Send a secret stash from one Mom to another!

It’s fall. It’s the time when rich reds and oranges take center stage. My Pinterest feed has been full of DIY Fall Decor.

My Facebook newsfeed is full of Moms pulling all nighters caring for sick children. Viruses are passed willy nilly throughout our communities. My stomach flu hacks and coughing tips are being pinned and repinned daily. All I can think about are all those poor moms–moms searching Pinterest for tips to ease the discomfort of their ill children. Moms that are on their hundredth load of yucky, infected laundry. Moms that need a moment to regroup.

Moms that feel how I felt last week when my kids were sick.

This is when moms need a little self-care pick me up.

Moms, like my mother, who have a secret drawer in their closet where they hide a little bit of chocolate to get them through the hardest days. The days when she has to steal a moment to herself to keep her sanity. But often, my mom would go to her drawer only to find it empty–nothing but crumbs and smears across cherubic faces as evidence that it ever existed. 

It’s taken a whopping 20 years for the guilt to set in. My siblings and I were all excitement and adventure as we stole into my mom’s closet as children, ransacked through her belongings, found, and ate her chocolate stash. Repeatedly.

We even found a bag of our baby teeth while looking for her chocolate. I thought it was gross back then…but now I have a few baby teeth stashed away myself.

(I’m so sorry, Mom. I shouldn’t have eaten your chocolate. )

Recalling my childhood perfidy, I decided to come up with a way to gift my fellow moms a moment of peace. A treat that they don’t have to share. 

This gift is cute enough to adorn a fall mantle, serve as a centerpiece, or be displayed as part of your home’s fall decor!

This post was compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser in 2015 when it was originally published. All opinions are mine alone.

How to Make A Secret Mom Stash Fall Decor Piece

Materials

• Large Vase
• Mason Jar
• Pebbles
• Burlap ribbon
• Decorative autumn floral picks
• Floral foam
• OREO thins or other treat

How to assemble your fall floral arrangement.

First, I found a large glass vase at my favorite thrift store. (It’s my favorite because it’s around the corner from my house.) I got the rest of the supplies with coupons from the floral section of my local craft store. Though these materials can be easily obtained at the Dollar Tree or online! 
 

This is easy to make. Seriously easy. Make sure the mason jar fits into the pitcher or vase. Fill it with the special treat you are giving to your overworked mom friend. I chose to fill this special care package with  OREO Thins. The thinner cookies mean that I can fit more in the special “hidden compartment!”

Place the jar inside the vase.

Surround it with pebbles. Save a few pebbles for the top of the floral foam. Cut the foam so it fits snugly into the top of the pitcher.

Arrange the floral picks. Cover the foam with the remaining pebbles or spanish moss. Use the ribbon to hide the foam. Don’t forget to let the gift recipient know about the secret inside! Sure I could just give my friend a stack of cookies in front of her kids. Sure she could just refuse to share them. But then she’d be subjected to the begging and whining that would be sure to follow. This way she can enjoy her special treat without her kids being the wiser–just like I am about to!

What would you hide in a nice home decor arrangement? 

If you are looking for Home Decor Crafts you might like:

or