More for Mom from Martha

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and who better to turn to for some last-minute gift ideas than Martha Stewart?

Surprise mom by creating the perfect homemade gift to show her just how much you care.

Bath Fizzies

Introduction: Ice-cube trays serve as molds, giving the fizzies their shape. Using a flexible silicone mold lets you slide the cubes out smoothly without breaking them.

Show off the colors of the bath fizzies in glass jars with screw tops, the kind used for storing sugar and flour. Pack each type of fizzy in a separate jar so the scents won't meld.

Write the name of the scent on a vellum tag (choose a shade that matches the fizzies), and punch a hole in the top. Thread the tag with ribbon, and tie it around the jar.

Citric acid, a common food additive, is available at wine-making-supply stores, some spice shops and online.

When citric acid is combined with baking soda and placed in water, a chemical reaction creates bubbles.

Makes 1 dozen. Use two per bath.

Materials

1/2 cup citric acid

1 cup baking soda

cup cornstarch

cup organic cane sugar

About 6 drops food coloring

10 to 15 drops essential oil(s)

Special equipment: 2-ounce travel-size spray bottle, plastic pipette, silicone ice-cube tray, storage jars

Steps

1. Stir together citric acid, baking soda, and cornstarch in a glass measuring cup.

2. Pass mixture through a fine sieve or a flour sifter into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar.

3. Fill spray bottle with water, and add food coloring. Spritz mixture lightly (it should become damp but not fizzy) until you can pack mixture with your hands.

4. Using pipette, add oil, 1 drop at a time, until strength of scent is to your liking. Using a metal spoon or your hands, mix ingredients until color is even throughout (mixture will begin to dry out; when this happens, spritz until packable again).

5. Spoon into ice-cube tray, pressing firmly. Let dry at room temperature overnight. Pop out of tray gently. Transfer to jars.

Tub Teas

Nothing soothes the soul like a good long soak, especially with a heady infusion of calming scents.

Materials

Heat-sealable tea bags, thesage.com

Lavender buds, thesage.com

Chamomile buds, thesage.com

Peppermint leaves, thesage.com

Dried organic lemon verbena, localharvest.org

Steps

1. Fill heat-sealable tea bags (perfect for one bath) with cup lemon verbena, lavender, peppermint or chamomile.

2. For small bags, top 5 -inch starched muslin circles with 1 tablespoon of botanicals; tie with waxed twine.

3. Giving a few of these in different scents lets bathers customize each bath.

Mother's Day Balloon Bouquet

For an unexpected alternative to flowers, try this balloon bouquet.

Introduction

Be sure not to release helium balloons outside once you are finished with them since they present a hazard to animals.

Resources

Helium-quality balloons, partycity.com. Baker's twine, in brown/white, etsy.com.

Materials

Letter template

Card stock

Scissors

Hole punch

Three helium-filled balloons

Baker's twine

Steps

1. Use a template from the website listed below to print letters on card stock; cut them out, and then punch a hole at the top of each. String the letters onto three helium-filled balloons using baker's twine.

2. Finally, fasten the balloons to Mom's chair or bed, spacing them out a bit. The cheerful display will have her floating on air.

For more information, visit http://www.marthastewart.com/342076/gifts-and-ideas-to-pamper-mom/@center/307033/spring-holidays#277262.