Happy Mother’s Day everyone, and that means all the care takers and nannies and grandparents and teachers.  Anyone who cares for a child, this day is for you and you deserve your own banner.  Here here! Being a care giver and loving children as much as we all do is not easy! Show this post to your children and tell them to make you a banner stat!

We made the banners above in art class last year using pastels and watercolors.  This time we combined our own ideas with some tips I picked up from one of my favorite makers, Samara at Purple Twig.  Thanks for inspiring me with your incredible knowledge Samara!  If you live in LA, run, don’t walk, to Purple Twig art studio with your kids.  It’s amazing.

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What you’ll need…

Supplies

cotton fabric – We used a thickish canvas that worked really well but any muslin or cotton will work just fine

a wood dowel – We used some old wood lincoln logs.  The white cardboard around hangers works great too.

washi tape

beads – we love these wood beads

ripped fabric strips or any kind of yarn or string for beading

black sharpies (on sale! 12 for 6 dollars this is such a good price!!!)

liquid watercolors – Here’s a good starter kit

fabric hole puncher – I love this little guy.  Game changer for crafting.

Steps

1. Cut the canvas fabric into a strip about 6×12 or so.  Cut the bottom into a triangle.

2. With a scissor cut two slits about an inch up at the top where the dowel is going to go through.  So one on either corner.

2. Invite your child to draw Happy Mother’s Day messages or love messages all over their banner with a sharpie.

4. Use a paint brush or sponge brush to paint over the banner with liquid watercolors or a watercolor palette.  This part is awesome.  The colors are so vibrant and they slowly bleed into the fabric.  It’s really fun.

Let that dry.

5. Next it’s time to washi tape your dowel.  This part is optional but kids love it and washi tape makes everything happy, don’t you agree?

6. Stick your washi taped dowel through those slits at the top. This part I learned from PurpleTwig.  So clever! Take some string and bead it up with your favorite beads.  Tie your string to the ends of the dowel for hanging.

7. The last step was to punch holes at the bottom of our Mother’s Day banner with our handy dandy super duper hole puncher.  Then we took some ripped painted fabric (my new obsession) and pushed a loop of it through the holes and then put the two ends through the loop so it ties like a tassel (Think of how a luggage tag goes onto your luggage.  Hope that helps! If not, watch this vid.) We added little beads to the tassels and tied a knot so they don’t fall off.  Sorry I don’t have pics of that part.

There you have your super duper handmade mother’s day banners.  I apologize this adorable child does not come with the banner.  Is she too much or what?!  These kids were so proud of their banners.  I can’t wait for their moms to see them.  I want to get one of these banners for Mother’s Day!!

Thanks for reading along everyone.  We are wishing you much love from the Cherry household this weekend and hope whatever kind of care taker you are, you remember you are loved.  xo Meri

And a big thank you to my amazing amazing art class teacher Olivia for taking these gorgeous pics. Follow her instagram here.  You’ll love it!