since i can't exactly enter into the CM competition that i'm offering up a prize for, i thought that the next best thing is to share with you the gifts i received from my boys this mother's day here ... in my blog
the boys did WONDERFULLY this year!!! ...although i do suspect they had a bit of dad's help and gentle reminders of what exactly mommy would want. ds 8yo thinks that everyone should like pokemon and yugioh, and ofcourse slime and guts :P ... we've tried reasoning with him and telling him that it's just not the case... we go through this every single time there's a birthday or any other gift-giving occasion. whether it be girl or boy... man or woman... ds, when asked, will say, 'i think so and so would like to have a screaming death ninja mutant, complete with tank gun, monster breath, pokeballs, poison gas -i.e. farts-... and ofcourse don't forget about the boogers!!'
so ... dad took them to the store, and dad must have reminded them that mommy had been talking about wanting an herb garden. so... here you have it....my mother's day haul :]
to the right there is the box which contained all the supplies i needed to make an herb garden.... a mini spade, 4 mini clay pots (which, as you can see, didn't get used), seeds for Basil, Parsley, Thyme, & Corriander... it also came with a very interesting how to book with all kinds of neat techniques that i'll probably never use.... then again.... who knows...
... if you look closely you will see my WIP in the box now....
~~to the person who can guess most closely what i am making, go the spoils (keep reading ;] )~~ 
here's my indoor herb garden. the best part of my mother's day was getting to do this project with the kids. they went outside and dug up all of the dirt while i prepared the self-watering garden (the tute for this i'll have to edit the link in for later... it was from one hour craft ***editing in the link: http://www.onehourcraft.com/?p=470 ***). then i went outside with the kids and helped them prepare the soil. i told them all about how the nutrients in the soil feeds the plants. which totally baffled them.... they couldn't believe that plants would actually 'EAT dirt!!!! .... ewwwwww!!!!!!', they said. to which i replied, 'they don't actually EAT it persay. more or less they ABSORB it, and USE it. but there are things that do EAT soil and dirt. earthworms live in the soil and they eat the soil, digest it and naturally dispose of it (alot like we do when we eat). the digestive system of an earthworm contributes 99% of nutrients in the earth's topsoil, and the rest comes from decaying things like dead plants and animals.' to this explanation, more "ewwwwwwwws" and "groooooooooosssssses" were heard (strange that they would find this gross... considering that they normally like to torture me with all kinds of grotesque things). so i said to them, 'yes, but adding a few earthworms to our soil will be excellent for these herbs.' and i asked them to dig for some worms....
the great and wonderful thing about oppurtunities like this with your kids is that, they learn and they don't even know it!!!!! :]
also... you'll notice in the pic up there are some veg cans with stickers all over them. these are my 'watering cans' :]
the boys got into my reward stickers (there's one up there that says 'bright student') which is okay because i feel like they do teach me so much. when you have your first child, you imagine it will be a wonderful oppurtunity for you to be a teacher... but this assumption is WRONG!!!!! you do get your fair share of teaching... but it's not about the teaching, it's about the learning too... and the lessons, they have been many. to think that they find me to be a 'bright student' is very gratifying.... although i don't think they thought of it that way. all the same, it means alot to me... and i love and cherish my watering cans :]

and 3 days later... we have sprouts!!!!!!
now i just need a pestal and mortar :]
~~ COMPETITION~~
in the first picture above, the one who more closely identifies the WIP inside will receive a prize! (sorry... CM contestants with a 30 post minimum only). click on that WIP picture above to see more clearly. the prize you will be receiving is a close example of the choker i made for my mum for mother's day, so i guess you can say that this post is all about mum's day! :] although........ *hint hint* the competition answer has nothing to do with it......


~~THE PRIZE~~
a hand-knotted (by me :] ) hemp cord choker with black pony beads and a pewter kanji symbol (meaning 'friend') as the center pendant. actual knotted design measures 13 inches, with a total possible length of 20 inches.
**Competition closes next Saturday, June 2nd... or when i post a pic of my completed WIP... you may keep guessing until i post a pic and the winner... you may guess more than once :] **