) high at handle
  • Live plants: One 6″ (15 cm) pot of peace lily or other upright green plant; one 6″ (15 cm) pot of blooming white cyclamen, azalea or chrysanthemum; one 4″ (10 cm) pot of variegated ivy; 1 or 2 other 4″ (10 cm) pots; number needed depends on basket size  (silk plants may be used in place of live ones)
  • 5 plastic saucers, 1 for each plant pot to sit in (if using live plants)
  • 3″ x 4″ x 8″ (7.5 x 10 x 20.5 cm) brick dry floral foam
  • 1 pkg green sheet moss
  • Greening pins, 24-gauge wire, floral pick
  • 3 yd (2.75 m) green sheer ribbon, 2″ (5 cm) wide
  • 3 decorative picks
  • Miscellaneous items: serrated knife, ruler, wire cutters
  1. Basket Preparation: If you have been unable to find a green basket, you can easily make a natural-colored basket green. If the basket has wide reed pieces, such as shown in the photo, use a soft cloth to wipe green stain onto the basket. Wipe off any excess, and repeat until the basket is the desired shade. For wicker, or thicker twig baskets, spray paint will do the job. Follow manufacturer’s instructions, and work in a well-ventilated area.
  2. Large Plants: Place the 2 larger 6″ (15 cm) peace lily and cyclamen plants in the back of the basket. Place the lily Growin’ Basket Directionson the left, and the cyclamen on the right. Place their plastic saucers underneath them.
  3. Foam Base: Measure the inside depth of the basket. measure the height of the 4″ (10 cm) diameter pots, usually about 4″ (10 cm). Subtract the pot height from the basket depth, and mark the floral foam brick on the top into slices that thick. Use the serrated knife to cut the floral foam brick into slices along the marked lines. Place 3 of the slices into the basket bottom in front of the 2 larger plants; these will provide a base for the smaller plants.
  4. Small Plants: Place the plastic saucers on the foam slices, and the three 4″ (10 cm) plants into their saucers. Each plant should sit with the top of the plant pot level with the top of the basket. If the plant pots are not fitting snugly into the basket, use additional plant to fill the space, or stuff in extra floral foam. Cover the entire basket surface with sheet moss. Pat down, and secure with 4 – 8 greening pins. The moss does not have to be very neat; let some spill out over the basket edges; as shown in the photo.
  5. Bow: make a 10-loop, 9″ (23 cm) bow with 8″ (20.5 cm) streamers. Twist 6″ (15 cm) of 24-gauge wire around bow; twist tightly. Wrap wire ends around a floral pick, and insert pick into foam at upper right side of basket. Stick the 3 shamrock picks into the foam around the cyclamen in the back right.
  6. Care: Make sure to water each plant individually at least 2 times per week, even more often if the humidity is low.

Ribbon Rose Gift Card

Materials

  • Paper: 8.5″ x 11″ (21.8 x 28 cm) dark pink, 3″ x 10″ (7.5 x 25.5 cm) light pink, 3″ (7.5 cm) square each lavender, Ribbon Rose Gift Cardlight green, dark pink, light blue
  • Light pink roses: four 3/4″ (2 cm) and one 1/2″ (1.3 cm)
  • 1 yd (0.95 m) white satin ribbon, 1/8″ (3 mm) thick
  • Assorted pattern-blade scissors
  • Glues: white craft glue, glue stick
  • Miscellaneous items: tracing paper, pencil, ruler, scissors

Directions

  1. Draw a 2-inch (medium) heart pattern and a 1.25″ (small) heart pattern to tracing paper with pencil. Cut paper out with pattern-blade scissors. Use glue stick for gluing paper, and white craft glue for the trims and embellishments. Refer to photo for decoration placement.
  2. Cutting: Fold 8.5″ x 11 (21.8 x 28 cm) dark pink sheet in half to make a 4.25″ x 11″ (10.8 x 28 cm) card; trim all edges of dark pink and pink paper. Cut 1 medium heart each from lavender, light green, dark pink, and light blue paper, plus 1 small heart from light blue.
  3. Gluing: Glue light pink sheet centered on front of card. glue hearts to card starting with the lavender heart at the top. Cut white satin ribbon into 5 pieces and make into bows. Glue bows, then ribbon roses onto hearts.
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]