Need Ideas for Mother's Day project

16 years ago

Remember those 15 crowns that I got out of the Optimara Little Kunzite plants that I separated? And how I potted them all up into the solo cups?

12 of them are blooming! Can you beleive it? They must have liked the growing conditions. All 15 of them are solid when tugged on and have numerous new leaves growing from their crowns.

The timing is perfect because I'm donating those 15 and the remaining 35 Optimara Everpraise to our children's Sunday School program for Mother's Day gifts. That makes me feel good too :) There's a handout with basic care and my contact information that will go out wtih each plant/gift so the follow up care to the plants will promote growth and not demise, LOL.

Now here's my question - what ideas have you seen/heard of for "presentation" of these plants? We need a project of sorts for the kids to do with the plant (or really the baby food jar).

Currently, all I can come up with (I'm still in a brain fog somewhat) is to decorate the baby food jar (which is the water resevoir for the solo cup/plant).

I had thought about cutting a piece of colored fabric into a circle and then gathering that up around the baby food jar and tying with some ribbon/rafia and a gift tag but there must be some other idea(s) that you have seen or heard about that would be good for children ages 3(with lots of adult assistance) up to 12 (independant activity wtih adult supervision) to do.

Any suggestions?

Dora

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

christi1996
16 years ago
Something I did with my kids is tear different colors of tissue paper into small dime to quarter size peices and then they glued them onto the glass with thinned down school glue (like elmers) or decoupage glue. With the younger kids you might want to paint on the glue for them, let them stick the tissue paper on, and then top coat with the glue. The older kids can manage the whole thing themselves.

The effect can be really fairly pretty with the various colors (or kids may chose to only do 2 colors.)

Here is a link that might be useful: tissue paper decoupage on a box
fred_hill
16 years ago
Hi Dora,
There is a product on the market called liquid leading which creates areas that could be filled in with color. It makes the glass look like stained glass.
Fred in NJ

Here is a link that might be useful: liquid leading
Related Professionals
Cherry Hill Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Martinsburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lafayette Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · New Bedford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Westerly Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Longview Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Middlesboro Landscape Contractors · Sioux City Landscape Contractors · Muskegon Landscape Contractors · Poughkeepsie Landscape Contractors · Tacoma Landscape Contractors · Cape Girardeau Architects & Building Designers · Charleston Architects & Building Designers · Johnson City Architects & Building Designers · Winona Architects & Building Designers
sheaviance1
16 years ago
I like your idea with the fabric, but little hands would do better with rubber bands than tying string. You could let them do that and have someone come around behind them and tie a piece of ribbon on it. It amazes me how much 3 year olds want to do it all by themselves.
threas
16 years ago
Great ideas! I think the fabric idea would be the easiest. But,I used to do this with glass Xmas balls. Take acrylic paint, you get at craft store in little bottles, and let children pick their colors to squirt inside the baby food jar. Then you swirl and move the jar around with paint inside to create beautiful swirled patterns.Dump out excess paint.Let dry. If you still have the lids to the baby food jars, this would make it even easier.
Good luck!Have fun!

Theresa
meg_91
16 years ago
I've done that with Xmas ornaments as well, and it turns out gorgeous! My only concern would be that acrylic paint is water based/soluble, and if you're using the jars for water reservoirs for the plants it might hurt them (besides taking the paint off :( ). But as an alternative, you might lay down a plastic tablecloth, squirt strips of the colors on a paper plate, swirl with a toothpick/plastic fork and roll the outside of the jars in it. You could then stick a piece of paper with a Mother's Day message from the child onto the paint, or add glitter/confetti, and let dry. I haven't tried it myself, but it might work, and then you wouldn't have anything potentially harmful on the inside of the jar. Just an idea. :)

What a great idea for the plants! I'm sure they'll be enjoyed immensely. And it'll be fun for the kids, too, no matter which craft you do!

BTW, Dora - I love the plants you sent me! I separated the Powder Keg suckers from the main plant last night and put them down in my dome. I'm looking forward to seeing them bloom! Thank you so much!
nwgatreasures
Original Author
16 years ago
Meg,
I'm so glad you like the plants.

I also appreciate the suggestions and input. This project must meet some requirement of time (25 minutes or less) and be transportable, and low budget.

We have figured out that the best, more decorative and cost effective thing is to pull the fabric up over the baby food jar, place a rubber band around the fabric, tie it with some rafia and a handmade tag and present it to mom.

We will also attach some powdered fertilizer in a jewelry sized zip lock bag and partner that with the 'care sheet' and these items will go inside the card.

Dora
leslie_virnig221
16 years ago
if its for mothers, why not glue lace to the jars.i've been throwing my baby food jars away.