Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 12, and right now is about the time kids and teens struggle to pick the best present. As most know, mothers love homemade gifts, which teenagers tend to forget about as they grow up. I decided to bring back childhood customs and attempted a Mother’s Day gift for us last-minute gift givers. It’s easy and fun, and when your mother lights it up, she’ll absolutely love it.

Things you need:

• One clear cup or jar (make sure it’s okay to use)
• Glass gems (these can be found at the dollar store cheap)
• Hot glue gun +hot glue
• Dry Erase marker *optional*
• Candle

Preparing your work space:

I recommend laying out newspaper or a tray to protect your table from the hot glue mess. Make sure you have a lot of room and plenty of counter space to work.

How to create your cup chandelier:

1. First, turn on your favorite music so you can jam out while working. I picked Taylor Swift’s newest CD, Red. Then, take your cup or jar and draw out the design you think you’ll be doing with your dry erase marker. This design is just a sketch, so expect it to change once the gems are glued on.

 2. To help decide which colors you want to use and how you want them to lay out, I recommend creating a design on your table before actually glueing them on your cup. As I said before, this design may change, but this step helps plan out colors and potential designs.

3. Now, it’s time to get rolling. Warm up your hot glue gun and start glueing. Not much glue is needed to keep the gems on, but remember, once you’ve placed a gem on your cup, it is very hard to move or remove it. Also, with hot glue, strings will be everywhere, so clean up your cup when the jar is all done.

4. Keep this going until your desired design has been met. This project will fly by once you’ve got the hang of it.

5. To test out your cup chandelier, take a candle and step into your bathroom. Light your candle and place it in the cup very carefully then shut off the lights. The finished product comes out beautifully.

This gift is one that any mom will love, especially knowing their child made it for them. It doesn’t just have to be for Mother’s Day, nor just for a mother. But, if you’re rushing to pick a gift, this quick present will be fabulous. The best thing about this project is the ability to be creative, so dive in to the most creative place inside of you. Oh, and when wrapping this up, don’t forget to put a candle in the box.

 
By Renata Williams
What other DIY ideas have you seen for Mother’s Day?