Mother’s Day is coming right up on May 8 th and soon you will be thinking - what to get her this year?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with some great suggestions for thoughtful gifts for the special mother in your life! For the last minute shopper we do have Portrait Gift Certificates that will be sure to impress mom. The most precious and thoughtful gift one could receive on Mothers Day and everyday.

Mom the Gardener – She loves fresh air and sunshine, and her garden is her pride and joy (even if it’s a little container garden by the front door). At this time of year, local nurseries are bursting with gorgeous potted plants, and many sell ready-made planters that are full of a variety of blooming plants that will make a colorful display of blossoms all summer long. If she loves to get her hands dirty, buy her an assortment of summer bulbs like showy begonias and dazzling dahlias!

Mom the Queen of her Cozy Castle – She’s a big-time cuddler and snuggler, and loves her movies! Wouldn’t she just love a new soft, fuzzy throw, some comfy decorative pillows, and a bottle of wine or a six-pack of her favorite seltzer? Buy her favorite movie (the one that always makes her cry!) and tuck a little box of chocolates into the gift bag – with a little travel pack of tissues! Pamper her with some stress-relieving herbal tea and a little tin of shortbread cookies. Here at Mom’s Cozy Castle, it’s all about turning up the volume on comfort, and turning down the stress.

Mom the Cook – She’s cooked for you and your family for years, and the whole family treasures her recipes. Ask to borrow her recipe box and take it to your local office store, like Staples or OfficeMax.

You can use their copy center work area to lay out the recipes into categories – appetizers, soups, salads, main course, side dish, desserts, and something special - then copy all of her recipes, one category after another, to make a recipe book. Ask for help at the copy center to make as many copies as you need to give to the next generation of the family, and make sure you dedicate the book “To Mom, the best cook in the world.” (Just make sure you don’t give away any of her “secret recipes!”)

It’s easy to make an impression on Mom when you whip up this simple Blueberry Cobbler dessert and serve it hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on her special day!

This versatile dish is perfect with afternoon coffee and tea, or just the right dessert after lunch or dinner.
Never Fail Blueberry Cobbler

2 pints fresh blueberries

1 stick of salted butter

¾ cup sugar

1 egg
¾ cup flour

Cinnamon sugar (mix ¼ cup of white sugar in a bowl with about 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse berries and put them into a pie plate.

Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.

Set aside. In a large bowl, heat the butter in the microwave until softened (melted is ok, too!).

Add the sugar to the butter in the bowl and mix well.

Add the egg, and mix again. Add the flour, and mix again until well blended. You will have a batter that is not as thick as cookie batter but not as thin as cake batter, so you won’t be able to pour it over the blueberries. With a large spoon, place large chunks of the dough on top of the berries, then spread as best you can to cover the berries. It will be hard to do, as the berries will want to stick to the batter and they will move all around – but it doesn’t matter! It doesn’t have to be perfect! Sprinkle the top of the batter with cinnamon sugar and bake for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. It will all melt down and around the berries and make it easy to serve in slices. BONUS:

It will make your house smell heavenly!

It’s best served warm, but I have to admit, I’ve had it cold for breakfast the next day!

Mom the Adventurer – She’s always up for an adventure, and adventure is never far away here in New England! Would she enjoy a Spring trip to Vermont and an overnight at a charming bed and breakfast?

How about booking a beachside cottage on the Cape for a long weekend in May? Don’t forget - Boston is full of interesting nooks and crannies that we often overlook because we never think of being a tourist in our own city.

The Museum of Fine Arts has modified admission pricing of just $5 on Wednesday afternoons from 3-4 pm, a wonderful book and gift shop, and a lovely New American café.

Mom the Book Lover – Every time you turn around, she’s telling you about the latest book she’s read. She rules the book club, volunteers at the library book sale (so she can get the first pick!), and always has a book in her bag. You probably won’t be able to beat her to the next great book, but you can give her something to enhance her book reading pleasure. Canvas book bags and clip-on reading lights are classic gifts for book-lovers. If coffee is her favorite beverage while reading, a special roast ground coffee, a little tin of ginger cookies, and a new mug – extra points for finding a mug with a few lines of poetry on it. For the modern mom, sign her up for an Audible membership for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months for as little as $15! Mom the Sentimentalist – She just loves those gifts that tug at the heartstrings, and we love her! Give her a jar full of memories and plans – memories of those special times you’ve had together, and thoughts about what you’d love to do with her in the future. Have her grandkids help write out some of their favorite memories on slips of paper – that family trip to the fair, or the time you all got soaking wet walking home from the beach in that sudden rain shower, or the time you baked brownies together and ate them all! Then have them write out their future plans – the more far-fetched, the better! Let’s go for a walk on the moon! Let’s ride seahorses on the ocean! Let’s have a sleepover at Gramma’s house! (OK, maybe you slipped that last one in there.) Put all the slips of paper into a large jar and tie a colorful bow on it – then tell her she should take one out when she feels lonely or blue and read it – it will make her so happy, and she will love this heartfelt gift. Mom, the

Heart of the Family – You just knew I would get to photographs sooner or later, didn’t you? Think for a moment about your mother’s legacy to your family – after all, she’s been the heart of your family life for as long as you can remember. Make this year special. This year, work with Seraphine Photography to surprise her with the gift of a family portrait.

A family portrait is a truly meaningful gift to thank her for all that she is to you and your family. We will create a vision of your family session and select the location – either at one of the many beautiful local spots I know, or in my studio. After you announce your gift to her, I will work with her and your other family members to help you select clothing that will help you all look your very best. With her family gathered around, showing her their love and affection, she will smile with a radiance you have never seen before – and I will help you capture that moment to treasure for all time. Together we will create a family portrait that will be an enduring tribute to your family’s love.

Happy Mother’s Day! Don’t forget that Seraphine Photography is here to help you, every step of the way. Call me today for a free consultation at (508) 579-3669.

Together we can help you create a truly special gift for your mother.