Mother’s Day is around the corner – 12th March – and now is the time to show your mom just how special she is to you. While a box of chocolates and flowers is easy, this does not really show any effort and will not earn you the extra ‘brownie’ points we so desire.

So what do you buy your mom on this special day? The trick to give a thoughtful gift is to give one close to your heart and something that she will love. Here are five crafty gifts to give your mom this Mother’s Day:

Homemade Candles

Instead of worrying about how to make a candle, buy a plain one and jazz the candle up a bit. Add decorative flowers, animals or candle paint to give your gift a unique look. Remember, the point is not to look like the hundreds of sample candles in the stores, but to create something that is unique to your mom.

If you are looking to create a candle from scratch, ensure that you incorporate all the things your mom loves the most – fragrance, size, shape and colour – into the design.

Food Basket

No women – or person for that matter – can say no to chocolate. Make your mom a unique gift food basket filled with all of her favourite homemade items. This gift basket can include: rusks, chocolates, brownies, shortbread and all the other yummy things she will enjoy nibbling on. Remember, to complete the basket, add a bunch of her favourite flowers and write a homemade card.

Bath Salts

Does your mom ensure a nice hot bath? Why not make her homemade bath salts and soups. Making homemade bath salt is easy, all you need to do is follow this step-by-step guide and again incorporate all the smells and colours that your mom loves.

Bead Necklace

Why not make your mom a nice beaded necklace. This is a fun and crafty activity that will keep you busy for hours and something nice for your mom to wear. Determine the style and size your mom would like and visit a local beading craft store. These beading stores have hundreds of different beads, pearls and other fun creations to add to your necklace. Remember to speak to the shop worker to find the right string and clasp, as the last thing you want is to have the necklace break.

Picture Frame

Make your mom a photo frame to put up in the living area. If you are not very good with tools, simply buy a plain photo frame and add your own touches to the frame. If you are making the photo frame, remember to measure the wood precisely, otherwise your end product will not line up. Once you have finished creating your photo frame, simply add a nice photo of the two of you and ensure that the backing is fastened to prevent the photo from slipping out of place.

Here are five unique can creative ways to spoil your mom this mother’s day. Remember, the important thing is to make something that she will like and cherish.

I am Greg Jones and I love my mother. I decided to make both my mom and wife –my kids are still too young to understand the significance of the date – plain frosted candles, each with their own unique design and fragrance.