And I Quote: Coffee Filter Flowers in a Chalkboard Pot

One of my kids' favorite activities is to read the funny things they said when they were little. I always try to write down the funny things they say and then years later I read something and they have to guess which child said it. Indulge me and let me share a few of our favorites:

Mika @ age 3 - Mika's tadpole died and I had to tell him. He was so sad about Buzz. I took the opportunity to explain death to him. He had a tear. I asked him if we should get another tadpole and he said, "No, let's just get the frog already."

Mia @ age 3 - Mia asked me to fix something my husband couldn't. Mika and Mia were both surprised when I fixed it. I asked them if they knew why mommy could fix it. I told them, "Because mommy has mad skills." And Mia added, "Yeah, and daddy has SAD skills."

Ayla @ age 3 - "Somebody stole my towel and when I say somebody I mean daddy!" (insert scowl on her face)

Quotes are so fun and today's craft gives you a chance to write some nice quotes on a pretty gift. Today's idea can also be used as another Mother's Day Gift idea...

A bouquet of gorgeous Coffee Filter Flower pens in a chalkboard flower pot.

Don't you think these turned out so pretty...wanna' know how to make 'em? Read on.

You will need:

Coffee Filters (about 50 for a $1 at the dollar store)

Pens

Water based markers like pre-school markers.

Flower wire

Flower Tape

Some filler or pillow stuffing

Popcorn or beans or coffee beans

Spray bottle with water in it

Flower Pots (mine were already glazed and painted on the bottom)

Chalkboard Paint ($11.99 at Home Depot, but I found mine on sale at Walmart for $6)

Chalk

You will use 2 coffee filters for each flower. First, let your kids color the filters. I kept telling them the picture didn't matter. So my 3 yr old was so excited. They colored the filters and then sprayed them with water. I put the filter on a plate before they sprayed.

Below is an example of the metamorphosis of a colored coffee filter.

Then, dry the coffee filters. I used a hair dryer. And in the pictures below you can see the ones I dyed with food coloring (the darker ones on the left) and those that were colored with water based markers. I like having both types. It helps give the flowers depth with different shades, colors, etc.

When the filters are dried you can make a couple of different styles of flowers. I'll show you two.
First, fold one filter in half, then in half again, then in half again. Draw or freehand cut something like what you see in the first picture below. Then with the second filter, fold in half 4 times and cut it like in picture two.  Then open them up and place filter two inside filter one. You will grab the middles from the bottom and twist a little.

Style 2: Fold each in half 4 times (separate) and cut it like it shows below. Then twist the bottoms of each as seen below.

Then, with both styles, you will take about 5 inches of flower wire and tie the bottom, then wire it to the pen. Then with floral tape, tape over the wire and the end of the pen and the bottom of the flower. Go all the way down to the bottom of the pen.

Then you are going to prep your flower pots. Tape off any parts you don't want painted and use the chalkboard paint (seen in picture three above) to paint the pot. I chose to use these colored bottom pots, but I've painted the whole pot before and it's REALLY cute.

Then fill the bottom of the pot with some pillow stuffing or any filler. It should fill half the pot and then use popcorn or beans or even coffee beans to fill the rest of the pot. These will help to hold the pens upright.

I was so tired last night that I forgot to take a picture of the finished flower pot with the chalk phrase on it. Luckily, my 3 year old got a hold of the camera and snapped a photo...it's blurry, but you get the idea. Don't you love the coffee filter flowers?

I've also looked up a bunch of quotes you can use on your pots. Some are mothers, grandmothers, sisters, or friend quotes and some are just related to the flower pot. You can use one of the quotes or one of your own. One cute thing you can include with the coffee filter flower bouquet is a card with all these sayings and some chalk so they can change the sayings whenever they want.

Mother's plant seed of love that bloom forever.
Mom is another word for Love.
A family blossoms with a Mother's love.
Home is where mom is.
A garden of Love grows in a Grandmother's heart.
Sisters are different flowers from the same garden.
True friendship is a plant of slow growth.
It takes a long time to grow an old friend.
Gather flowers and friends in bunches.
Life grows lovely where you are.
Grow through life.
Plant smiles, grow laughs, harvest love.
What you so is what you grow.
All things grow with love.
May all your weeds be wildflowers.
Bloom where you are planted.
Smell all the flowers, not just the roses.

So there's my last easy, easy Mother's Day Gift idea. Even my daughter made her own coffee filter flowers. So here's a quote for ya'..."Mom, I want to be on your blog. I don't want to make anything, I just want you to take my picture and make me famous." That one is going in the journal.

And just a side note, last night my girls and I were making Mother's Day gifts for my mom. We were making a magnet board thanks to guest blogger Heather's idea (click here if you didn't see that one). I found some pretty economical metal sheets. I went to the hardware store and found out each sheet of sheet metal was about $7. I asked my husband for suggestions and he suggested galvanized steel shingles that they use for roofs.  They were only 98 cents per 8x12 sheet!