Finding the perfect gift for Mother’s Day can be a bit of a problem. She doesn’t want candy, she tells you that she really doesn’t want anything, yet if you don’t get something for the mother of your children or the woman who gave birth to you, you’ll feel guilty, plus you’ll most likely get the evil eye. What do you do?
The answer is a creative do-it-yourself gift. As a dedicated DIYer who has accomplished a myriad of home improvement projects with supplies from our store and help from our sales associates, you may have odds and ends of excess materials available. Why not turn these pieces into a fun and thoughtful gift that she’ll love? Many of these gifts are easier to make than you realize. No matter the difficulty, however, producing a homemade gift says one important word: love.
Consider these creative DIY ideas to surprise your wife or mother.
Photo Frame
Chances are you know exactly how much wood you have leftover from former projects. Turn your leftover wood planks into attractive photo frames for the wall or a desk. Popular sizes include 4×6, 5×7 and 8×10 openings. Paint or stain the exterior and then place a favorite photo inside. Another possibility is attaching glass mosaic tiles or, if you have a steady hand, painting their favorite quote or song lyrics on to the frame. If you have the correct tools, you can even bevel the exterior to make the surfaces more attractive.
Recipe Stand or iPad/Tablet Holder
Here’s another gift that you can easily create out of excess wood. Cut a piece of wood that’s just slightly larger than their tablet. You can either keep the surface flat or create a notch or small lip on one side to hold it in place. If you make this for physical paper or card recipes, add an arm on the front side to keep them in place.
Cutting Board
A better name for this may be a food preparation board or a cheese/charcuterie board, because unfortunately many of the materials that you can fashion a cutting board out of around your house can damage the knives in your kitchen. But, if you happen to have end grain or edge grain wood left over from a project, with the right sealant you could make a beautiful cutting board that won’t dull your knives. Maple, cherry or walnut woods are really popular, hold their color and look great on the kitchen counter.
You can also make one out of stones like marble or travertine, but such boards are often better used for making pastry dough instead of cutting, so you may want to present them as such.
She-Shed Shape Up
Does Mom have her own private getaway? If so, you may want to create an element such as shelving, bookcases or something useful that she can use inside of it. If she doesn’t already have a she-shed you can create one. Sure, you won’t be able to surprise her with it, but the mere fact that you will commit to such a large project will go a long way.
Create a Coupon
If you still don’t know what to get or create for that all-important mom in your life, create a coupon for a DIY job of her choice. It can be anything that she needs or wants in the home, however, our advice is to stick to what she wants. Similar to the she-shed, finally completing a home renovation project that Mom has wanted for a long time will most likely score more points than that box of candy or even a bunch of flowers that you may have considered. She’ll love whatever you create much more than something purchased from a store.
When you’re ready to get building, the home improvement experts at Doug Ashy are here to help. We can make sure you have the right tools and materials you need to wow mom next month. Contact us today and let’s get started.