Mother's Day Flower Pot Pens

Mother, you've given me two things
One is roots
The other's wings
anonymous

For many, handcrafted gifts are always the most precious. I know many mothers and grandmothers who still treasure their clumps of salt dough with tiny hand prints and painted pasta bead necklaces, not to mention their refrigerator gallery of finger paint artwork. With a bit of grown-up help, this simple flower pen and journal craft is an easy and fun project for kids to create and makes a unique and budget friendly gift.

 I made these pens years ago for a children's art and writing group and they thoroughly enjoyed creating them. For this post I thought I'd make several pens as a "bouquet", pop them in a flower pot and add a garden themed mini journal. Perfect for jotting down garden daydreams and plans.

You'll Need

Inexpensive pens
Faux flowers
Green embroidery floss 
  (mine was 39 cents and each yeilded two pens but this may vary)
Hot glue gun
Small flower pot or decorative planter
Small piece of styrofoam (or cut to fit from recycled packaging)
 *note: avoid green floral foam-it crumbles and sticks to pen points
Moss or filler if desired

Journal (Target $1 section)
Image of your choice or our printable
Modgepodge - or white glue thinned with water
Ribbon or trim

 Most supplies can be found at dollar or craft stores

 Put dot of hot glue near tip of pen and (with tweezers if desired  to avoid burnt fingers) attach end of embroidery floss and let cool slightly (adults do this part). Once secure begin winding floss neatly around pen, sliding strands up and condensing together every so often until pen is mostly covered and glue end to secure.

Smooth any loose ends 

  Leaves can be added in clusters part way through or attached with hot glue afterward.

Remove flower from stem and trim back so it is as flat as possible.

 Have adult hot glue flower to end of pen. 

This one is simple with no leaves.

If adding them, watch the placement of leaves to assure the pen will be comfortable to write with. 

Repeat using different flowers or add a butterfly.

 Varied colors of green floss help make a colorful bouquet.

Insert styrofoam in container and add moss if desired. Holes can be made first with undecorated pens to protect floss on finished ones from being damaged. Then"plant" pens carefully and add greeting or tag if you please.

For journal Modgepodge image or decorative paper onto front and let dry. Add ribbon bookmark or trim as desired.

altered vintage watering can and wreath images from  the Graphics fairy

PennyWise Tips

Not just for Mother's day, this craft can easily be adapted to different themes

Wrap in twine and top with a small shell or starfish and pop in mini beach pail

For the boys- wrap in cord of his favorite team's colors and top with a small ball or sports charm and place in a sports mug