DIY Mother’s Day gifts

This Mother’s day I am thinking of my mother and my home. When I was young I used to make hand-painted cards for her, on her birthdays, anniversary, after a fight…my mother still has most of them.

I believe in creating something rather than buying.

DIY (Do It Yourself) gifts give a personal touch and those will always be unique.

Colourful Bookmarks

Here is an idea. This Mother’s Day, why can’t we try making some handmade/hand painted book marks for your mother?? Handmade bookmarks make a perfect gift for Mother’s Day.

Cut chart paper into desired length. You can paint/or write on them. Once the painting is done punch a hole in the middle, you can thread a twine/satin ribbon through the hole and secure with a bead.

Or punch the hole on top of the paper, make sure that it is right on the middle. Fold the satin ribbon into two and insert from the back and loop it up.Voila! your book mark is ready!

Fancy Mugs

A broken/chipped mug can be used for this. If you have a broken mug which you cannot use, recycle… You can plant succulents in it..and your mom will love it.

If you have a plain coffee mug at home, you can do some painting on it. Remember to use acrylic paint for porcelain.

Fill it up with chocolates, rose petals or tea light candles!

My awesome mother 

A mixture of masalas, coconut oil, freshly churned butter, starched cotton sari and a bit of earth…my mother’s familiar scent!! Her kitchen is bustling with life, the aroma of fried onions, the whistling of the milk cooker, the gurgle from the stewing pot which has her signature dish- potatoes swimming in a thick pool of coconut milk gravy, the whirr of the blender, the rasping of the grinder making Dosa/Idli batter, and the cacophony of huge steel tubs waiting to be filled up with the batter for the week! Glass jars filled with jackfruit preserves and smoked cocums, an array of various pickles, mango, gooseberry  and lemon in brine, kept in huge clay jars labelled and carefully stacked in the immaculate pantry!

Outside the kitchen, next to the lotus pond her favourite lemon tree is laden with bright yellow lemons. Perfectly sunlit vegetable garden flourishing with parrot green bitter gourd, ashen snake gourd, purple and white brinjals, bright red tomatoes, perfectly formed ladies fingers and masses of tiny bird’s eye chillies ready to pluck!!

The old barn is now stocked with neat piles of coconut shells and husks, carefully folded sacks, wisps of smoke rising from the traditional clay stove where rice is cooked!

Mother, you make our house a HOME, our haven and heaven!! No matter how far we are, home is where our heart is!

By Lakshmi Mohan Sumod

Lakshmi is a mum of two, a loving wife and businesswoman. She lives in Africa, using every moment of her spare time to create beautiful pieces of art. The Botswana Cricket Association honoured dignitaries from ICC by presenting them with African paintings done by Lakshmi.  She has also done a collage of ethnic murals for Kerala Samajam for the celebration of their festival, Onam. Check out more of her handiwork here http://lakshmimohan.simplesite.com/