The occasion when we suddenly feel a twinge of guilt for handing our moms yet another shop-bought card because how on earth could a flimsy drugstore greeting convey all the thanks we owe them?!
Truth be told? It can’t. (And those premade cards can be surprisingly pricey, too.)
So since generic cards are just okay (yes, I said it — you can do better), and because I’m betting you procrastinated and won’t make it to the store before it shuts, it’s time to pull out the DIY heavy artillery and craft your mom a card that seals your claim as favorite child for at least another year.
To make sure your handmade Mother’s Day card doesn’t look like the one you gifted her at age 5, I gathered five ideas for creating lovely, budget-friendly DIY cards that are guaranteed to make her tear up (mission accomplished, right?).
5 DIY Mother’s Day Cards That Look Incredible
Put your own twist on these sweet DIYs — each one is simpler to make than it appears. (Trust me, I tested them.)
1. Sew It!
To make this card look like you put in hours of work, all you need is some thread or thin yarn and a craft needle.
I found inspiration in this post, but opted to design my own “embroidered” Mother’s Day card motif. Use any phrase or doodle to personalize the stitched design!
You can locate a pattern and tutorial for the original concept here.
2. Say It With Flowers
For this project, grab a piece of cardstock, a couple of brightly colored paper sheets or felt, a hot glue gun and a length of string.
Begin by folding the cardstock in half and making a firm crease. Open it flat, then measure and cut a string so it stretches from the top left corner to the top right corner with a bit of slack in the center for that swooping banner effect.
Next, cut simple flower shapes from the colorful paper or felt and glue them along the string, leaving roughly a half-inch of exposed string at both ends.
Finally, secure the string ends to the upper corners of the card, and attach the center of the string near the fold to create a double “swoop.”
Voilà — a charming floral banner for Mother’s Day!
3. Use a Little Humor
This option is perfect for last-minute gift givers because it takes about five minutes, tops.
I drew inspiration from this clever card, which packs a big punch despite its simplicity: all you need is a blank piece of cardstock and a steady hand. What you write is up to you, but a touch of bold humor makes the card memorable — no elaborate crafting required.
(If your handwriting isn’t great, you can always type a witty line in a modern font and print it instead.)
4. No-Skills-Needed Watercolor
For how lively and delightful this card looks, it’s almost unbelievably simple to make.
I followed this walkthrough but used regular cardstock instead of watercolor paper, and the result was just as lovely. Just add a heartfelt note inside and you’re set!
5. Washi Tape Wording
This might be my favorite — it turned out even better than I expected.
I loosely followed this guide to form the washi tape “MOM” (I simplified the letter shapes to make cutting easier). Then I adhered it to a folded piece of cardstock and bam! Instant favorite-child status.
If you want more quick, crafty ideas you can also check out some easy diy gifts that pair nicely with a card, or browse free mothers day gift suggestions to round out your present.
A Lesson in Favorite-Childing
There you go: five charming, simple and affordable ways to wow your mom on Mother’s Day (without looking like an overexcited preschooler armed with construction paper and glitter glue).
While that beautiful, handmade (yet decidedly non-preschool) card will probably make your mom a little teary, the real victory is rubbing your favorite-child title in your siblings’ faces for the next twelve months.
(The main point? You don’t have to be a crafting prodigy — you just have to outdo your siblings.)
Whatever you choose to give, your mom will adore it because her child made it just for her.
Your Turn: How will you be celebrating Mother’s Day this year?
Olivia Martin is a junior writer at Savinly. Does mentioning your mother on the internet count as a Mother’s Day card? If so, shoutout to my mom.
