by
This year’s TPK Mother’s Day card is beautiful, meaningful, and easier to make than it looks. With watercolor video tutorials and thoughtful writing prompts to guide you, this project offers a sweet way to slow down and create something that will mean the world to a special mom.
Mother’s Day was founded by Anna Jarvis, who wanted to create a day of heartfelt gestures—not store-bought gifts. Ironically, she spent her later years fighting the very commercialization that overtook her idea (it’s actually a fascinating story). While that ship has sailed, a handmade watercolor card does help to bring Anna’s vision back to life. As you paint today’s simple lavender motif, you’ll have space to reflect on what you want to say—and enjoy a moment of calm and creativity that celebrates life, love, and the mothers who make both possible.
You’ll begin this project by rounding up a few supplies. While I suggest a commercial folded watercolor card in the list below, you can always DIY a card by folding a 7″x10″ (17.8 x 25.4 cm) piece of watercolor paper in half. Note that any basic watercolor palette will work for painting the lavender!
Start by drawing three sets of pencil guidelines just above the center of the card. Within each set, make the guidelines 1/4″ (~6 mm) apart; and space the sets about 1/8″ (~3 mm) apart. Use a pencil to draft out Sans Serif With Flourishes lettering that says “HAPPY” on the first line. Then, write “mother’s” in casual bouncy calligraphy on the second line. Finish up by using the same sans serif lettering to write “DAY” on the third line.
Once your pencil draft is finished, use the watercolor calligraphy technique to load dark green watercolor onto your nib. Trace over the lettering until the watercolor runs out, then load a lighter green watercolor tone. Keep alternating loading different watercolors until you’ve gone over the entire greeting.
Now, use your paintbrush and the two greens that you used for the greeting to paint several different stem configurations. Be sure to leave some space around the greeting.
Next, use both shades of green watercolor to paint several tapered oval leaves.
If you’d like some detailed guidance for drawing the stems and leaves, please feel free to watch the demonstration video below:
Now, switch to two different tones of purple (a cool dark value and a lighter warm value) to paint a collection of curved oval flower clusters.
Here’s a quick video demonstration over how to make those flowers:
Once you’ve finished this step, your card is perfectly lovely and ready to send! But if you’re like me and find it hard to leave well enough alone, move on to Step 5.
You can add balance to your lettering by adding a few well-placed flourishes to either side of your sans serif lettering. Be sure to make a pencil draft of your flourishes first!
Then, go over those flourishes with your two green watercolor tones.
If you really want your card to stand out, consider cutting it out in a way that hugs the contours of the lavender. First, use a pencil to draw around your motif, leaving a generous amount of space between the outline and the painting. Don’t forget to leave at least 1″ (~2.5 cm) of the fold intact so the card is still functional.
Then, use your scissors to cut along the lines you just drew.
And voilà! A card that has a distinct bouquet-like feel to it. Once you’re finished with it, you’re ready to write a heartfelt message inside and send the card on its way.
First, on a practical level, you can use my template for handwritten notes to write orderly cursive inside of your card. Just put the template on a light box, shine it up through the card, and use the guidelines to write.
As for what to write, that’s often the trickier part. Our relationships with the mothers in our lives can be joyful, complicated, tender, or evolving — and one message doesn’t fit all. What matters most is that your words feel authentic to you. Take your time. Reflect on a memory, share something you’ve never said out loud, or simply express your love with depth. Here are some prompts that can help you to get started:
Tip: I like to compose my message using the word processor on my computer first. Once I’m happy with it, I handwrite it.
If you’re looking for more inspiration, remember that the TPK Blog has plenty of Mother’s Day card concepts (browse all of them here). My favorites include:
If you have a bit of extra time between now and Mother’s Day, consider making a DIY gift to complement your card. You can browse eight artistic Mother’s Day gift ideas by clicking here.
Thanks for spending this creative moment with me! I hope this tutorial helps you make something that’s just as enjoyable to give as it was to create. I’m wishing you a day filled with love, reflection, and a touch of handmade beauty.
Warmly,
inspiration in your inbox
TPK’s innovative newsletters are an artistic treat. Join the 125K+ subscribers who have already discovered The Postman’s Knock, and receive 10% off your first Digital Catalog order.
Fuel your inspiration and creativity with TPK Premium Plus! Members enjoy three free worksheets or learning resources every month, unlimited video course access, member-exclusive tutorials, and a 10% discount on all Supplies Shop orders.
