Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Do-It-Yourself Moms

Hardware store can be one-stop shop for gifts

For the mom who grows her own flowers, a dozen cut roses may not be the gift she'd most prefer this Mother's Day. Instead, she may appreciate plants, planters, gardening books, trellises, and tools for working the soil, or perhaps some garden lighting.

So, too, the mom who prides herself on doing home improvement projects may like to pass on the gift box of chocolates in favor of helpful hand tools, ergonomically comfortable power tools or a top-of-the line paintbrush.

As more women become involved in doing projects around the home, either as a leisure interest, hobby or necessity, they want their own tools. But they are particular about what they want; shopping for tools that are compact and designed to better fit their hands.

Women also like tools that offer versatility and convenience. For example, popular multi-purpose power tools that can either trim a bush or cut a wood pattern that requires a jigsaw. Also, women like all-in-one kits such as those that include a battery, power pack and a tool that can be used interchangeably as a screwdriver, drill or sander.

Here are a few gift ideas for this Mother's Day:

• If your mom is a gardener, she'll love a deluxe tool set that includes a trowel, transplanter and cultivator. Look for aluminum tools that will not rust.
• A pruning lopper will help mom tend to her shrubs. A lopper from Fiskars is lightweight but has the power it takes to cut through even the thickest of branches.
• To complement the lopper, consider the Fiskars pruning stick (Ace no. 7100373) that gives mom the extra "hands" she needs. This gadget provides a reach of five feet above mom's head to make pruning trees and shrubs a snap.
• One of the hottest areas in home improvement is refinishing furniture, and women outpace men in that pursuit. To make the task easier and more enjoyable, give mom a high-quality heat gun. Ace offers a dual-temperature heat gun that can help mom make her old furniture look new again.
• Give mom a new Navigator. No, we don't mean the SUV...it's a saw by Black & Decker (Ace no. 2114064) that delivers in both power and affordability, and is great for pruning large tree branches or completing projects around the home.
• When most of us think of the ubiquitous Radio Flyer red wagon, we think about riding around in it as kids. But it's also a great gift for mom (Ace no. 82293). It can hold up to 300 pounds of crafts, supplies and materials...mom could probably even haul dad around the yard safely inside!
• If your mom enjoys bird watching, surprise her with a birdhouse. There are many different styles available at your local Ace store.
• A circular saw is a great gift idea. A saw from Skil is packed with safety features and can help mom when she needs to make the perfect cut for a home project.

Follow these steps for Mother's Day gift giving and you're sure to bring a smile to mom's face. If you have additional questions about home improvement, ask the helpful folks at your neighborhood Ace Hardware store or feel free to e-mail me at asklou@acehardware.com.

Take care,

-Lou