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Spring is happening in full-force on our little corner of the earth, and I love all the green I am seeing out my window! Mother’s Day is coming up on May 8, and I am blessed to have some amazing women in my life that I want to give a very thoughtful gift to.
My grandma has been a constant in my life ever since I can remember. She is a little lady that likes to tell people she is 5’1″ (she’s not), and says basically whatever is on her mind. There is never a shortage of laughter when my grandma is around, like the time she accidentally dropped her ever-present tissue into a lit candle on Thanksgiving, or when she detailed her shopping trip for an “over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder” in front of my husband. My grandma drives me crazy with her frankness – once she offered me money to lose weight – but I can confidently say I would not be the woman I am today without her. She has always been the caretaker in our family. She has taken care of countless elderly relatives in leu of sending them to a nursing home, and I know that she is the one person in the world I could call if I needed something. She has taught me a lot about strength and compassion. So many of my friends have lost their grandmothers – I feel lucky to still have her in my life.
My mom and I didn’t get along when I was growing up. That might be an understatement. But when I had my daughter, almost 15 years ago, it totally changed the dynamic between us. She is hands-down the best grandma in the world and there is nothing she wouldn’t do for my daughter. Whether it is growing up and maturing, or just a natural growth, my mom and I have become good friends over the years, and she is now one of my closest confidants. I couldn’t have foreseen the path our relationship would take, but I am so thankful we ended up here. She is a cancer survivor, a great artist, and loves skulls. Bonus points if the skull-related object is glittery.
Now that I am the mom of a teenage daughter, I am more grateful than ever that I come from a long line of strong women. As I was debating what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day gifts, I knew I wanted my daughter to be involved in picking them out/making them. In this day and age where women are competing with each other, picking each other apart, and tearing each other down I think it is important to teach my daughter what a strong woman looks like and how to draw on that strength to lift each other up. I am fortunate to know a lot of strong, amazing moms, many of whom I am not related to, and I think Mother’s Day is the perfect time to honor them as well.
I have mentioned before that there is a Walmart just a little over a block from my house, so my daughter and I walked over to check out their Mother’s Day selection. They had a huge display of American Greetings cards and even all of the gift packaging we needed.
My family isn’t big on hugs and I love you’s, but my grandma cries over every heartfelt card she receives, so of course we make it a mission to find the most eloquent, tear-jerking card on the shelf. We chose a card for my mom and one for my grandma, but American Greeting Cards can celebrate ANY mother, so don’t forget the women who have poured into your life that may not have birthed you.
We will be celebrating Mother’s Day by visiting my grandma, who lives about an hour away, with my parents. Besides the cards, we are also giving them these DIY Mason Jar Vases. This project was easy, and fairly inexpensive, but I love how they turned out. I’m hoping my daughter makes one for me!
You will need a mason jar, some acrylic paint, a foam paintbrush, painter’s tape (or washi), glue dots or glue, and some Dove Promise and/or Dove Fruit and Nut candy. I chose to include a photo in the vase design, but you could omit this and just paint them if you wanted to. The last holiday my family got together my oldest nephew was home on leave from the army, and my stepsons were staying with us. They live 14 hours away, so it is rare that all of my kids and niece and nephews are able to get together. I was able to snap a photo of all of them, and I can’t wait to present it to my mom and grandma in this vase, because it is the only photo of all of the kids together that we have ever gotten.
Start by painting your mason jar. Add strips of painter’s tape to mark off the stripes. I find it easiest to place my hand in the mouth and paint everything but the bottom.
This will probably take a few coats to make sure it is opaquely covered, so make sure you let it dry thoroughly in between. Once the jar is thoroughly dry, remove the tape to reveal the stripes. If you want to distress the paint, I find a nail file works perfect!
Next, you will want to cut your photo to size. You can cut it into a shape, or just leave it squared, whatever you prefer. Use glue dots or glue to affix it to the mason jar.
Then I filled the jars with Dove Fruit and Nut and Dove promises candy, and added a silk peony. I LOVE how these DIY mason jar photo vases turned out, and they will make a beautiful presentation with the gorgeous American Greetings Cards and packaging.
For more beautiful Mother’s Day items and inspiration, check this out, and don’t forget that starting on 4/25 when you spend $5 or more on American Greetings products, you can save $2! Since we are in the spirit of Mother’s Day, take the “What Kind of Mom Are You?” quiz below.
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