With Mother’s Day just around the corner, why not make this day one she’ll never forget?  Homemade Mother’s Day gifts are both affordable and from the heart. Instead of heading to the department store, individualize your gift and show her how much you appreciate her. Here are some ideas guaranteed to make her smile.

• Instead of going to the card store to buy a card, dig out some construction paper and make your own. You can personalize the card by creating your own design and writing a special message. Use markers, rubber stamps, stickers, photos, pictures cut out from magazines—let your creative juices flow!
• Surprise her with her favorite meal by preparing a home-cooked Mother’s Day dinner.
• Search through your photos and find your favorite one of you and her together, then frame it.
• Head to your local bead store and choose some gems to create a pair of earrings or a necklace.
• Create a gift basket. Head to the art store and peruse the aisles. You can jazz up a simple wicker basket with some decorative ribbon. Tailor the contents according to what she loves. If your mom is a gardener, pick out some new gloves and a few tools. Or choose some specialty tea or coffee and pair it with a nice box of English shortbread.
• Head to your favorite bookstore and spend the afternoon browsing new titles. Before giving it to her, write a personal message inside the front cover. While you may not be the famous author of the book, your words are valuable to her.