Mother’s Day Memory Box

What you need:

• Shoebox (with a lid) or a paper box of your choice
• Glue
• White gesso or white acrylic paint
• Non-toxic colored acrylic paint or finger paint
• Ribbon
• 3 to 4 sheets of white or colored copy paper
• Scissors
• Paint brushes (both wide and small)
• A paper plate or empty egg carton to mix paints

How to do it:

1. Adult supervision is needed for step 1. Use a wide paintbrush to cover the sides and lid of your box with a coating of white gesso or acrylic paint to give you a nice surface to paint on. Allow to dry.
2. When your base coat is dry to the touch, you can paint your box with non-toxic acrylic paint or finger paint in colors of your choice. Allow to dry.
3. While your box is drying, use the white or colored copy paper, non-toxic acrylic paint or finger paint and your fingers to create flowers. Hint: If you dip your finger in several colors you can create multicolored flowers. Allow to dry.
4. While your flowers are drying, check your box to be sure it is dry. Use your ribbon and glue to decorate the edge of your lid. Take picture of the family and attach it to your lid. For a unique effect, you can also use colored paper and ribbon to frame the picture on the lid.
5. After all of your flowers have dried cut them out and glue them onto your container. Allow everything to dry before using your container.

Follow up fun: Now that the container is finished, get creative with its contents. Some ideas include: A Mother’s Day poem, homemade coupons for help around the home, Mom’s favorite candy, dried rose petals and pictures of the whole family. See the bonus project for another small surprise to put inside your container.

Bonus project: Wooden Mother’s Day Heart

What you need:

• Wooden heart from the craft store
• Glue
• White gesso or white acrylic paint
• Non-toxic colored acrylic paint or finger paint
• Paint brushes
• A paper plate or empty egg carton to mix paints

How to do it:

1. Adult supervision is needed for step 1. Paint 1 side of the heart with gesso. Allow to dry.
2. When the heart is dry to the touch, paint your heart with non-toxic acrylic paint or finger paint in the color(s) of your choice.
3. Use non-toxic acrylic paint or finger paint to finger-paint a flower on one side of the heart. Use a paintbrush to add details, such as leaves, and to write Mom. Allow to dry.
4. Add your finished heart to the other treasures in your box.