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Mother’s Day is coming up, and you’re probably looking for a way to show Mom how much you appreciate her. Homemade gifts go a long way in that department, but if you’re older than seven, you’re going to have to do better than a macaroni “painting” of your family.

Each of these five projects can come together easily in a weekend, leaving you enough time to pick a lovely wildflower bouquet or bake a cake in time for the holiday.

Bath bombs

a store display of many colorful bath bombs
Give the gift of tiny bath explosions. Mandy Jansen/Flickr

It’s hard to beat a nice long soak after a tough day; bath bombs make tub time a little more interesting. Buy the natural ingredients in bulk and you can make sure Mom has enough fragrant fizz to fill a dozen or more baths. Follow this link for the recipe. >>

Memoji

Memoji avatar
In Memoji world, all skins are silky smooth and acne-free—no moisturizer required. Harry Guinness

Some moms are technologically savvy, and others, well, are not. If your matriarch has only recently discovered GIF reactions, you may want to absolutely blow her mind by making her a Memoji that looks just like her. Just be ready for her to use it at every opportunity. Get the how-to right here. >>

Key organizer

a small oak shelf key organizer cabinet hung with a French cleat so it appears to float on the wall
With a simple design, this small organizational cabinet floats on a hidden French cleat and employs the same joinery used to build full sized cabinets. David Kaleko

This one’s for the woodworkers out there. If you own a table saw and know how to use it, build your mom a key organizer that looks like it’s just floating on the wall. We can almost guarantee it’ll be a prominent feature in her entryway for years to come. Learn how with our step-by-step. >>

Lip balm

Lip balm in egg container
Behold: You’re one step closer to the perfect winter pout. Sandra Gutierrez

No one wants dry, cracked lips, so if you make this for your mom, make some for yourself, too. We’ll note that all the ingredients come in bulk, so you will likely have more lip balm than you can use in a lifetime. If you’re living with other people, all of you can give your moms the gift of healthy lips. Here’s everything you’ll need to know. >>

Wine rack

a wall-mounted wine rack made out of a reclaimed wood pallet, with a chalkboard and a wine glass holder
It looks good nearly empty, but it’ll look even better full. Mary Kearl

If your mom’s training to be a sommelier (in her own kitchen, of course), she’ll love this wall-mounted wine rack, especially if she’s a fan of a rustic aesthetic, upcycling, or reusing discarded materials. Best of all, you may be able to make it for free because wooden pallets are fairly easy to find. Just follow these directions. >>

John Kennedy
John Kennedy

John Kennedy is PopSci's DIY editor. He previously covered legal news for Law360 and, before that, local news at the Journal Inquirer in Connecticut. He has also built and remodeled houses, worked as a fencing coach, and shelved books at a library. When he's not taking things apart or putting them back together, he's playing sports, cooking, baking, or immersed in a video game. Contact the author here.

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