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Mother of all treats

Has she been a good girl? Annie Deakin picks ten of the best Mother’s Day presents.

Thursday 31 March 2011 11:39 BST
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1. Blooms by post

Warning to dutiful sons and daughters - choose wisely when ordering flowers for Mother’s Day and steer clear of Interflora. Britain’s biggest florist it may be but it was the worst rated in a recent survey by Which? Gardening. 'Mother’s Day is a good excuse to spoil our mums and thank them for everything they do,’ said Which? Gardening editor Ceri Thomas. ‘So it’s really disappointing to find that some online florists are delivering scrappy bouquets that don’t even last a week.' Play safe with trusty John Lewis who scored highest with their Super Pink Patchwork bouquet (£30). www.johnlewis.com

2. Iced biccies

Don’t leave it till a last minute dash for Quality Streets from the Shell Garage around the corner. Show imagination and flair with your choice of nibble and look to Biscuiteers, a company that delivers artistically iced biscuits to mark special occasions. It’s the first choice among the fashion pack. Creative mothers will appreciate their Sewing kit biscuit and tin selection (£37.50) comprising hand-iced biscuits styled like buttons, cotton reels and thimbles. www.biscuiteers.com

3. Flower workshop

Giving a bunch of flowers is one thing. To take a flower masterclass is quite another. This Saturday, mothers and daughters can learn how to create a hand-tied bouquet of seasonal flowers at Judith Blacklock Flower School Belgravia. Discover how to buy flowers, how to make them last and which vases work best. www.judithblacklock.com

4. Lip it to them

Being a mother is the hardest job of all. The Wonder Woman make-up range at MAC Cosmetics must have been designed to make an exhausted mother smile – and remind her of days pre-children. From £10. www.maccosmetics.co.uk

5. Bake me a cake

You like cakes, your mother likes baking? Buy her a cake tin for a win-win situation. Award-winning homewares and textile designer Ella Doran has recently collaborated with Habitat for a vintage tea party range. Snap up her Sweetie Love Cake tins (£20) at mydeco’s design boutique. www.mydeco.com

6. Bag it with love

Love the Anya Hindmarch photo canvas bags but can’t afford it? You get my sympathies. Instead, look to Photobox for more affordable versions. Their faux suede personalized makeup photo bag (£35.29) in cream or chocolate brown is charming. www.photobox.co.uk

7. Embroider children’s drawings

Be the recipient of many hugs with this bespoke gift. Get your children’s favourite drawings faithfully embroidered onto a cotton pillowcase (£295). Scan and email the picture to the Monogrammed Linen Shop on Walton Street and they will do the rest. www.monogrammedlinenshop.com

8. Recipe book with a difference

Move over cupcakes and macaroons, today’s hottest foodie craze is a cross between a bite-size cake and a lollipop. Teach your mum how to make these trendy cake balls and buy her a copy of Claire O’Connell’s book ‘Pop Bakery: 25 Cakes on a Stick and Other Tempting Delights’. (£9.99) www.amazon.com

9. Pretty and practical

Is your mother both domestic and fashionable? Fashion and textiles legend Celia Birtwell has created a range of useful gardening tools and accessories. Her Pretty Woman Print Kitchen Drawer Kit (£20.40) contains scissors, measuring tape and adjustable screwdriver. www.mydeco.com

10. Don’t text, draw a card

One in three mums will receive a text instead of a card this Mother’s Day, according to a survey by THQ. ‘We live in a time when people are turning to new technology more and more and using that to make their lives easier,’ says Wayne Cline, of THQ. ‘Yet it’s telling that so many mums would just prefer their kids to stop and spend a bit more time with them. Producing something handmade is a great way to show we care in a more thoughtful way.’ Show her your appreciation and dig out the colouring crayons!

Annie Deakin is interiors writer for sofa and interior design website mydeco.com.

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