A Mother's Day card that keeps on growing

Let Mom know the kids' love for her keeps on growing with this clever and fun-to-make greeting. I guarantee it will be one of those treasured keepsakes Mom won't ever part with!

The fun starts with rooting around in the recycle bin for a plastic deli or margarine tub with a lid that snaps on tightly. Wash it well. When dry, paint the outside with bright acrylic paint colors to resemble a decorated flower pot. Paint the top of the lid to look like a blooming flower. Or, cut out a flower shape from craft foam or colored paper, decorate the details with paint or markers and glue it on the top of the lid.

Now comes the secret, clever part of your greeting . . . the leaves and stem! For the stem, cut a strip of green construction paper 1 inch wide and about 24 inches long (tape a couple of lengths together if your paper isn't long enough). Fold the paper accordion- style to fit perfectly inside the container (each fold should be the dimension of the base of the container). Glue the top accordion fold to the inside of the lid and glue the bottom fold to the inside base of the container. Let dry. Glue on cutout leaf shapes in the sections between the folds. With a black marker, write the words "MY LOVE FOR MOM GROWS AND GROWS" on the leaves, descending from the second accordion fold to the section at the bottom. Glue a small picture of Mom with her child on the fold glued to the lid. Gently fold the long paper flower stem neatly in the container and replace the lid.

On Mother's Day, watch Mom smile when she unsnaps the lid to see the blooming flower grow with her child's smiles, creativity and love.

PARENTING TIP: Make Mother's Day greetings for other important women in your child's life, too, such as Grandmother, an aunt or a special neighbor.

Write Donna with your questions and ideas at www.donnasday.com. Donna's newly released book, "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families," is now available in bookstores nationwide. (C) Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Syndicate

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