Easy Mother's Day Crafts

Mothering Sunday is coming up, and don't we know it. There are many adverts extolling us to "make mum's day" by buying her a jacket for £69.50 from a High Street store.

Now while I love being spoiled as much as the next stressed and under-appreciated mum, I'm guessing that most of us won't be opening a present like that.

Although Emma has highlighted some thoughtful presents sometimes money can be a bit tight. I reckon we should forget all that and say thanks with something home-made.This is one where dad can shoo mum out of the kitchen while he whips up a storm with the paints and children. Even if you've got a baby, there should be no stopping them adding a bit of paint to really make mum's day.

You don't need heaps of equipment but stock up on paint, card, tissue paper and glue. Recycling boxes, jam jars and loo roll inners also helps.

Here's our list of really easy crafts that children can make for mum:

• Handprint art: Nothing melts a mum's heart faster than their child's handprint. Angle them together and you could make a heart (with one print on top of the other and closed fingers at angles) or a butterfly with the thumbs together.

• A picture of mum: These are wonderful and also make lovely keepsakes. You could make it look really special and frame it before giving it to her.

• Jam jar candle holder: Clean an empty jam jar and decorate by sticking tissue paper on the outside in random patterns or cut out hearts or flowers. Cover with PVA glue and pop a tealight inside. When it's lit it glows prettily.

• Decorated plant pot: Get a plastic flower pot or even a clean, empty tin can with the label washed off and decorate with stickers, pictures cut out of magazines or ribbons. Buy a gorgeous polyanthus from the garden centre and pop in the pot.

• Melted record dish: This one is for teenagers or older children to do with supervision. Get an old record (which will no doubt prompt lots of discussions) and melt it over an upturned ovenproof bowl or casserole dish in a low oven. The results are fab! More instructions can be found here. If you're clever, you may want to scour charity shops for a vinyl record that's suitably cheesy/meaningful/funny.

• Recipe cards: If you have access to a computer and printer you could print off recipe cards found here or here. They can be left blank or perhaps one or two filled with a favourite recipe. Reuse an empty teabag box or similar box with a hinged lid to store them in.

• Make a cake: Children love baking and mums love cake (at least they do in our house) so this is a great activity and gift for everyone. If you make a Mars Bar cake there's no actual baking involved.

• Photo bouquet: This is a lovely craft if you have more than one child. Cut out flower shapes from coloured card. Now cut out a round photograph of each child and stick them in the centre of the flower. Stick a straw onto the back and pop into a decorated empty yoghurt pot or jam jar.

Have you got an easy Mother's Day craft to share?