Originally Posted by
lclang
Use muslin for the front, get some old broken crayons and SCRAPE little bits of different colored crayons onto the muslin, them top with a nonstick sheet of baking paper or foil from your kitchen and iron it to melt the crayons. If it looks like a flower or something specific, add a few stems, leaves, or whatever and iron again. If it doesn't look like much add some dots, bubbles, or something silly and iron again. These are cute, simple, and need some imagination from the "artist" to decide what they look like. Add a layer of batting, sew around 3 1/2 sides leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out, turn the opening edges to the inside and stitch all around the outside edge about 1/4 inch in and you are finished! Have the artist sign the back and mom will love it!
This is the best idea yet! Hand prints would way too large. With this, the children are actually making the design, whatever that may be, and adults are helping with the ironing.
But I wouldn't bother with the turning. Let the children sandwich the three pieces with glue (with help), and then just sew around the outer edge 1/4 inch from the edge and leave the edges raw. Pinking here would be great.
Parents want something their children had a hand in that shows, like a scribble or sprinkle that they made themselves.