Sunday 14 March 2010

March Giveaway - Spring Flower Brooch

Happy Mother's Day to all you UK mums! And of course much love and virtual hugs to my own mum! :)

My mum is a big fan of my blog, and when she found this old Mother's Day card I made many years ago she suggested it would be a great thing to share on my blog...


I used to make lots of cards using felt and sometimes stitched little felt pictures like this which I then stuck to card with lots of craft glue. I'd forgotten about this one - it's lovely to rediscover it.

As well as being Mother's Day, it's also time for this month's giveaway!

This month I'm giving away the flower brooch I made for yesterday's tutorial. It's just over 3 inches (8cms) wide and full of springtime cheerfulness! Keep it for yourself or give it to your mum :)


To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me about something you made for your mum when you were little or (if you're now a mum yourself) something sweet your kids have made for you.

Leave your comment before midnight (UK time) on Sunday 21st March and I'll pick the winner at random on Monday 22nd March. I'm happy to ship internationally, so anyone can enter.

Please make sure you leave a name or pseudonym (no anonymous comments please) and some way for me to contact you (or be sure to come back next week to see if you got picked). Good luck!

UPDATE: this giveaway is now closed!

68 comments:

Smeeeff said...

This year I have made my mum a hamper of things she loves, tea, a mini tea pot and a matching mug, dairy free chocolates and all sorts of nuts. I hope she likes it! She's visiting me next week and wanted to wait until then to get it so she could say thank you properly! You're card for your mum it really lovely!

If you need to contact you can do via my blog or @smeeeff on twitter.

So Many Nicknames said...

My mum like tigers so I made her a tiger brooch out of clay when I was about 8. It was ok but I was jealous of my friend who had creatively fashioned a brooch for her mum which looked like a real finger - complete with red painted nail. Oh the glamour!

trisha said...

when i was younger, i used to make my mom breakfast on mothers day, with fresh buns and roses. I also always painted her a picture, or write her a little poem and put it on the table :)

Gemma said...

When I was at school I made a clay telephone that weighed a ton! She still proudly displays it in her kitchen many (many) years later.

verypurpleperson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Manon said...

When my mum turned 45 I made her a scrapbook, with pictures of herself, each for every year.
She loved it.

Happily Blest said...

One gift I got was a little jar filled with handmade soap balls that the kids made in school..it was such a nice gift..Thanks to a very smart teacher.

We used to paint chalk ware strawberry hangers way back when...they are most likely antiques now..it's been many years since I was in the 1st grade..

Love the pin..hope I win.

Thanks Sue Mc

Jennifer S. said...

My friend was staying with us for a bit when we were 10 and for Mothers day she and I stayed up late to make a special jello and cream molded cake with strawberries for my mom. Unfortunately the jello didn't set right, so it was more of a red and white slop the next morning. It's the thought that counts, right?

GG With A Twist of Lime said...

As a Mom one of the best gifts I ever received was when my son was in college. Of course he had no money. So he made me a CD of my all time favorite songs. The fact that he knew what my favorite songs were through the years was incredible. Still have that CD nearly 10 years later.

JIM JAM SANDWICH said...

I always make my Mum handmade cards but when I was young I was always very proud of some fimo magnets I made her in the shape of food for her fridge. They're still on it to this day! x

Fiona said...

I'd love to win your brooch. Some of the best things my kids gave me on mother's day and other days as well were smiling faces and kisses. And I'm lucky that they still do!

Tara... said...

How cute is your card? And i loved yesterdays tutorial sew owning one of your broaches would be fab!
I used to decorate the old small pringles pots with lace and fabric and pictures of pencils and give them to my mum so she could use them as a pencil pot :)
Thinking about it...i could probably do a similar thing for my desk now too!
thanks for the chance to win *fingers crossed* x

kjsutcliffe said...

This morning I opened a red wrapped gift with a poem attached. I was given strict instructions to read this first before opening the gift.

The poem read as follows -
A PAPER CLIP because you hold things together when something falls apart
A TISSUE for all the tears you have dried
A PLASTER since you helped me when I needed mending
A COTTON BALL to cushion the bumpy roads ahead
A SMILEY FACE coz if I do good, you smile
AN ELASTIC BAND to bind us together in love
A MINT because you are worth a mint

In side the red wrapped gift was a paper clip, a tissue, a plaster, a cotton ball, an elastic band and a mint, the smiley face had been drawn on a card.

All the work of a 9 year old - I was so-oo touched.

SmilynStef said...

Lovin' that broach ... I made my mom a heart-shaped wreath of eucalyptus pieces that unfortunately she still has hanging in the bathroom (it's way past it's prime ... but sweet that she keeps it).

dropstitch said...

I used to make loads of random things for my mum. One that springs to mind was a virtual fire in a bottle. I got an old rectagular perfume bottle and drew brickwork on a bit of paper using trusty old felt pens. I taped this onto the back of the bottle so you could see it through the glass. Again with the trusty felt pens, I coloured some paper yellow, some orange and some red on both sides. (I obviously didn't have any red orange or yellow paper - that would have been easier!) I chopped these up into hundreds of really teeny rectangles, put them inside the bottle and put the lid back on. That was it! The idea was that you shook the bottles to make the paper rectangles leap about like flames in front of the brickwork - a virtual fireplace in a bottle! Did that even make any sense? I don't know where I used to get my ideas from... :)

Clair said...

That card is so cute- will probably get my girls to make these next year for collective grannies...
I used to love drawing flowers and I remember making about a hundred individual flowers using my spirograph (remember that??) and creating a giant bouquet. Mum loved it and it hung in our kitchen until it faded and fell apart so much it just had to go. Cannot wait til the girls can craft independent of direction!!!

MySpecialAgent said...

When I was in kindergarten, I made my mom a jewelry box out of popsicle sticks. It had a little felt flower on the top with a stick-on plastic "jewel" in the center. My mom still has it (some 23 years later).

Oak Shade Farm said...

One year I colored my mom a beautiful picture. She had me enter it in a contest and I won! My first box of 100 crayons. I was in love.

Unknown said...

Today I received a handmade felt star, encrusted with sequins and beads from my daughter Amy! Also a hand embroidered hankerchief - thanks Amy, i love you x <3 x

Unknown said...

My son gave me a card this year that he had made at school. It had a teapot on it, and tucked in the top of the teapot was a teabag!

He then made me a cup of tea for the first time ever. (He's only 6!) Best present in the world...

Sarah

nonus said...

In day care, we used to make cards everey year with the teachers. There was always a poem on it and a place to draw a picture, nd the best was probably the little hand print. oh and we also signed the card. My mother still has them.

Anonymous said...

I love that brooch! It's so happy and colourful!

I made a lot of drawings and such for my mom when I was younger - but I am most proud of a pair of hedgehogs I sewed for her this past year. She loves them!

SheCraftZ said...

IT's funny since the day you close the contest [ march 21st is mothers day in Egypt :)) i don't remember what i made my mom when i was little, but i do remember 6 years ago when i first cam to Canada after getting married i missed her so much that as a grown up i was so wanting to go back and be her lil girl again that i made her a pincushion that say's MOM since she does use a lot of pin for crafting or even to make her head wrap stay on :)) and i can't wait for the day when my girl is big enough to make me something to keep for a life time till she is older ;) my email is shecraftz@gmail.com incase i win, and again that would be a real mothers day gift since it's in my native country mothers day date, that would be something!

NEEDLEWINGS said...

I remember in grade school (back in the 60's) We took a liquid soap container and cut it down to make a jewelry box. We covered it with macaroni shells and painted it gold and gave it to our mothers for Mother's Day

Unknown said...

When I was 6 years old, I wanted to give my mum all the money I had (which is MYR 1 = GBP 0.25).. At that time I thought that was a looooot of money, which is not at all .. you can't even buy a bottle of coke with that much :).. anyway, I wrapped it nicely in a pillowcase (silly me) and gave it to her ... but in the end I asked her back for it to buy an ice lollies .. :)

BlueTulip said...

Your brooch is so lovely and creative as usual :) .

I've made my mother many things, but my favorite is a cross-stitch picture of two redpoles on a branch which I gave her 20 or more years ago. My parents recently moved, and mom put her picture up in the kitchen where she can see it every day.

Even at 42 it makes me smile just a bit to know she still enjoys my gift to her.

Hannah said...

I remember every year when I was younger, I used to draw my mum a card with a picture of her on it, and I'd always make her a cup of tea. :P Tea is always great!

Claire Hurd Design said...

When I was very little I used to like collecting conkers and turning them in to little animals. My Mum still has the mouse I gave her with pink felt ears and tail, tiny felt eyes and thread whiskers!

Claire x (studio@clairehurd.co.uk)

Janine said...

I started stitching when I was 12 and I made a large stitched piece for both my parents about how wonderful they are. Now I make my Mom penny rugs and table mats any time I can...
My boys used to make me cards all the time when they were younger and I have each and every one of them...
This is such a pretty brooch!!

Anonymous said...

I was all about making cards for my mom and still do to this day. I love the homemade sentiments and have passed that tradition on to my own children.

Love your brooch and tutorial! Thanks!

Danijela said...

When i was a little I made her lot of kids stuff,like pasta or seashell art on a little coffy plate.This year I crochet little granny pouch,eyeglases cozy and flower pot bookmark.
Lovely giveaway,have a lovely day.
whyboder@yahoo.com

Sandra said...

Hi,my kid is still in kindergatten, and they make this lovely things to give on special ocasions to mum. the last one was a necklace with a heart made of clay. is so beautiful.
love the brooch, and everything else.

Allison said...

i was big on drawing and writing, so my mom got a lot of poems accompanied by illustrations from me. now i love crocheting and sewing, so she gets scarves and totes.

thanks for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

I always made my mom breakfast in bed on special occasions, like her birthday or mother's day. It was never very tidy, but I didn't tire of trying to make it more beautiful. Croissants, scrambled eggs, strawberry jam, orange juice, coffee, and always a rose in a vase too.

ljmacaluso@yahoo.com said...

my Mom is a seamstress so one year (can't remember how old) I made got her a wood sewing machine shaped mini shelf and little sewing items and painted the machine and attached a little item on each shelf. this had to have been at least 25 years ago although I don't recall exactly and it's still hanging in her sewing room :) my own little girl draws for me each year i get a beautiful picture and last year her and her Daddy made me a birdhouse which she painted all by herself (she was 3)

Cakes Knits and Cosies said...

My lovely children have all made me lovely gifts for mother's day, although they're growing up now, so don't make as many tings as they used to. I have kept everything they have ever made, from photoframes, to knitted cakes. Our oldest daughter is now an artist herself and still loves being creative. Happy mother's day...

Rita said...

When I was a little girl, I tried to bake a cake but it tasted like a shoe :D

I remember that my mother ate all the "cake" :)

Thanks!
Rita Múrias (from Portugal)
ritamurias@hotmail.com

Gherkin said...

Hi

I once made my mum a velvet pin cushion frilled with lace around the edge and I arranged the pins to spell out MUM in the middle.

I had a lousy Mother's Day as I spent the afternoon throwing up. We are moving the celebration to to next Sunday in The Gherkin Jar!

Gherks

Aleximo said...

I once made my Mum a teapot shaped card with a new teabag inside, I think I wrote something like "put your feet up Mum and have a nice cup of tea"! I must have been in Primary School when I made it. xXx

donnabridy@aol.com said...

When I was ten, I made my mom a birthday cake. It was a sheet cake with pink icing and a heart made out of cinnamon candies and a GIANT (almost as big as the cake) 32 on it! I now laugh any time my own children put my age on things! (I'm 50+)!

Thanks for considering me for your giveaway.

Tina Peacock said...

My little girl,who is 3 (with help, of course), made some little flower shaped sweets out of icing sugar with a gem in the middle. There were 4 of them all wrapped up in a bright yellow gift wrap & ribbon...gorgeous! x

Leonor Melo said...

I think one of the favorite gifts I gave to my mom was a decorated vase of blooming flowers I have grown from seeds.

Anonymous said...

I love your flower brooch. It is beautiful.I would love to win it and give it to my Mother.My Dad has been in the hospital and now is in rehab.So Giving Mom something so beautiful would be nice. She laoves things homemade,I made her a travel cup with all of her childrens pics on it and she used it until it looked sooo bad.Thank you for your give away..Emily
LUVMYCATECS@YAHOO.COM
I do not have a google account

M.N. said...

I think your brooch is beautiful. March 21 is my birthday and it would be a great gift to receive :)

sherrie said...

I love your work. I found your blog today and have signed up to follow. I look forward to more.

Jan said...

I'm actually a grandma, so I guess I could answer this any of several ways. But one of them was a brooch my son when he was probably in kindergarten, made of a piece of cardboard with pieces of borken seashells on it. I think it was supposed to be a bird, but it looked very abstract.

Bird on Wire Studio said...

When I was a kid I made my mum a book about unicorns. I sewed up the binding with white yarn and each page had a unicorn drawn on it. For the mane and tail of the drawing, I tied on multi-colored strands of yarn. It was beautiful and she loved looking through it. Maybe I'll make her a unicorn book this year too, 23 years later!!!!

azules said...

I like your work very much!!!!!!

Regards from Argentina...

Aisyah said...

I remember making a cross-stitch flowers in a basket for my mom when I was a teenager and she still hangs it in her living room. It's always sweet to give handmade items to our moms because we know that they'll cherish it for always. Thanks for this giveaway!

desi said...

When i was little i made my mom a ladybird with a rock i picked up! :)
i was superchuffed and i guess she too!! :)

it's a lovely brooch and that beautifull mothers day card made inspired me to make my own this year too!! :) thank yoU!
desi
x

ana said...

When I was at school I made an origami basket with flowers, roses, a tipical gift from our nuns school here in Galicia(Spain). Congratulations for your blog!

creativejewishmom said...

My 7 year old daughter writes me sweet notes telling me how much she appreciates everything I do! I'm saving those for sure! Love the brooch, think I'll keep it for myself.....

Mavi. said...

Laura, beautiful brooch, as all you do. Your creativity is astounding.
You can use whatever you need, no problem.
Warm greetings.I use the translator, I do not speak English, sorry.

Mavi.

Mavi. said...

We did for Mother's Day what we were told at school used to be handmade postcards, not have them. My daughter have some, but not by hand.
Let's see if we are lucky and I touch your lovely brooch. If so would share with my daughter.
Thanks, Laura.
Mavi.

La Nu said...

I love your giveaways! And this one made me remember things... When I was a kid, me and my sisters used to give my mum lots of drawings... and once we were moving (we weren't kids anymore) and we found in a closet a bag full with these drawings that my mum had been collecting over the years... and with "full" I mean hundreds and hundreds of papers and some were only a bunch of lines, not only the nice ones... it was so touching to see in a moment how much it meant to her. I love my mum!

netseeker2 said...

Egads I've made so many different things for my mother over the years from a stuffed Ootpik (an Inuit rendition of an owl), to candles and vases to a knit afghan that took me forever to knit.

Anonymous said...

I made a stuffed rabbit for my mother when those were all the rage!
Connie

Claudia/Ompompali said...

I have received the most wonderful presents from my children during the years .Well,I do have 4 now grown-up children and I have a huge removal box up in the attic full with presents they once made me.Every time I move I take the box with me, have a look inside and smile once again because the presents are so pretty. Little books covered with fabric, dozens of paintings, lavender sachets, sets of handmade cards, twig constructions resembing animals, a fabric shop made out of a shoe box. Oh I could go on for hours! Greetings from Germany

Gill said...

my mum died several years ago so we always visit her grave and lay flowers on mothers day
gill

Amanda Pedro said...

I don't recall anything in particular that i made for my mom, but I know I would have made her something.
Now that I'm a mom, my husband always makes a trip to my craft room and puts something together from my supplies. be it a piece of ribbon or a handmade card. My son makes a card also and my daughter glues something. this year, she'll probably do the cutting and gluing since that is where she's at right now. I like them going into my space to find treasures they feel I may like.
love the brooch, thanks for sharing

Gregarious Hermit said...

Once I made my Mom a little collage with quote about how special moms are and little flowers. She still has it hanging in her bedroom.

dlswoboda said...

My mom keeps all the hand-made cards I've given her over the years; she uses them as bookmarks.

Katie said...

When I was little I used to make my mum lots of cards with glitter and pasta all over them! One thing I remember making for her which she still has is a little pot sponged blue with daises drawn on it. Not sure what she keeps in it but it always has pride of place on her dresser :-)

trekmom said...

One year for mother's day my sister and I made her a scrapbook with all of our pictures in in plus pictures of all 11 grandchildren. She really loved it!

craftyjemima said...

I just found a card that I made for my mum for easter when I was probably about 6 or 7. It had big fluffy 3D chicks on it. It seems I've always had a crafty streak!

Nerys x

Sarah said...

My kids are always making things for me especially drawings and I look forward to them being a bit older and seeing what they will make me.
My mum still uses a felt house needlebook embroidered with various stitches for flowers that I made for her rather a long time ago which is great as she is a food technology and textile teacher!

Sharon M. said...

I just love your felt work, so much so, i've just received the order of beautiful felt and some great patterns to get me started again. My children always made such wonderful crafts in their school classes and in sunday school for us mothers. Very creative teachers! How blessed we are to have great children and wonderful mothers! My favorite mothers day gift was a mosaic that was done with noodles, beads, buttons, and beans! So much color and such imagination! Hope I win! Sharon

Laura Johnson said...

Such sweet stories! One of my Mum's faves was when I painted a portrait of one of our dogs, I've been promising to do the rest ever since!