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  • Welcome to TPK! This is your first of 2 free articles. For unlimited access to tutorials and articles, join TPK Premium for less than the cost of a latte.

    8 Artistic DIY Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

    May 2, 2023

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Gifts, Mother’s Day Cards, Roundup

    Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and there’s nothing like a DIY gift to make the day special. In this article, I’ve got eight artistic DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas that are sure to inspire you! From handmade cards to botanical letters and bookmarks, these ideas are perfect for any mother, not just your own.

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    DIY Mother's Day Gift Ideas
    Today, I’ll give you eight artistic DIY Mother’s Day Gift ideas. I hope that one of the ideas helps you to make this Mother’s Day memorable for someone!

    I’ve always been a believer in DIY Mother’s Day gifts, but now that I’m a mother myself, I appreciate them even more. Being a parent really shows you the value of time and energy, so when someone takes the time to DIY a gift for me, I love it. Today, I encourage you to think outside of the box for Mother’s Day. Every mom deserves to feel seen, so it’s wonderful to give a gift or a card to any mother, not just your own. Below, you’ll find eight fabulous DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas that are sure to inspire you!


    8 Artistic DIY Mother’s Day Gift Card Ideas: Video Version


    8 Artistic DIY Mother’s Day Gift Card Ideas: Written Version

    1. A Handmade Card

    A handmade Mother’s Day card is a gimme. It’s rare that you’ll find a mother who won’t absolutely love a handmade card with a touching message inside. That recognition and thoughtfulness is all many a mother needs; no other gift is necessary.

    Teapot-Themed Mother's Day Card Tutorial by Phyllis Macaluso
    Phyllis Macaluso wrote a fabulous tutorial over how to make a teapot-themed Mother’s Day card.

    There are several DIY Mother’s Day card tutorials on the TPK site. They include:

    • Quick Butterfly-Themed Calligraphy Mother’s Day Card Tutorial
    • DIY Mother’s Day Card Tutorial: Fabulous Filigree Leaves
    • Teapot-Themed Mother’s Day Card Tutorial by Phyllis Macaluso

    BROWSE ALL MOTHER’S DAY CARD TUTORIALS

    2. Botanical Letter

    A botanical letter “D” is my mom’s Mother’s Day gift for this year. Who doesn’t love a highly embellished version of their initial? I’m going to frame my letter before I gift it, but if you’re not sure if the mother in your life will want to display the letter, just give it to her as-is. She very well might want to put it on a bulletin board or, if you make a smaller version, keep it in her planner or propped up on her desk.

    This video course features two hours of video instruction plus printables that will teach you how to make a gorgeous watercolor botanical letter.
    One of my favorite DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas? A botanical letter. This is what I’ll be giving to my mom in a couple of weeks!

    LEARN HOW TO MAKE A BOTANICAL LETTER

    3. Bookmarks

    Yes, eReaders are convenient and en vogue, but we all have tangible books we use as well, like cookbooks. If you’re in a doodling mood, try making your favorite mom(s) a little stack of bookmarks. She’ll appreciate having a beautiful way to mark her spot … and the opportunity to think of you every time she sees your handmade bookmark.

    Gorgeous Black and Gold Bookmarks
    Feel free to switch up the color scheme of these bookmarks to reflect your recipient’s taste.

    LEARN HOW TO MAKE GORGEOUS BLACK & GOLD BOOKMARKS

    4. Pointed Pen Calligraphy Passage

    If the mother in your life has a favorite work of literature, use a passage from that literature to make a piece of pointed pen art. With the help of a light box, the project can come together in very little time!

    Shortcut Pointed Pen Calligraphy Passage Tutorial
    Write in a bouncy and casual calligraphy style, and you’ll find that your pointed pen calligraphy passage is quite quick to make!

    Last Mother’s Day, I gave my mom a passage written in calligraphy. It’s from To Kill a Mockingbird, one of her favorite books. She loved the passage, and it is now framed and “lives” on her bedside table, in front of a photo of my grandmother.

    Mother's Day calligraphy passage

    LEARN HOW TO MAKE POINTED PEN CALLIGRAPHY PASSAGE ARTWORK

     5. Watercolor Map

    Can you think of a place that your favorite mother loves? Celebrate it with a watercolor map! Watercolor maps are a time investment, but the results are worth every bit of the time you put in. You can learn how to make a map step-by-step in TPK’s Watercolor Illustrated Maps 101 eCourse, or read a general overview of the process in the How to Create an Illustrated Watercolor Map tutorial.

    Making a Watercolor Illustrated Map 101: An eCourse
    Is Paris one of your gift recipient’s favorite places? Make a map of Paris with me — and learn how to make other maps, too — in the Watercolor Illustrated Map 101 eCourse.

    MAKE A WATERCOLOR MAP

    6. Lettering Map

    If you’re not up for making a map with illustrations and watercolor, try putting together a lettering map. In a lettering map, Lasso Lettering characters and flourishes come together to form a favorite state or country. It’s a great DIY Mother’s Day gift idea if you only have a couple of hours to make something cool!

    Lasso lettering is great when incorporated into artwork like this!
    You don’t have to include a country’s colors in your lettering map, but bonus points if you do!

    LEARN HOW TO MAKE A LETTERING MAP

    7. Family Tree

    The vast majority of mothers will absolutely love receiving a family tree. Family trees are a wonderful reminder of the vital part a mother plays in her family’s history, and the connection that all family members share. Give yourself plenty of time to make the tree, though! It requires careful planning and problem-solving, plus the actual calligraphy and illustration process.

    How to Make a Gorgeous Calligraphy Family Tree
    A family tree is one of the best DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas ever: it’s pretty, celebrates family, and emphasizes a mother’s role in her family.

    LEARN HOW TO MAKE A FAMILY TREE

     8. Illuminated Letter

    Whenever I think “handmade gifts”, illuminated letters immediately come to mind. If Instagram is to be trusted, many TPK readers turn to the Easy Illuminated Letter Tutorial when they need a cool, easy, and fairly quick DIY gift. (My mom has this illuminated letter — a birthday gift I gave her a couple of years ago — on display in her living room.)

    The Cheater's Illuminated Letter Tutorial

    LEARN HOW TO MAKE AN ILLUMINATED LETTER


    There are more DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas to browse on TPK (see all gift-appropriate tutorials here), but the eight that I listed today are what come to mind immediately for me! If you’re pressed for time, consider ordering from the TPK Supplies Shop. The The TPK Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit makes an awesome gift for a mom who wants to learn calligraphy, or consider a Lettering Composition Ruler Bundle or a set of pearlescent watercolors. We wrap up everything beautifully and send it on its way promptly!

    I hope that you find some inspiration in today’s roundup. If you have additional project ideas or suggestions, please feel free to contribute them in the comments. Thanks so much for reading, and happy (almost) Mother’s Day!

    Warmly,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock

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About the author

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bugbee, the illustrator, calligrapher, and author behind The Postman’s Knock (TPK). Since 2012, the TPK Blog has been a vibrant creative space filled with tutorials and lessons on modern calligraphy, hand lettering, and illustration. After publishing The Calligraphy Book, I wanted to elevate the quality of content even further—so I launched TPK Premium. You can join here to receive access to some of the internet’s best creative inspiration and project tutorials.

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45 responses

  1. Yolanda Avatar
    Yolanda
    May 16, 2023

    Lovely! I want to make the family tree and the tree letter!

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    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      May 18, 2023

      I hope that you do! Best of luck! 😊

      Log in to Reply
  2. Erna Avatar
    Erna
    May 15, 2023

    You always have such excellent ideas! Thank you!

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      May 15, 2023

      Thank you so much! I hope that you try some of them out! 😊

      Log in to Reply
  3. Marie Avatar
    Marie
    May 14, 2023

    What lovely ideas! These would make great gifts for Mother’s Day or any occasion 😊

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      May 15, 2023

      I agree! Thank you for enjoying! 😊

      Log in to Reply
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After I chose this music to accompany this reel, i After I chose this music to accompany this reel, it dawned on me: drawing a calligraphy medallion is like, well, Belle’s arc with the Beast. 

At first, it’s a bit of a weird situation. Strange shapes, questionable structure, possibly some growling (à la “YOU WILL JOIN ME FOR DINNER. That’s not a request!”) when the inevitable ink smudge happens. You keep thinking, “I’m not sure why I’m doing this ... should I hop on Felipe and gallop away?” 🐎

But something shifts as the medallion starts to come to life. And when you finish that last detail and pull back, the music swells. Light bursts from your paper like it did from Beast’s digits as he transformed into a stunningly beautiful prince. ✨ You’re practically in a ballroom celebrating, and, wait, did your furniture just turn into an adoring crowd that’s celebrating your fortitude and skill?

(And now you know how my mind works 🧠 ... I love a good metaphor, no matter how weak it may be!) 

To learn how to make a calligraphy medallion, just search for “calligraphy medallion” on the TPK site (link in bio). You’ll find both free Blog tutorials and detailed premium worksheets.

... I’ll show myself out now. 🙈

#pointedpencalligraphy #calligraphy #handwritten #pointedpen #dippen #calligraphymedallion #calligraphydrill #calligraphypractice
My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remi My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remind you how cozy this season can be. 🍂 This project definitely fits the bill ... create it with a hot, comforting drink nearby and an excellent audiobook, and you’re in for a treat! ☕️ ✍️ The tutorial on the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to Blog) is super detailed, with mini tutorial videos to guide you every step of the way.

#autumnart #watercolortutorial #arttutorial #handpainted #paintingtutorial #pointedpen #dippen #flourishing
Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending to be ... someone who writes calligraphy quickly! (No, just kidding — not about the video being sped up, but the choice of costume. I actually picked up a skeleton PJ set at Goodwill. 💀)

Even if you won’t be indulging in candy, remember to treat yourself this season, starting this weekend! The holiday season can be hectic, and it’s important to claim some relaxing time for yourself. Cheers to the “holidaze”! 🥂

#halloweencalligraphy #calligraphy #pointedpen #dippen #handwritten #writingvideo #calligraphyvideo
🎃 This is the last week that Halloween calligra 🎃 This is the last week that Halloween calligraphy drills will be available at TPK! Find what you like in the shop, download, then print it out on a pointed pen-friendly paper. Then, let the (happily!) spooky vibes take over while you practice your strokes. ✍️👻

➡ Link in bio to visit the TPK site.

#calligraphydrills #halloween #calligraphypractice #learncalligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #dippen #pointedpen
✍️ Learn with us! Right now, TPK Premium membe ✍️ Learn with us! Right now, TPK Premium members are working their way through a new version of The Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course. It’s an *awesome* course that’s even more thorough than the original version (which is saying a lot because the original course has 281 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ reviews)! We just had the Lesson 3 class discussion this morning, ️and I’m so impressed with how much progress students are making — and I love their observations! One person compared using the Brause EF66 nib to driving a Lexus, which I got a kick out of. 🚘 

Premium membership ($5/month) grants you complimentary access to the course through January 6th; take it live with us! Once this course wraps up, we’ll be moving on to the new Intermediate Modern Calligraphy Online Course in February. 

Find details by visiting the link in my bio. I’d love to help you build those foundational skills that will allow you to create gorgeous envelopes, place cards, invitations, quotes, correspondence, and much more! The Lesson 4 class discussion is three weeks from now, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up. 😊

#learncalligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #writingcalligraphy #calligraphycourse #learningcalligraphy #writingcalligraphy #realtimecalligraphy
🍂 The newest tutorial on the TPK Blog walks you 🍂 The newest tutorial on the TPK Blog walks you through how to make this gorgeous illustration, step-by-step, with helpful instructional videos. To find the tutorial, visit the link in my profile, then navigate to the blog. ENJOY! 🤗

(PS - Loving the colors in the @greenleafblue Anthesis set ... I used French Orange Ochre, American Violet Hematite, Pyrrole Scarlet, and Italian Green Earth to make this pumpkin. All *fabulous* autumn tones!)
Loved chatting with @sdionbakerdesign and @greenle Loved chatting with @sdionbakerdesign and @greenleafblue last Friday! Samantha is exactly as thoughtful and creative as you’d imagine from her Draw Your… books — and this answer to Jennifer’s question says it all. ✨ Just have fun and make art!

☕ Want to watch/listen to the whole conversation? Head over to the TPK Blog to hit play on the recording! (Link in bio, then navigate to “Blog”.)

#artistchat #artist #samanthadionbaker #greenleafandblueberry #thepostmansknock #arttalk #creativity #sketchbooking #sketchbook #artadvice
My seven-year-old and I have officially entered th My seven-year-old and I have officially entered the @edward.gorey.house envelope art contest! 🎃 My design leans a bit more macabre, while my son’s is, well, gory. (Venus flytraps are apparently no joke.) Visit the TPK Blog to see my process — I love to start with a Procreate draft and take it from there. 

This is a great little contest, and, while it runs through December, it’s *especially* fun to work on this time of year. 👻 My kid and I both thoroughly enjoyed making our masterpieces! If you find yourself with some time in the next couple of months, make your own envelope ... there will be more than one winner! 🥇

#edwardgorey #envelopeart #mailart #kidsart #halloweenart #halloweenmail #envelope #snailmail #snailmailrevolution
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