Let me start by saying I know this seems like an early Mother’s Day post but trust me, starting early is a good choice here. You will be prepared and carrying a homemade gift of love come May.
With Mother’s Day and the start of spring just around the corner I thought there would be no better time than now to do this fantastic and easy DIY project. Anyone for a simple and very affordable Mother’s Day gift? Here ya go!
Here is what you will need to complete this simple crafty gift.
- Egg Shells (save them from your breakfast ideally in nice half shell form)
- potting soil
- flower seeds (we are doing Marigolds so we can give Grandma her own gold)
- a finger nail file
This really is as kid friendly as a craft can get so be sure to let your little ones dig in with this gift idea.
Take your egg shells and try to level off the egg shell edges as best you can so they are not to sharp. To be honest ours weren’t to bad so we skipped this. You could also leave them jagged and try to do a painting of some sort on the edge.
Wash the interior of the egg shell gently so that you are able to get the residual albumen (egg white) out of the inner egg.
Place potting soil inside the egg until about 2/3 full of soil.
Then place a few of your choice of seeds into the egg on top of the soil.
Cover the seeds with a light dusting of additional soil and water until just moist.
Place them in a warm window in full sun and water regularly.
These make great gifts since the egg shell will compost when planted! I do suggest cracking it a bit when you transplant into a larger growing area, just so the roots can branch out more quickly.
Options for plants can vary greatly! Pick whatever you know your loved one will enjoy. Marigolds only took abou 3-5 days to germinate so they are quick. Starting garden plants or herbs for your Mom or grandma prior to the season starting this can be a huge help. Fill your shells with whatever makes sense to you. We chose the marigolds because the kids can give Grandma her own “gold” and they deter mosquitos.
Enjoy your new personalized gifts and beautiful flowers.
Happy homesteading everyone!