Happy Mothers Day

If you still have a mother, be thankful and appreciate her.  I lost my mother 6 yrs

        ago and still miss her every day. I learned so much from her.

If your mother is young or old, show and tell her you love her.  She will sense when you are too busy for her, so on this mother’s day take time for your mother and think how much time she has spent on you!

Mother’s Day gift’s can range from beautiful bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolates, lovely gift basket with all of mom’s favorite things for pampering on her special day. Every one is looking for low budget gifts this year and here they are. Consider the following:

Grandmothers:

Young children love projects and this is a good holiday for their participation.  Store bought cards are beautiful, this year consider home made cards by your children.  Start this project early allowing enough time for them to finish the cards.  Does grandmother love flowers, a potted plant, herb plants or even a tomato plant?  The children can help with the planting. You can use a basket, or a colorful gift bag and tissue, add her favorite tea, fresh muffins or cookies and chocolates or mints. Use a ribbon and tie the handles together.  The most cherished gift of all —Your Time!

Mothers with children:

School age children will probably have the assistance of dad.  If it’s a dinner reservation for the whole family sit back and enjoy it.  Save those precious cards in your scrapbook. New mom’s with infants and young children will welcome and love “One hour to themselves” or a certificate to a massage, facial, or haircut.  Time is precious and free time is scarce with young children.

On A Budget:

This year we are all watching our budgets. For instance at Easter we needed another table arrangement. I went outside cut some palms fro the pal, tree, bouginvilla, and branches fro the orange tree. found a glass vase in the garage, cut trimmed and made a lovely arrangement.  This was placed on extra shred from the baskets.  You could give this gift to your grandmother, aunt nursing home friend or anyone for a fraction of the florist cost.

Take a look around your house, yard and garage.  See what you have and what you can reuse.  Just be sure the containers is in good condition and completely cleaned.

Wrap matching colored tissue around flowers, add a nice big bow and watch the smile of appreciation on someone’s face. Check your local thrift shop or goodwill for gently used and moderately priced vases in assorted sizes and colors.  Consider teacups and saucers, as a base for a delicate African violet.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

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Make your Easter gift baskets more than just marshmallow bunnies and lots of chocolate in a basket! Below you will find suggestions that are easy on the budget.

Children will love

A colorful basket, decorated box or even a toy truck for the base, or a great basket they can use later in their room. First add shiny shred and their favorite chocolate Easter candy. The addition of granola bars, rice crispy squares or a healthy snack of raisins and nuts are great fillers. Don’t forget the fuzzy chickens or bunnies. There are wonderful ceramic bunnies and chickens on the market and this addition will become a keep sake. For girls add new head bands, ribbons and pony tail holders. Small packages of mints, life savers and juice boxes won’t break the bank. The old stand by jacks, tennis or soft balls, wrist and head bands. Tuck in a new water bottle for summer sports. A sport book or magazine in their favorite sport. These items are easier on the pocketbook than designer chocolate bunnies.

A week before Easter, purchase egg coloring kits and let your children show their artistic side.

Grandparents

And senior friends would love a small plant in bloom, with marshmallow bunnies or chocolates tucked in. Wrap everything in colorful Easter paper or several colors of tissue paper. If you feel like baking with your children, consider a delicious square of bread pudding, all wrapped up would please any adult. Baked apple pie or custard pie divided in half and you have two gifts! Again, wrap in plastic wrap or cellophane, then colorful tissue and attach a bow. It’s the thought that counts in the season of rebirth. You can purchase a ready made nest in stores such as Michael’s. Place one of your children’s decorated eggs inside, tie with a spring color ribbon and deliver to grandmother. Have your child place a hand written note under the egg.

Remember you do not need a basket as the base to make a great gift basket!

For the man in the house

Get his favorite magazine, sports, golf, tennis, fishing etc. tuck in a chocolate bunny, roll the magazine and tie with a wide ribbon, insert shinny shred at each end.

Decorate

Your dinning room table, if you have an Easter lily or other Easter plant, place it in the center of your table inside your favorite silver dish or old glass plate. Place shinny shred around the base of the plant. Add jelly beans or chocolate eggs. Arrange with the colored eggs the children made and use glass or ceramic ornate eggs. Finish with fresh twigs of forsythia, apple blossoms or other branches from spring flowering trees in your yard. Enhance your design with fuzzy chickens or bunnies around the design. Bring out your best dishes and use them! Have your children help you polish silver or wash glass items. A fun project becomes a learning experience.

Enjoy your Easter.

There are endless products to go in a Valentine’s Day gift basket, from a heart-shaped box of delicious chocolates in his/her favorite flavors to “Chocolate body frosting” complete with a paint brush.

For your favorite guy, cook his favorite dinner or take him out to dinner. Prepare a “Kisses Trail,” and surprise him with a path of chocolate kisses (wrapped in silver) leading to his pillow, and place his favorite treat there. Use your imagination! Valentine’s Day is a time to recapture what is important – the love of your Valentine!

For an adult evening, try a jar of “Chocolate body frosting,” or a box of “Edible tattoo set.” Complete the basket with a chocolate shower bar with a note that says, “Meet me in the shower.”

For her, a basket of romantic movies, with champagne and chocolates for a night in. Of course, champagne and roses is the Valentine’s Day gift always says “I love you” with class. A perfect start if you are setting the stage to pop the question to that someone special!

Giving jewelry? A heart-shaped necklace, ring or other special jewelry can be placed inside a wine or champagne glass, with sparkling shred inside.

Valentine’s Day cookies that have been decorated and individually wrapped placed in a basket with loose sparkling red shred will be enjoyed all week.
Everyone loves flowers, just be sure to express your feelings with a card, which should have more than just a signature inside.

A spa basket for the two of you, a great bubble bath you both will enjoy with scrubbies.  Try the chocolate body frosting or chocolate soap, candles, your favorite bubbly and a special card expressing how you feel.

I asked a friend from Canada, he said, “I am taking her out to dinner at a nice restaurant, then I have her favorite wine at home and some flowers and I will tell her I love her.”

A friend from Cape Cod, said, “I send my granddaughter a card with a written message and money. I tell her she’s my Valentine.”

A friend form Worcester, MA, “I feel the gift should be something that will last long after Valentine’s Day is over, so every time she looks at it, she will remember me.”

And from FL, the response was,” I will make her dinner, we will have red wine and head upstairs. That’s all I am telling you.”

Whatever or however you choose to express your love, even a single red rose, tell your Valentine how you feel. COMMUNICATION, it’s for every day!